Kenny G on His Incredible Career "Resurgence" - and Why He's Okay with Some Haters | PEOPLE

[@evafonda1877]

I meet Kenny G with my partner after his concert. He is so down to earth, very humble and such a kind soul… his aura is very calming and welcoming! Than you Kenny.. passion and love of music and the saxophone ! Live you to the moon and back!

[@landersax]

Kenny G is a humble musician. He listens to "constructive" criticism from people who have never built anything. He has a lot of patience with this. *Kenny G has an absurd quirk when he plays*. Live, or in Studio - we see the same quality. Only a Great musician can do something like this. Great musician, and it's a pleasure to listen to his music.

[@carloscappellini1687]

So humble yeah

[@alexandreknopp5486]

Oi Lander, também Brasileiro, você acredita que eu quase fui no concerto dele lá em Porto Alegre no Araújo Vianna em 17 de Novembro de 2022?

[@BLAKEEATS1988]

Im suprised how positive and welcoming he is even for his haters.

[@informant09]

Maybe ask yourself why a saxophone player has "haters"

[@soniaberton9253]

Love how passionate Kenny is about being a father, his dedication to practicing his saxophone which has made him super successful and how he pays close attention to details!

[@NPGLAMB]

I could never hate Kenny g. His music is absolutely beautiful and he is a good person ,opposed to many artists who are horrible people

[@algonzosax]

I hate how so many elitists put Kenny down simply for having “limited technical ability” on the horn. What his haters fail to understand is that every time he picks up that horn, he plays it from the heart and with emotion, which he then projects onto his listeners. That is what music is supposed to be about, and he nails it completely. Hate on him all you want but Kenny G is the definition of a true musician.

[@algonzosax]

@Luke Schneider see I don’t believe that Kenny has limited technical abilities, but the “elite” players brand him as such simply because he doesn’t play all the complex jazz scales (which nobody even cares about btw).

[@algonzosax]

@Luke Schneider EXACTLY! Nobody except for Jazz musicians within the “inner circle” who understand the Jazz theory wants to hear complex outside-the-changes Jazz lines. They don’t make sense to the average listener and there’s no soul or passion in it. Kenny on the other hand plays from the heart and soul while Jazz elites play from the brain, which contradicts what music is supposed to be all about.

[@bs.music.kyi9]

It really annoyed me when I went to jazz school and everyone hated Kenny G. His music isn’t bad at all, I actually really like it, but sometimes it hurts a little bit when people assume I play smooth jazz or that I play background music. There’s a lot more to jazz than Kenny G, and it hurts a little bit when people assume that because I play jazz I play background music and box me into a box I don’t belong it. All that being said I really like his music and how he plays!

[@algonzosax]

@@bs.music.kyi9 Ugh I feel the exact same way because I am currently a Jazz student as well. The thing with the Jazz community is that it is so conservative in terms of what fits within the walls of being labeled “Jazz” or “Real Jazz.” Kenny G doesn’t fit their idea of what Jazz is supposed to sound like so they hate him. It’s not just Kenny G, it’s pretty much any musician that doesn’t play “hip” or like a stereotypical Jazz “cat.” Very cult-like if you ask me.

[@josephantoniou3778]

Limited technical ability? Lol CLUELESS

[@marianbarchilon815]

Kenny is a wonderful father who cares deeply about communicating with his children, Max and Noah. Even as young men he gives them teaching moments. He gives his best at everything and that is admirable.

[@marianwashington3839]

I just love this man’s music period.

[@truewilliams7118]

I’m 40 and my parents had his tapes and later his CD’s and I’ve been a fan ever since.

[@level-UpwithKatina-vb1jo]

Kenny G is one of the greatest and you are the best - love this man and has my heart ❤️ just love him

[@EngPheniks]

I grew up listening to his 1994 album, Miracles: The Holiday album. To this day, his tunes still ring deep down inside my heart. He not just plays his instrument with his lips, he plays it with his heart.

[@Ibhenriksen]

Just saw the documentary. Never was a fan of his music, but the doc made me understand him better. Now that he has reinvented himself I might give it a try.

[@ThePragmo]

This is a great attitude towards life challenges. When people hate your work, you must turn that hate into fuel to drive your work further ahead.

[@jammck1399]

1982 Arista Records' Clive Davis signed in Kenny Gorelick aka Kenny G This smooth jazz artist really touched my heart and soul with his alto sax with a bunch of albums and I have all of his CDs. Say whatcha want or hate on him but Kenny G will always be very legendary.

