Customer Reviews

Ultimate Kenny G

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(20)

 

 

This reviewer is guilty of a hideous crime. I will admit that I am a huge fan of Classic Rock, Progressive Rock and Electronic Music. However, I'm about to reveal a dark secret-I am a huge Kenny G fan too!! Since the release of his breakthrough 1986 album "Duotones", I've bought every album he has released and have been following his career ever since.
The recently released compilation "Ultimate Kenny G" truly lives up to its title. Basically, it's an updated version of the 1997 "Greatest Hits" CD only with a stronger song selection. His trademark ballads "Songbird", "Silhouette", "Forever in Love" and "The Moment" are all included here as well as tracks from his last studio album "Paradise" and his 1999 tribute to the standards "Classics in the Key of G".
Also included are three rare tracks including the brand new song "Everlasting" plus "Jasmine Flower" which had only been previously available on the Japanese version of "The Moment" and his version of Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" which had only been available as a free giveaway single with the initial pressings of the "Greatest Hits" CD.
To top things off, no Kenny G collection would be ultimate without his trademark duets. Included in this collection are his pop duets "By The Time This Night Is Over" with Peabo Bryson, "We've Saved The Best For Last" with Smokey Robinson, "One More Time" with Chante Moore and his take on Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World" complete with Armstrong's original vocal track.
Truly, this is The Ultimate Kenny G. So what if his music is lightweight. If people didn't like it, he wouldn't be selling millions of records. His music has found a special place in many lives including this reviewer. Whether you're a closet Kenny G fan or an outspoken diehard, "The Ultimate Kenny G" is the most complete definitive up-to-date collection by this brilliant saxophonist and king of background noise.

If you want to relieve stress and feel more relaxed this is the CD for you........what an amazing performer and selection of songs.......

If a musician doesn't play music for an audience what is the purpose in ever coming out of practice. Why don't musicians continually only play for themselves in solitary hours, days, month, years of practice? Why? Because they want to be heard and appreciated for what they can do; they want to please the crowd. If a 6 year old girl can please a crowd with her fairly on note and rhythm rendition of "Papa Was A Rolling Stone," and please the crowd just as good as an old virtuoso violinist playing "Concert Fantasy on 'Carmen'" who is better at what the musician's purpose is? In fact, more pleasure may come from the 6 year old because the crowd can recognize how difficult or unusual it is for a 6 year old to sing like that than some 'old dude' doing something on a violin when they don't have a clue how hard whatever is considered difficult on a violin is. Anyway, Kenny G pleases the crowd, whether holding long notes or doing crazy runs that sound difficult (SOUND DIFFICULT, not necessarily are difficult, he plays for laymen crowd) Kenny G pleases the crowd and he is rewarded for it by having a bigger crowd because most people are laymen. Mix the hard sounding stuff with smooth, cool, pretty sounding stuff and you have a number 1 crowd pleaser. Doing this stuff on top of a great like Louis Armstrong, if you haven't heard listen to Kenny G's "Classics in the Key of G," was this out of line? How many do this sort of thing in practice; emulating your musical mentor? I guess Kenny extended his love of practice to the recording studio and know the live stage to DVD. The DVD or the Classics albums were not the smartest thing to do in the eyes of some, but novel and the crowds love them. I thought it was great marketing, a way to get the crowd ready for Kenny's new musical offerings through presentation (marketing) and not just his playing. This may have taken away a little of his musicianship, by relying on marketing, but does it take away from or disrespect Mr. Armstrong or Kenny's ability to please the crowd? No more than Jamie Foxx doing a movie about Ray Charles (named Ray) and then using Mr. Charles' music and likeness in his music recordings, music videos, and live shows. This introduced Ray to a brand new generation who would have never known him in the numbers that they know him now. Now they are singing parts of his songs and understanding the struggle he went through to please the crowd. Kenny could have done the same thing, by getting a band to recreate the sound and likeness of the greats while also sampling, but the way he did it was less money no band or movie cast/crew needed, although this didn't help other musicians and artists, but it kept him in the picture. It would be hard to sell Mr. Armstrong as a long haired white boy, plus Kenny was easier to market on his own because he was a white boy in jazz (good musicianship and business savvy). If these stuffy serious musicians and the music critics who can't play can ever understand that they need to please the crowd, play the game, they may bring jazz back instead of drive it deeper into obscurity. Please the crowd, give them something they want mixed with something they need, an education on greatness in music so future generations can appreciate true greatness. So go path the way for the future. The old jazz musicians did that and that is why we remember them as a mass market over multiple generations. If you are a great technical player, but no one connects with you because your technique is too pure to be understood by laymen then maybe you aren't a master musician, crowd pleaser. Just my two cents, very late but here none the less. Kenny G is great for what he is...a musician and this will never be posted, huh. Sorry for the length.

