Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born June 5, 1956), higher recognized by his stage title, Kenny G is an American saxophonist. His fourth album, Duotones, introduced him breakthrough success in 1986. Kenny G is the biggest-selling instrumental musician of the fashionable period and one of many best-selling artists of all time, with international gross sales totaling greater than 75 million data.
Kenny G was born in Seattle, Washington, to Jewish dad and mom (his mom was initially from Saskatchewan, Canada) and grew up within the metropolis’s Seward Park neighborhood, which is a middle of town’s Jewish group. He got here into contact with a saxophone when he heard somebody performing with one on The Ed Sullivan Present. He began enjoying the saxophone in 1966 when he was 10 years outdated. He discovered the way to play below the course of native trumpeter Gerald Pfister and by working towards together with data (largely of Grover Washington, Jr.), making an attempt to emulate the sounds that he was listening to. His first saxophone was a Buffet Crampon alto.
Kenny G attended Whitworth Elementary Faculty, Sharples Junior Excessive Faculty, Franklin Excessive Faculty, and the College of Washington, all in his residence city of Seattle. When he entered highschool, he failed on his first attempt to get into the jazz band, however tried once more the next yr and earned first chair. His Franklin Excessive Faculty classmate Robert Damper (piano, keyboards) performs in his band.Along with his research whereas in highschool, he took non-public classes on the saxophone and clarinet from Johnny Jessen, as soon as per week for a yr.
He was additionally on his highschool golf workforce. He had liked the game ever since his older brother, Brian Gorelick, launched it to him when he was ten years outdated, which is similar age he was when he began enjoying the saxophone.
Kenny G’s profession began with a job as a sideman for Barry White’s Love Limitless Orchestra in 1973 whereas 17 and nonetheless in highschool. He continued to play professionally whereas finding out for a significant in accounting on the College of Washington in Seattle and graduated magna cum laude. He performed with the funk band Chilly, Daring and Collectively earlier than changing into a credited member of The Jeff Lorber Fusion. He started his solo profession after his interval with Lorber.
Kenny G signed with Arista Data as a solo artist in 1982, after label president Clive Davis heard his rendition of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”. He has launched many solo albums and collaborated with varied artists together with Andrea Bocelli, Whitney Houston, Peabo Bryson, Aaron Neville, Toni Braxton, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Recent Prince, Natalie Cole, Steve Miller, Weezer, Dudley Moore, Lee Ritenour, The Rippingtons, Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Frank Sinatra, Smokey Robinson, Bebel Gilberto, George Benson, Chante Moore and Aretha Franklin. Influenced by the likes of saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr.,[8] his personal albums are often labeled as clean jazz.
He acquired success fairly early on, with each G Drive and Gravity, his second and third studio albums respectively, reaching platinum standing in the USA. These gross sales had been topped by his fourth studio album, Duotones, which bought over 5 million copies within the U.S. alone. His sixth studio album, Breathless, grew to become the primary greatest promoting instrumental album ever, with over 15 million copies bought, of which 12 million had been within the U.S. He broke one other report when his first vacation album, Miracles, bought over 13 million copies, making it essentially the most profitable Christmas album to this point.
In 1997, Kenny G earned a spot within the Guinness Ebook of World Data for taking part in the longest notice ever recorded on a saxophone. Utilizing round respiration, Kenny G held an E-flat for 45 minutes and 47 seconds at J&R Music World in New York Metropolis.That very same yr, Kenny G’s tune “Havana”, from his album The Second, was remixed by famous DJs Todd Terry and Tony Moran and launched promotionally to bounce golf equipment within the U.S. These mixes went to No.1 on the Billboard Dance/Membership Play Songs chart in April 1997. Wiki
