Customer Reviews

Kenny G - Greatest Hits Gift Collection

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(36)

 

 

My goodness, it's hard to believe how mean-spirited so many of you people out there are. If you don't like the album, then say you don't like the album. But, PLEASE, stop with the name-calling and low pot-shots. Kenny G is a man who plays his kind of music, which many of us happen to enjoy. If you don't, so what? If it's not what you would call "jazz," so what? It is what it is-Good music! And these are some of his best songs. If you don't like him, then go review artists whose albums you like, and give Kenny G and his fans a break from your tiresome cruel comments.

I'm shocked and furious about what people have said about Kenny G and his music. For those who appreciate and like Mile Davis, it's OK. I do too. But please stop putting up big music terms and pretending to be expert. Please stop fluffing and criticizing Kenny G. Music is meant to be entertaining, relaxing, and helping us to get away from the outside world. To me, Kenny G has brought us, one after another, smoothing and soul-touching melodies. "Songbird", "Sentimental",... These are tunes that have touched our souls and renewed our minds. Kenny G had written a song for an Asian artist Andy Lau in 1997 and the song itself sold over 5 million in Asia alone. That particular single, however, had never been released in the US. To respond to previous reviews, is it really that important to draw the line between pop and/or jazz? Why do people have to pinpoint and fault-find and throw out all these pots shots? Kenny G stands for great music for me, and many fans.

This gift collection is a perfect gift for anyone who's a fan of Kenny G. He plays such great music, and I don't care whether they call it jazz or pop or whatever, I just love it.You Kenny G haters have no taste in music!

I'm a jazz purist from way back. I mean like more than 30 years back. I cut my teeth on the likes of John Coltrane, Phaoraoh Sanders, Stanley Turrentine, John Klemmer, Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman, Grover Washington, Jr. . . . well, you get the message. Of the newer guys, my favorites would be Gerald Albright and Boney James. The sax is my instrument of choice. All that being said, I like the G-man. He's made a niche for himself in a highly competitive field, and he's done it very successfully. Most importantly, he does what musicians set out to do, if they hope to be successful -- he entertains. If he's successful at doing that, who gives a rat's hind end whether he plays sharp? If he got the job done playing sharp, then sharp is perfect for the job. In addition to being a fledgling musician, I'm also a veteran martial artist and I'm reminded of a story that Bruce Lee told of a fighter who felled his opponent with a kick. The referee ruled "no point" because the fighter's toes were turned up. Some of the criticisms of Kenny's playing is just as ridiculous. In training, such notions have application; in actual practice, they have none whatsoever. I was playing one of Kenny's pieces ("Going Home") a few months ago, and a lady young enough to be my daughter (in her early 30's) practically swooned over it. I went to the music store the very next day and bought everything I could find with his name on it. Music is supposed to touch people. Sharp, flat or perfectly in tune, his does just that. I like listening to it, and I like the reactions I get when I play it for others. The only reason I write this is because I've come across so much vituperation directed toward the man that I couldn't hold it any longer. Also, I just listened to an interview of Ornette Coleman on his website that prompted me to go on and write this. If I could accomplish what Kenny has by playing sharp, I'd make a point of never playing in tune again.

Back in the mid to late 80's when Kenny G came on the scene there were instrumentalists who had already achieved pop success. People like Chuck Mangione, George Benson (although his singing is great also) and Herb Alpert come to mind immediately. These musicians have enriched popular music by incorporating fantastic creativity into undeniably melodic forms. It is the combination of the two which makes songs like Benson's "Breezin'", Mangione's "Give It All You Got" and Kenny G's "Songbird" continue to stand the test of time. Kenny G has taken popular song structure and infused it with ELEMENTS of rhythm & blues and jazz to create beautiful melodies such as those in "Songbird", "Silhouette" and "Coming Home" among many others. I remember when the breathakingly romantic sound of "Songbird" first graced the airwaves. It was a refreshing break from the norm on pop radio and it reached across racial and cultural barriers. People who truly understand and enjoy Kenny G's wonderful gifts of melody and composition are comprised of people of many backgrounds. The collection here is a must if you enjoy a sensitive, heartfelt yet passionate approach to music made for peoples' enjoyment. For all those people who snub their nose at Kenny G, that is their choice. I do have to wonder, though, what their reasoning is. Is it because in a number of reader's polls in magazines that Kenny G was rated #1 jazz artist? Guess what? Kenny G has never called himself a "jazz" artist nor has he ever selected such a category for his music! Kenny certainly incorporates elements of jazz improvisation into his playing, but that's about as far as it goes. (And from what I hear, he puts on a great live show.) For people to vote for Kenny G as the #1 jazz artist only shows their lack of understanding and appreciation for the genre. But folks, don't take it out on Kenny. I'm sure he's flattered to know that people enjoy his music but I know he had to be shaking his head when he saw his name at the top of the list under best jazz artists. I just had to clear this up because I get tired of people taking shots at Kenny G based on their own ignorance. If you never REALLY listened to his music, now's the time to give it a try. This collection will serve well in listening while driving, relaxing at home or enjoying an intimate dinner with your spouse. So, put away the preconceived notions, sit back, listen and enjoy!

