Kenny G

Infobox musical artist
Name = Kenny G


Img_capt = Kenny G playing at The Players Championship award ceremony
Img_size = 220 px
Landscape =
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = Kenneth Gorelick
Alias = Kenny G
Born = birth date and age|1956|6|5
Died =
Origin = Seattle, Washington USA
Instrument = Primary: Soprano saxophone Secondary: Alto saxophone Tenor saxophone Flute
Genre = Smooth jazz
Adult contemporary
Occupation = Musician
Composer
Songwriter
Years_active = 1982 – present
Label = Arista (1982–2006)
Concord Jazz (2008–present)
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.kennyg.com/ www.kennyg.com]
Notable_instruments =

Kenneth Gorelick (born June 5, 1956), better known by his stage name Kenny G, is an American saxophonist whose fourth album, "Duotones", brought him "breakthrough success"cite web |url= http://music.barnesandnoble.com/features/interview.asp?NID=598266&z=y|title= Kenny G Is Still the Smooth Jazz King|accessdate=2007-04-07 |date= October, 2002|publisher= Barnes & Noble.com] in 1986. Kenny's main instrument is the soprano saxophone, but he also plays the alto and tenor saxophone and the flute on occasion.

Early life

Kenny was born in Seattle, Washington, [ [http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608000874/Kenny-G.html Kenny G Biography] ] and first came into contact with a saxophone when he heard someone performing with one on "The Ed Sullivan Show". He learned how to play under the direction of local trumpeter Gerald Pfister and by practicing along with records (mostly of Grover Washington, Jr.), trying to emulate the sounds that he was hearing. At Franklin High School he failed to get into the jazz band when he applied,cite web |url= http://www.golfdigest.com/features/index.ssf?/features/gd200612kennyg.html|title= After selling millions of records, Grammy winner Kenny G wants to conquer golf|accessdate=2007-04-07 |last= Diaz|first= Jaime|date= December, 2006|publisher= GolfDigest.com] although was accepted the following year when he tried again.cite news |first= Ron|last= Kroichick|title= Kenny G can swing with the best of them|url=http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/19279 |work= Scripps News|publisher= ScrippsNews.com|date= February 7, 2007|accessdate=2007-04-07 ] He also played for his high school golf team, a sport which he had loved ever since his older brother, Brian Gorelick, introduced it to him when he was ten years old.. Brian Gorelick is currently a music professor and choir conductor at Wake Forest University.

Career

Kenneth Gorelick began his career as a musician when he acquired his first ever professional job as saxophone soloist for Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1976 at the age of 20, when White was impressed by his mastery of the blues scale.cite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:4usyxdabjolk~T1|title= Kenny G Biography|accessdate=2007-04-07 |last= Yanow|first= Scott|publisher= AllMusic.com] Kenny was also studying for a major in accounting at the same time.cite web |url= http://www.bmi.com/musicworld/entry/233313|title= Kenny G Has Time on his Side|accessdate=2007-04-07 |last= Zimmerman|first= Kevin|date= September 30, 2002|publisher= BMI.com] After being rejected as a music major from Central Washington University, he went on to get a degree from University of Washington and played with the funk band Cold, Bold & Together before becoming a credited member of "The Jeff Lorber Fusion". He began his solo career after his period with Lorber.

In 1982, Kenny G signed with Arista Records as a solo artist, after label president Clive Davis heard his rendition of ABBA's "Dancing Queen". He has released many solo albums and collaborated with various artists including Whitney Houston,cite encyclopedia | last = Sandow| first = Greg| authorlink= Greg Sandow| year = 2007| title = Kenny G| url= http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761584562/Kenny_G.html| accessdate = 2007-05-04| encyclopedia = Microsoft Encarta| publisher = Microsoft Corporation] Toni Braxton,cite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kxftxq9hldte~T2|title= The Moment - Credits|accessdate=2007-05-07 |publisher= Allmusic] Natalie Cole,cite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:difqxqe5ldke~T2|title= Everlasting - Credits|accessdate=2007-05-07 |publisher= Allmusic] Steve Millercite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:g9fuxqw5ld6e~T2|title= Living in the 20th Century - Credits|accessdate=2007-05-07 |publisher= Allmusic] (which marked the only time he appeared on a rock and roll album), Dudley Moore, Michael Bolton, and Aretha Franklin. Influenced by the likes of saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr. and the lyricism of Barry Manilow, his own albums are usually classified as smooth jazz.