[@ladiiblue2u634]

Facts

[@landersax]

*THIS INTERVIEW IS VERY GOOD* I understand Kenny G's quality. He is one of the best musicians with great taste that has ever passed through this Earth. He was happy to be able to live in the same generation as him, and to have heard this music. Congratulations.

[@oliviaarteaga4092]

He was my first inspiration to smooth jazz music my mom played his music a lot when I was a toddler man, fell in love with it

[@Climacticc_Chaos]

Bro if south park makes fun of you - you are obviously the best in the world at what youre doing

[@michaelsetiawan2746]

I've been listening to his music for over 25 years now since I was about 6, my parents were big fans of him like everyone else was back in the 90s. It's December 2023, and this is the very first time I've ever heard him speak.

[@BlackRootsAcademyOfSoul]

I think this interview will make him change a lot of people's minds, including mine, I must admit. He's happy with his Music, he's certainly sold millions while at it, good for him. What I like the most after hearing him here, is that he'll take all the criticism and still do what makes him happy, and gives him the lifestyle he wants. In the end, Music listeners will choose to like what they want.

[@sheldinduplessis1424]

These Jazz Haters are just pissed that nobody listens to their music but they listen to Kenny G. Maybe they should change because 75 Million record sales prove a lot.

[@1ftsports678]

Kenny G is an absolute icon in American music. No one can touch the sound he gets from that soprano sax.

[@tbone3972]

Life is like a roller coaster, it has its ups & downs. I love how the way he talks about his parenting strategy.

[@davidrubio9753]

My mom got me hooked on this man

[@taylorthug239]

Kenny G is the reason why I fell in love with brass instruments. I play trombone myself. However love the saxophone 🎷 even more.

[@Wasin1403]

I admire him as a opener to the Jazz world for me. Instead of hating him. The Jazz Elites and hard-core fans should thank him for widening the Jazz music to the people. And many of them may go listen deeper, more serious and become a fan of you guys just like me. I don’t know why they hate Smooth-Jazz music. It’s also a Jazz music too. That’s nonsense.

[@sarahmoorman6936]

One word: integrity!

[@jjsalsoso]

I adore this man, a self-made artist, with an unmatched and inimitable sound. His sense of music was revolutionary, he defined the soundtrack of our lives for decades and has rubbed shoulders with the musical elite since his early days. And look at him: unflappable, humble, healthy, honest, intelligent, peaceful in spite of so many envious people. An honorable guy and a super genius of music (try to catch up with him). It's funny that after the US tried to turn him into a caricature (typical of a sick society) now they see how he's back in trend. GENIUS

[@calkig]

It was a pretty amazing documentary, gave me a lot of respect for the Mr. Gorelick... for his personality, hard work, his body of work, his story, and for his facility on the saxophone.

[@nodevoutt]

His voice is so light and soft I thought it'd be deeper lol

[@ladiiblue2u634]

He reminds me of that one neighbor who has music playing and he'll welcome you to the neighborhood

[@justinw8512]

I love his talent

[@jimphilidor9031]

I hate his music but I respect his attitude of not giving fuck what others think.

[@theascendance]

He’s brilliant! Down to Earth and enjoys playing I don’t get down on art for art sake! Keep your ears 360* All good to me!

[@sazonsongs]

The world’s most beautiful hold music. No I’m kidding. He’s an incredible artist. I admire his consistency. I’ve bought several of his albums. Bought Duotones four times because people kept stealing my copies. 😂

[@saxmanjpr5092]

I thought you bought four of them to have them in all formats: 8 Tracks, Tape, Record and C.D. ! ;)

[@yurib7067]

Kenny G is the love that flows through his horn.

[@425gabe]

Kenny G., Zappa, and Stan Getz, not all saxophonists (and many more mind blowing artists) have similar sentiments about their music. They put it out there, if you like it then it’s good, if you don’t then they don’t care. They will still continue to create because that’s what their heart and mind says they should do. Nothing to do with what’s popular, they know people will be critical about their music and they are okay with that. This is what makes them all great. Also, they spend a lot of time being themselves because they’ve learned that copying will only get you far.

[@Unlucky13ification]

I've been trying that idea out for myself. I've been spending 2 hours a day drawing. I really do see the improvement! Before, I would spend a lot of time on my phone or sleeping.

