Kenny G
Kenny G
Kenneth Bruce Gorelick, better known by his stage name Kenny G, is an American saxophonist. His 1986 album, Duotones, brought him commercial success. Kenny G is the biggest-selling instrumental musician of the modern era and one of the best-selling artists of all time, with global sales totaling more than 75 million records...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionSaxophonist
Date of Birth5 June 1956
CitySeattle, WA
CountryUnited States of America
Unless I've got Katy Perry on the cover of my CD, it's going to be tough to sell a lot of records.
If you go to Tiananmen Square, or go to any public area in China, you will hear my music at some point.
I'm very serious about what I do. I practice every day for three hours. I work on my scales; I work on my tone. But otherwise, I like to have fun.
With the sax, I learned technique well enough so that it feels like part of my body, and I just express myself. That's where I want to get in golf.
I don't go to clubs. I don't know what club mixes are supposed to sound like.
Generally, I like Indian music because the melodies are usually not too complex, which is how I like music, and that's the way I write music.
Grover Washington was my main influence, and when I went to college, I started listening to more of the jazz masters like Sonny Rollins, Cannonball Adderley, and John Coltrane.
Any saxophone player will have those influences come through in their music in a very different way. I can listen to the same 10 sax players as someone else for my entire life, and we'll both play completely differently. That's the beauty of being a musician.
Sure, I love people, and I want to communicate with people. I mean, what is music anyway? It's a form of communication - at least for me it is. And that's why I play the kind of music that I think - that I hope - can communicate with people.
I've been performing since I was in high school, so I've seen people react to my music and my playing. I'm always appreciative when people like the music, but I'm not shocked.
I listen to old jazz and classical music, and that's it.
I mean, what is music anyway? It's a form of communication - at least for me it is. And that's why I play the kind of music that I think - that I hope - can communicate with people.
I was really amazed when I started hearing 'Songbird' on the radio. I couldn't believe that the record company promotion department had actually convinced radio music directors to play it -because there wasn't anything like it on the radio at the time.
I live my life and play my music, and I don't really seek out other people's approval or accolades or things like that. I try to do what's true to me, and how it all comes out is fine.