Kenny G: Yay or Nay?

[stepco12345]

What do you all think of him? There is praise for him, but also a bit of criticism.

Do you guys think I should take the time to get into him or just pass on him?

[Nick_]

I'd just pass.

I find him absolutely bland and uninspiring.

[C_Miller]

He's a pretty good sax player... but what he plays is a travesty to the musical world, the Jazz world especially.

[psychodelia]

Pass.

[Spamwise]

Has anyone noticed that he looks a lot like marty friedman?

kenny g:

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2005/12/20/kenny_G_narrowweb__300x413.jpg

marty friedman:

http://www.sixconcerts.com/uplimages/artist_Marty%20Friedman1158057144.jpg

[Sly Taco]

nizayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[Sleepn_Giant]

No thanks. Kenny G and the like are one of the few types of jazz that I really don't care to listen to.

[Patrick Curley]

A big nay over here

[Slash 602]

not at all.

[MastaBassist10]

The other day, I heard a jazz tune on the radio (some jazz standard, don't remember which), and it was played quite nicely, had a bit of soul and funk and groove, and the DJ at the end was like "That was Kenny G on blah blah blah blah blah"

And I was like :eek:

[jazz_croatia]

You shouldn't pass over anything. Every artist can help you form your own listening experience.

[outlaw metaler]

Nnnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[dividedsky]

To quote my jazz teacher "I can't listen to Kenny G for five minutes without either falling asleep or wanting to kill myself, which is why I don't listen to him when I'm driving.... or at all."

[imgooley]

Never in my life will I listen to kenny g. He's like jazz's version of poison.

[petrucci_owns86]

Kenny G....? Naahhhh...

[theneildeal]

he's ok, but its middle aged women jazz.

Jazz is jazz, but there are better artists around

[Blackholesun00]

Nay, especially since he butchered a certain well-known jazz classic. :mad:

Never in my life will I listen to kenny g. He's like jazz's version of poison.

Agreed.

[urik]

Yay for me.
Leet sax skills, awesome feeling.
The only problem with him, is that he shouldn't be classified as jazz.
Listen to his "Silhouette"

[DarthElvis]

He should be sodomized with his horn for what he did to that particular classic. I mean really, overdubbing yourself on the original ? Much ego ?

[Dirtydeeds468]

Immense fail.

[DarthElvis]

Immense fail.

Why, because I happen to agree with this guy(not a favorite by any means, but he says it better than I could):
http://www.jazzoasis.com/methenyonkennyg.htm

I'll post some highlights. :
"Not long ago, Kenny G put out a recording where he overdubbed himself on top of a 30+ year old Louis Armstrong record, the track "What a Wonderful World". 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."
"But when Kenny G decided that it was appropriate for him to defile the music of the man who is probably the greatest jazz musician that has ever lived by spewing his lame-ass, jive, pseudo bluesy, out-of-tune, noodling, wimped out, ****ed up playing all over one of the great Louis's tracks (even one of his lesser ones)...He, in one move,...**** all over the graves of all the musicians past and present who have risked their lives by going out there on the road for years and years developing their own music inspired by the standards of grace that Louis Armstrong brought to every single note he played over an amazing lifetime as a musician."
"His callous disregard for the larger issues of what this crass gesture implies is exacerbated by the fact that the only reason he possibly have for doing something this inherently wrong (on both human and musical terms) was for the record sales and the money it would bring."
I agree with Metheny on this issue and also his critique of Kenny G's style overall. So if you don't mind, I'd rather agree with someone of Pat Metheny's calibre than you.
Who are you again ?

[Dirtydeeds468]

I have no idea if you're trying to disagree with or discredit me, but uhh...I'm not disagreeing with you...at all. I was saying that Kenny G and his music was immense fail.

Also, Pat Metheny is awesome.

You must be the most defensive human being I've met on this planet.

[Shackman10]

I saw that one music video of Kenny G where he like walks off a sea plane and starts playing his sax, it was gay as ****.

I hope the next time he rides a sea plane it crashes and he dies

[urik]

Can you people explain me what's so bad about him :/ ?
I just can't find it :|
Here is an example of a great work by him. Very relaxing, melodic, awesome technique, and great soul.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMEIbHe4lao

I just don't find what's so awful about him.

[sinan90]

Did you read this? (http://www.jazzoasis.com/methenyonkennyg.htm) That says pretty much everything that needs to be said about it.

Very relaxing

I'd call it boring, it does send me to sleep but not in a good way.

melodic,

If someone played what he played on guitar you'd find it very boring most probably. He loves his blues scale way too much.

awesome technique,
I won't comment on this because I'm not a saxophonist, but I'm sure if he can't play in tune he's not the greatest technician


and great soul.

Debatable once again.

[urik]

Did you read this? (http://www.jazzoasis.com/methenyonkennyg.htm) That says pretty much everything that needs to be said about it.



I'd call it boring, it does send me to sleep but not in a good way.



If someone played what he played on guitar you'd find it very boring most probably. He loves his blues scale way too much.

I won't comment on this because I'm not a saxophonist, but I'm sure if he can't play in tune he's not the greatest technician



Debatable once again.

If you find it boring, it's a matter of personal opinion. Some people can find Enya very boring while I find it extremely amusing.
And I think that it would sound great on guitar.
I'm not a saxophonist but I heard other saxophonists too and he sounds quite technic to me. I don't know from where you said that he doesn't play on tune but it sounds quite good to me. Even though I don't have an amazing musical ear, I think that I can recognize when someone is out of tune.

It's all a matter of personal opinion but I believe that the Kenny G bashing thing just turned into a bandwagon thing.
As I said, what he plays shouldn't be called Jazz. It's NOT jazz. But it sounds great IMO.
If you see him as a jazz musician, yeah he's awful. But I think that in his style, he's great.

[Resiliance]

I agree with urik. Apart from it sounding great, but that's just opinions. I'm getting tired of the Kenny G bashing bandwagon.

He does make the ultimate porn music.

[urik]

I agree with urik. Apart from it sounding great, but that's just opinions. I'm getting tired of the Kenny G bashing bandwagon.

He does make the ultimate porn music.

Thanks for backing me up. But I have to disagree without. THIS guy makes the best porn music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foDrMw5UkbU

[Resiliance]

Thanks for backing me up. But I have to disagree without. THIS guy makes the best porn music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foDrMw5UkbU

I'm sorry, but there just is no such thing as porn music without a soprano sax.

[Dirtydeeds468]

Holy jebus, that is catchy.