He received success quite early on, with both "G Force" and "Gravity", his second and third studio albums respectively, achieving platinum status in the United States. These sales were topped by his fourth studio album, "Duotones", which shifted over five million copies in the U.S. alone. His sixth studio album, "Breathless", became the number one best selling instrumental album ever, with over 15 million copies sold, of which 12 million were in the U.S. He broke another record when his first holiday album, "", sold over 13 million copies, making it the most successful Christmas album to date.

In 1997, Kenny G earned a place in the "Guinness Book of World Records" for playing the longest note ever recorded on a saxophone. Kenny G held an E-flat for forty five minutes and 12 seconds in the Hopkins-Bright Auditorium at D&R Music World in New York City. [cite news |first=Bruce |last=Haring |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Kenny G. Blows |url=http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12037787 |format= |work= |publisher=Yahoo! |location= |id= |pages= |page= |date=1997-12-02 |accessdate=2008-01-15 |language= |quote= |archiveurl= |archivedate= ] That same year, Kenny G's song "Havana", from his album "The Moment", was remixed by noted DJs Todd Terry and Tony Moran and released promotionally to dance clubs in the U.S. These mixes went to #1 on the "Billboard" Hot Dance Club Play chart in April of 1997, giving Kenny his first (and, to date, only) #1 on this chart.

Gorelick's 1999 single, "What A Wonderful World" stirred controversy among the jazz community regarding the overdubbing of Louis Armstrong's classic recording. A common criticism was that such a revered recording by a musician known especially for improvisation should not be altered. Pat Metheny responded to this recording by saying, "With this single move, Kenny G became one of the few people on earth I can say that I really can't use at all - as a man, for his incredible arrogance to even consider such a thing, and as a musician, for presuming to share the stage with the single most important figure in our music." [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=15999 "Kenny G: At Last...The Duets Album" Mark Sabbatini, AllAboutJazz, December 30, 2004, Retrieved September 1 2007] [http://jazz.about.com/od/albumreviews/gr/essentialkennyg.htm "The Essential Kenny G: A Smooth Jazz CD Review", John Matouk, AboutJazz.com, Retrieved September 1 2007] [ [http://www.jazzoasis.com/methenyonkennyg.htm JazzOasis.com - Pat Metheny on Kenny G ] ] [http://www.salon.com/ent/audiofile/2005/03/16/thompson/ "Thompson on Kenny G -- and Janet Jackson's breast", Audiofile, Salon.com, March 16, 2005, Retrieved September 2 2007] [" KENNY G "Classics in the Key of G" Arista", Mike Joyce, The Washington Post, August 27, 1999] The "duet" was produced by David Foster who also recorded the Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole duet. Gorelick stated at the time,"...I didn't want to spoil the original. I said, 'Whatever we do, if we're not going to make it better, let's throw it away and we won't do it.' So (Foster) guaranteed that it would be better, and I hope that we did a good job on it." [ABC Good Morning America, July 9, 1999] Some columnists countered the criticisms suggesting such a recording would bring classic jazz to a wider audience. [ "Gee whiz, give Kenny a break." (Arts and Lifestyle), Shirley Maldonado, The Boston Herald, August 10, 2000] Nevertheless, Kenny G fans considered the live performance of this duet with Armstrong on a video taped backdrop a "show stopper." [ "Parrotheads flock to Merriweather: Nesting with Buffett; Kenny G at Nissan, Irish at Wolf Trap." (Washington Weekend)(Riffs), Raymond M. Lane, The Washington Times, August 26, 1999] Additionally, Gorelick has stated that all the proceeds from this single go to his Kenny G Miracles Foundation which "funnel(s) the money to charities to purchase musical instruments and to supplement funding for the arts in schools." ["KENNY G PRESENTS SOME OLD FAVORITES FROM YESTERYEAR." (Entertainment) Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 27, 1999]

Kenny G has recorded some Chinese songs, like "Jasmine Flower" (茉莉花), and his music is noticeably popular in China. His recording "Going Home" is often played at closing time at public places or the at end of classes at schools.

As of 2003, Kenny G was named the 25th-highest selling artist in America by the RIAA, with 48 million albums sold in the USA as of July 31, 2006.cite web |url= http://www.riaa.com/gp/bestsellers/topartists.asp|title= Top Artists|accessdate=2007-04-07 |date= July 31, 2006|publisher= RIAA.com] In 1994, Kenny G won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition for "Forever in Love".