[@truthfacts5438]

who hates kenny g? he's not the guy you hate...

[@echoftw]

I'm a life long sax player, studied in college. I was so full of smugness back then. I hated Kenny G along with all the other saxophone majors because you were just supposed to. "He's not real jazz mann"... I was so young and dumb. I checked out his music and back then I insisted I didn't like it.. Then I saw some of his interviews and the way he talks about his career and music, and I realized I was just being stupid. I listened to some of his stuff and love a lot of his tracks now. I wouldn't say he's my favorite sax player, but maybe the most inspirational in terms of the confidence to be oneself, the humbleness paired with passion, and genre-defying sound and inflection. When you play with great expression and inflection and emotion, the genre and style doesn't matter. A killer performer is a killer performer.

[@ejanderson3590]

I love kenny. Love his music

[@polattanoglu756]

Absolute legend.

[@talentunburied]

Thumbs up! When your Music grabs a Society; they dig you any change can select them..Miles went through that going Electric...what a huge compliment really! Congratulations!

[@dees3525]

What an amazing soul this person is; If only there were more people out there with such humbleness and gratitude towards life then what a wonderful world this would be; God Bless All.Denise Stacey ❤❤ (KINDNESS ALL AROUND THE WORLD FOR EVERYONE) ❤❤

[@intallpines]

Loved him then, love him still!

[@IngridSaybe]

The best way a father can do. To communicate with their sons. To answer and give some advice. It is responsable too.

[@anthonycirami8500]

Yesss love Kenny G

[@flightforensics4523]

My Fav song? On the soprano sax...Havana. On tenor....Northern Lights

[@resourcesedu1676]

Oh my,. So familiar and unique! Heaven.. can't wait to see him in December..whole family going..😌

[@ladiiblue2u634]

I would definitely love to meet Kenny G

[@jongoto]

Kenny G can seriously play bebop too. A lot of people don't realize how hard he can actually shred more traditional jazz. Check out his giant steps post lmao.

[@dianereed8597]

There Is Just ‘No One’ Like Kenny G and He is AMAZING and Very Unique with a Beautiful Heart That He Shares The World His AMAZING Sound! Luv His Beautiful Sounds!

[@stevensims3342]

What a legend 🎷🙂

[@user-lt3bt7nj8j]

I love his music no matter how others say

[@smoothvelvetsinger]

Good musician, nice person. I like it🎷

[@steelersnation2426]

This man is a LEGEND ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@valeriaraffai6783]

IMÁDOM!!! Az az őszinte lelkesedés és a kedves mosoly???

[@victoriaplymale914]

His Music Relaxes Me... Victoria J Lynch Kenney Plymale

[@AndrewsOpinion15]

HAPPY 66TH BIRTHDAY KENNY G !!!

[@donnalove3596]

Been missing you

[@emss5472]

I LOVE HIM🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@wyndhl8309]

The K-G man is truly loved by more than 70% of the World's NON-JAZZ musicians, the (commercially) buying public; actually, he is neither hated by Organic Jazz musicians nor European Classical performers. Contrarily, some artists are appalled at and despised the fact that K.G. is incorrectly labeled a JAZZ musician by Corporate Executives and some others when, especially at the time of his mid-'80's and '90's commercial successes, beginning with "Songbird", he "elected" to specialize in composing and performing Cradle Songs, Nursery Rhymes, Chants, Lullabies, Christmas tunes, Folklore, Patriotic songs, soft Pop ... all of which were varnished with high volumes of echoes and reverbs - the "sales hook"🪝 One must, however, not neglect to emphasize that Kenny G. often delivered these songs most beautifully 👌; that the misnomer "Smooth Jazz" was created specifically to address and "elevate" the quality of commercial music so effectively promoted and marketed by Clive David, the world's greatest Executive Producer. The commercial K-G man does remind me of Fausto Papetti and, to a lesser degree, John "Ace" Cannon, who were more popular and financially successful than, let's say, Organic Jazz men Bud Shank, Frank Morgan, Lee Konitz, Art Pepper, Paul Desmond; the former two were Pop, RnB., commercial alto saxophonists 🎷; the latter, Organic Jazz exponents whose main behavior objective was to explore the highest possibilities of the instrument with creativity above par via improvisation.👌 Flutist Herbie Mann came in for similar criticism from Jazz "Purists" and European Classical Performers: he was labeled a JAZZMAN, winning the Down Beat Jazz Poll for 13 consecutive years - 1957 to 1970 - when he chose to go commercial, not jazzwards. Ironically, this period saw the known presence of Organic Jazz Flutists James Moody, Buddy Collette, Frank Wess, Eric Dixon, Jerome Richardson, Paul Horn, Joe Farrell, Eddie Daniels among many others. To each his/her own, n'est-ce pas? Rappers, like commercial saxophonists, are the most known; comparatively, the richest (Poetic) "vocalists". To generalize and compare artists' abilities based on fame and financial successes - despite the differences in genres - IS deceitful, unfair, disingenuous, ridiculous and selfish. It's insensitive and almost cynical; it does nothing to advance the music of each genre; certainly, it can be harmful to the artist whatever his/her chosen genre. Let one stay in one's OWN CHOSEN LANE; let's neither make generalizations nor insist on effecting false comparisons - (Organic)Jazz vs (Commercial) Pop, RnB etc. Both genres - any - are beautiful: they do serve a human purpose, and are here to stay; will be appreciated (to a more or less degree) Pax vobiscum!