Kenny's alto sax is relaxing and stimulating at the same time. His duets are the best too. Kudos for this album

YOU SUCK. JERK. STOP MAKING MUSIC (IF YOU CAN CALL IT THAT

I am not part of the wine and cheese crowd, nor am I a soccer mom or a dentist; My CD rack holds the likes of Billie Holiday and Peter Tosh, Terence Blanchard and Ben Tankard, Maxwell and Madness. I also like Kenny G's music; mind you, I don't like his songs enough to buy all of his albums, however, this compilation of his greatest hits suits me just fine. With this CD, I can now listen to "Songbird" an old favorite; or I can play "Silhouette" and reminisce about prom night, 1988; or I can enjoy "The Moment", which IMHO, is simply a nice melody. I am always intrigued to read all of the caustic reviews that this artist invariably receives. The negative reviews usually do not come from any balanced asssessment of the merits (or perceived lack thereof) of the album in question; but rather seem to come from musical wannabe's, begrudging of KG's commercial success, while other perhaps more talented artists labor in obscurity. Other reviews seem to be the product of what I call "Jazz-snobs" who pretend to have ascended Mt. Sinai and returned with stone tablets, delineating what is and isn't jazz, when in reality, no true music lover would give two plugged nickels for their opinions on such arbitrary musical categories. For my own part, I would rather they review the album, discuss its merits, render an opinion of its quality, and back up that opinion based upon something in the album. Here's my opinion: I like this album because KG plays a nice melody. It gets no deeper than that. As another reviewer put it, "Satchmo he ain't", and that's true; in terms of creativity, nuance, ear, and versatility, KG doesn't compare to the likes of Miles, The Bird, and Coltrane, nor does he pretend to stand among them. He can however, bang out a melody that's as good as anything any of them ever put to paper, and this album is replete with such melodies; And that's why I like it. Good music is that which you enjoy. Nothing more, nothing less. If KG's work displeases you, then it just does. Nothing more nothing less. But as for me and my house, we like him.

You know, there are lots of people who are leading very unhappy lives and can use some happiness. If music such as Kenny G's can make a person happy, why not? People have a right to like Kenny G's music, and they have a right not to. They even have a right to bash him, insult him, insult his fans, if that's what they think their mission in life is. I would think that they would rather spend their time elevating and publicizing their chosen idols rather than bashing people. But it's their life.

Okay, I hope that this comes across as an objective review. I'm not here to defend, nor to praise, nor to bash Kenny G, but rather to give an objective look at the CD.

First, Kenny G does know how to woo the ladies. This is most evident in the first three cuts: Songbird, Silhouette, and Forever in Love. He speaks to the ladies about romance, about sentiment, about love, and many of them listen. Not that there aren't men who also like him...he also communicates with emotionally sensitive men. His way especially with the ladies make his music excellent background for those special "parties for two", good background for light conversation, dancing, and whatever.

Secondly, he's a good accompianist. If you pay attention to the vocals, you will see that he backs up the singer and doesn't try to steal the show.

And he's good on the latin beat, witness "Havana"

He's not a great musician, but he does have his particular quality.

come down to this one thought: the purpose of music is to put people to sleep. What the heck was everybody thinking before Kenny G arrived at this inspiration?