On August 4, 2008, TVGuide.com announced that Kenny G would be guest-starring and performing on ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money" tentatively scheduled to air October 8, 2008. [cite news | last =Mitovich | first =Matt | title = Exclusive: Kenny G Engages in Dirty Sax | publisher = TVGuide.com | date =2008-08-04 | url = http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-News-Blog/Todays-News/Dirty-Sexy-Money/800044491 | accessdate =2008-06-19]

Personal life

Kenny G is currently married to Lyndie Benson, with whom he has two children – Max (aged thirteen) and Noah (aged nine). They have expressed an interest in saxophone and piano respectively.cite web |url= http://www.lhj.com/lhj/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/lhj/story/data/AllThatJazz_05202003.xml&catref=C298|title= Mr. G Sounds Off|accessdate=2007-04-07 |date= May, 2003|publisher= LHJ.com] He plays golf regularly, and has a playing handicap of +0.6. He has participated in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am tournament seven times as of February 7, 2008, and "Golf Digest" awarded him the position of number one musician golfer in their December rankings of Top 100 in Music.

Kenny is also a pilot, and has been known to fly to many events.

Kenny G is also one of the original investors in the Starbucks coffee house chain.

He has one sister, Paula, and one brother, Brian. Brian's son David is a musician and plays bass in the band "Puking up Sunshine."Fact|date=August 2008

Discography

Listen
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title=Kenny G - Songbird
description=Sample from Kenny G's "Songbird". From the album Duotones.
format=OggListen
filename=Kenny G - The Joy of Life.ogg
title=Kenny G - The Joy of Life
description=Sample from Kenny G's "The Joy of Life". From the album Breathless.
format=OggListen
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title=Kenny G - End of The Night
description=Sample from Kenny G's "End of The Night". From the album Breathless.
format=Ogg

Albums

Studio albums

* "Kenny G" (1982)
* "G Force" (1983)
* "Gravity" (1985)
* "Duotones" (1986)
* "Silhouette" (1988)
* "Breathless" (1992)
* "The Moment" (1996)
* "Paradise" (2002)
* "Rhythm & Romance" (2008)

Holiday albums

* "" (1994)
* "" (1999)
* "" (2002)

Live albums

* "Kenny G Live" (1989)
* "Best" (2006)

Greatest hits albums

* "The Very Best of Kenny G" (1994)
* "Kenny G - Greatest Hits" (1997)
* "Ultimate Kenny G" (2003)
* "The Greatest Holiday Classics" (2005)
* "The Essential Kenny G" (2006)

Compilation albums

* "The Collection" (1993)
* "Montage" (1993)
* "In America" (2001)
* "The Romance of Kenny G" (2004)
* "The Holiday Collection" (2006)

Cover albums

* "Classics in the Key of G" (1999)
* "At Last...The Duets Album" (2004)
* "I'm in the Mood for Love...The Most Romantic Melodies of All Time" (2006)

EPs

* "Six of Hearts" (1997)

Singles

Videography

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1rHEJX3w68 "Forever in Love"]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W89hnOh0RSo "Going Home"]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nHBwgw8CK4 "One More Time"] ft. Beth
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MOa-f6l3qo "Sade" (live)]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drv95xAsgZY "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word"] ft. Leehom Wang
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGtTblTR0YU&mode=related&search= "Songbird"]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ_O7Od74Ec&mode=related&search= "Sentimental"]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSAVLNQ54rc&mode=related&search= "By The Time This Night Is Over"]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMEIbHe4lao&mode=related&search= "Silhouette" (Live)]

See also

* Best selling music artists

References

External links

* [http://kennyg.com Kenny G's official website]
* [http://myspace.com/kennyg Kenny G at Myspace]
* [http://www.legacyrecordings.com/Kenny-G.aspx Kenny G at Legacy Recordings]
* [http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/g_kenny/bio.jhtml Kenny G] at VH1.com
* [http://www.billboardenespanol.com/musica/content_display/artistas/la-entrevista-billboard/e3ia0a20baccca40a59fe9963e6bae13256 Kenny G Interview - Billboard en Español]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:ygue4j270way~T00 Kenny G] at Allmusic
*

Persondata
NAME= G, Kenny
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Gorelick, Kenneth
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Musician, Songwriter
DATE OF BIRTH= 1956-6-5
PLACE OF BIRTH= Seattle, Washington, United States
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=