[@omnipop4936]

Darn, I wish this would've included a discussion of Pat Metheny's *_scathing_* criticism of Kenny's music. I'd love to hear Kenny respond to it. Does the full documentary go into that?

[@ingridllinas5612]

El trabajo tiene muchas recompensas. Se puede dedicar tiempo al golf, a la aviación, musica, familia. Nice to have a documentary based on your career. ‘A weapon of concept’ it is a good cool, despite he did not like your music so much. It great to have a unique sound and style. Good philosophy on parenthood.

[@thomasvariale209]

I'm impressed he's quite a gentleman class act I like him. I use to play the saxophone. I wanted to be a professional. At the age of 25 I broke my jaw.Afterwardsi gave of playing. I was wrong of course. Dum kid. Anyway these days I'm a soprano Recorder player. I'm striding to be a great player. I STILL would like to try playing soprano sax . Tremendous amount of work involved once I master playing recorder I'll consider it 😀 👍 Goodnight all.

[@FruityPebbles-420]

Have you tried playing? You might want to give it another go. I had to take a break myself after having a lung cyst removed, but started playing again after a few years. my tuning was way off for about a year until I could get my embouchure back in shape, and still working on getting my dexterity back in my fingers. I'd say give it a go.

[@daciansolgenrelaxationmusi4145]

I'm a huge fan of Kenny g 😍

[@HenriqueFirmiano-dx3kc]

👏👏beautiful Algo watch Henrique Firmiano soprano sax in praise

[@damonial2]

❤ kenny G 🎷

[@elizabethschumann2278]

Keep doing what your doing I hope that we meet again soon one day baby

[@truesonic669]

Brazil is a great song

[@elizabethschumann2278]

LOVE your music and I Love you too baby I want the best for us wish to see you soon 😊 😘

[@Back2Bass777]

The question is what does he think of the Pat Metheny video 🤣

[@imranetic]

He doesn’t think about him at all! 😅

[@28Melvyn]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@carloscappellini1687]

El proxeneta del Jazz

[@AntoniaVillarroel-de6sm]

❤❤❤❤

[@supadupahilton6848]

Does he still work at the Krusty Krab?

[@arosalesmusic]

Is he over the Pat Metheny interview yet? 🤣🤣

[@MaxGill-z4e]

When one of your haters is Pat Metheny then idk how okay you can be with that

[@CapoKabar]

Pat Metheny is one of those haters. Funny how someone who only sold 20 million records hates Kenny who sold almost 100 million with only 15 albums released. It took pat 40 albums to get there.

[@jb5music]

Here Baby! There Mama!... EveRY where Daddy Daddy (Hair! Hair!... Hair! Hair!.. Hair! Hair!... Hair! Hair!...)

[@bephrem]

wow

[@tonycostanzo4276]

Kenny looks like Vivaldi

[@IkanGelamaKuning]

I think he just use the same 3 saxes.

[@jaaklucas1329]

Never really understood the haters. Kind of like Nickleback as well. Music is so varied with things you can like so why bother hating. Dont listen if it bothers you. Okay some of the jokes are pretty good though. Gotta have a sense of humour.

[@FruityPebbles-420]

I honestly don't prefer it myself, but it's more appealing than certain other genres of music.

