Posts Tagged ‘Kenny G Live’

Return of the Record-Breaker

Saturday, June 23rd, 2012
Kenny G onstage at Syracuse Jazz Fest (30th Anniversary)

Kenny G at Syracuse Jazz Fest (30th Anniversary)

Kenny G made a return to Syracuse last night for Jazz Fest. The Festival, produced by Frank Malfitano, is celebrating 30 years. G is a crowd favorite and helped pack the crowd in at Jamesville Beach (a new venue this year). Besides being a best-selling smooth jazz artist, he is known for his long notes (he made it to the Guinness Book a few years ago).

Musician among the people: Kenny G plays in the audience last night

Musician among the people: Kenny G plays in the audience last night

. His next gig is tonight at the Hampton Jazz Fest in Virginia.

Hold On: Kenny G holds a note as he walks through the crowd at Jazz Fest to kick off his set on Saturday night.

Hold On: Kenny G holds a note as he walks through the crowd at Jazz Fest to kick off his set on Saturday night.

Kenneth & Kenny: Watching one, Listening to the other

Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
Kenny G 2009 Syracuse Jazz Fest

Kenny G JazzFest 2009

I had the opportunity to cover the 2009 Syracuse Jazz Fest at OCC last week and see Spyro Gyra and Kenny Gorelick (aka Kenny G.)  I’m familiar with some of Gorelick’s work, and maybe my favorite cut is “Hi! How Ya Doin, ” which was produced by Kashif.  If you check out the video, you can see Kenny G before he had the long curly hair and you can even see his dance moves.

What I didn’t know about Kenny G is that he has sold over 50 million albums, he started out playing with Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra and his wife is photographer Lyndie Benson.

Before Kenny G took the stage I had a wonderful conversation for the Jazz Fest’s piano tuner Kenneth Williams back stage. I know Williams from a previous job and we’ve had brief conversations about his vision (he’s legally blind) his hearing (he has what he calls “good relative pitch.”) and his love of music (he doesn’t own a piano but he is actually a trumpet player).

Kenneth Williams, piano tuner

Kenneth Williams, piano tuner

Williams is a jovial personality who does some of the best impressions I’ve heard outside of Hollywood. He does a great John Wayne, Pearl Bailey and Jimmy Stewart. I asked him how long would he continue to work (he’s been a piano technician and tuner for longer than I’ve been alive).  I’m never going to retire, he said. I’m having too much fun.