[@pinktaco646]

Wow..he talks

[@DaigoParry]

3:06 - 3:30

[@limmingming4022]

all fluff? why dont they try doing what he did? can they do it? even if its one tone,can they do it that long? this is the Olimpic Standard 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@YeungLorentz]

why resurgence? I have never seen it died before

[@RocStarr913]

Because he hasn’t really had a hit single since the early 1990’s. Plus, he was considered very square when he had hit singles.

[@gnulen]

He seems like a nice person even though his music is terrible

[@darkdante9]

His music ain't hardly terrible. You're just a Jazz hater.

[@FruityPebbles-420]

@@darkdante9 I wouldn't exactly say that. Many of his harshest critics are jazz purists.

[@carlosmcse]

The New Standards album is pretty bad though. So bad half way through it he put an old song from an old record. It’s sort of like, write 1 melody and figure out 12 ways to play it the same thing. His best days are behind him, but we all love him. What can you say. Also his Stan Getz duet thing sounds terrible.

[@truemanmontfort8031]

Went to No 1 and bumped Gaga and Bennet off chart…..it’s really about the singles…Emeline and Anthem….yes, as a whole it’s repetitive but many concept albums are….at least he’s experimenting and growing towards more authentic Jazz…which actually shows he does care about what that community thinks and says….anyway, we all have opinions and this is mine.

[@carlosmcse]

@@truemanmontfort8031 It’s not Jazz. Not close to Jazz. Kenny G can’t play Jazz. It’s like trying to make a kindergartner recite Shakespeare. I’ve always since I was a teen, had great admiration for Stan Getz, and so what Kenny did was really bad. He basically took a few notes from Getz playing happy birthday and changed the notes and added wind sound and forced a computerized Stan Getz sound to play what Kenny wanted. It was awful, it sounded awful; and it was quite insulting and egocentric. He basically made everything Metheney said about him correct. I always thought he was a little too harsh, and then Kenny goes and does that. That’s like a politician making a deep fake of another popular politician like Reagan, and forcing Reagan to say the things the other politician wants and then publishing it for his commercial to endorse him. People would go nuts. I can’t believe Getz’s family agreed to it, but the fact that Kenny did it is the height of arrogance.

[@saxmanjpr5092]

@@truemanmontfort8031 MONTY! Jonathan here! Nice to see you commenting. No need for others to worry about being repetitive. At some point, all music is. It it like what James Taylor (my favorite singer and TWICE got to sing with him) once said, "I keep coming back to the same issues (for FIFTY YEARS) over and over. I just use different words to express them." I sometimes write poetry and express the same issue over and over...and over! I just use different sentences to connect the same rhyming words.

[@saxmanjpr5092]

@@carlosmcse I think the main gripe that Kenny has to face is that someone else called Kenny's music "jazz" many years ago, ( I wont say the name) when in reality, Kenny's music is instrumental pop. Kenny even said once in an interview in the 90's that he did not label his music and was essentially saying for the listener to to call his music what THEY HEAR in it.

[@carlosmcse]

@@saxmanjpr5092 Right. His music is pop music. The only difference between him and Adele is that he can’t sing. But essentially it’s the same thing without lyrics.

[@siriusfeline]

"The worst music in the history of human beings" - Pat Metheny. Couldn't agree more. This is not hate, it's accurate evaluation.

[@Bobby-rq5eg]

but...he is not even good...... himself??? What?!?

[@mambojazz1]

@6:45 CORRECTION: People are NOT smart enough to know they are getting something bad!!! They haven't heard enough saxophone players. Thank you👎

[@primerye]

I appreciate his gestures towards being all self-deprecating and humble and all, but it is disingenuous, his music is fecal material, and everyone instinctively realizes that.

[@informant09]

The guy is so full of himself. Ugh

[@RocStarr913]

Classic Gemini

[@charmed2284]

How did you get that? His tone wasn't pretentious. He was just stating general facts about album sales that anyone can research and talking about himself bc it's a documentary about HIM.

[@RocStarr913]

@@charmed2284 I agree. He seems quite humble for a guy who is reasonably confident in his talent and accomplishments.

[@Wasin1403]

I admire him as a opener to the Jazz world for me. Instead of hating him. The Jazz Elites and hard-core fans should thank him for widening the Jazz music to the people. And many of them may go listen deeper, more serious and become a fan of you guys just like me. I don’t know why they hate Smooth-Jazz music. It’s also a Jazz music too. That’s nonsense.