I not going to get into the 'jazz musician or not' debate. I like Kenny G and the way he makes music. I don't care if other people approve of him or not. I like the way he plays and the Kenny G sound. That's all that counts for me. This CD gets a lot of play time on my way home from work. Very relaxing music and the music just flows so smooth. If you like Kenny G, I think you will like this CD

I have several Kenny G cd's (as well as albums) and this cd is a wonderful tribute and compliment to all his previous work. Definately worth every penny!

Many happy reviewers noted that Kenny G's record for holding the longest note in the world is an indication of his extrodinary talent. The technique that he uses to accomplish this mindless playing is called circular breathing, and he is not the only person in the world that can perform this task. The difference between him, and the other wind players in the world that have this ability is simple. The other wind players realize that holding one note for an excessive amount of time is not music and is a waste of their time. Kenny's mindless noodling on this cd, and his other cd's is no more advanced than a highschool student beginning to learn how to play jazz, and it definately does not have as much heart. Aside from having more heart the highschool student has one major advantage over Kenny, he or she has the desire to improve, and will subsequently improve with practice. Kenny on the other hand has been playing the same way for his entire career with no sign of improvement. When one listens to his noodling on any one of his songs it is the same as the last. He might arpeggiate up a chord and then play a whiny, out of tune long tone as filler. His notes are always safe, and are usually identical in placement and rythm to the ones in the melody. How is this jazz? And why is he always listed in the jazz section? If I want to listen to instrumental music with a melody, I listen to classical. Those muscians undoubtedly are far superior to the simple minded Kenny. Unfortunately it seems as though the masses in America and throughout the world have forgotten what music is, and more importantly what jazz music is. For this I would like to thank MTV (and other music television stations), the Record Labels, and the overall ignorance of the masses. MTV and other music stations play videos to sell products to the ignorant masses. Record companies realizes that their artists no longer have to have talent to get the masses on board and sell products to them, so they sign the talentless. That leaves the intelligent with the popular music of today, and Kenny G. As for playing over Louis Armstrong, this act is nothing short of bastardization. Reviewers have suggested that Kenny G's version is enjoyable, and he had the right to do it. There is nothing wrong with playing standards, or even playing the melody to What a Wonderful World, but overdubbing, no matter how you look at it is a crime, even if the person in question had have been someone like Michael Brecker. Jazz lovers likely would not have had a problem with Kenny simply playing the melody, but disgracing one of the most important founders to sell records is unacceptable. This action is comparable to insulting someones dead relative, it simply should never happen. For those of you that enjoy Kenny's music I am truly sorry for you. Maybe you weren't given the opportunity to take music in school, or exposed to variety of different music by your parents. Or maybe you're very narrow-minded and enjoy playing the role of a sheep in a herd. Unfortunately it is your fault Kenny exists and the only way he will ever be stopped is when the masses realize that he isn't special, he isn't talented, and most importantly he isn't jazz. Give real jazz music a chance, it is not dead like you may think. In fact in many urban centres it continues to flourish, and the are always new faces popping up on the scene that have a lot of talent, but do not have the support to make it big. I propose that you, the lovers of Kenny, and mainstream music that you listen to Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker, Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau and Chris Potter. These phenomenal musicians will give you insight into the origins of jazz and how it has evolved over the years. I also encourage you to check out your local music scene. I can guarantee you that there are musicians playing in your area that have far more talent and potential then the Kenny G's of the world, they just need an audience. Please be that audience, you will be helping musicians that may have otherwise gone entirely un-noticed, and maybe, just maybe, by being that audience you will help someone achieve their dreams of being a professional musician. As far as this cd goes, Amazon may want to reconsider its rating system. 1/5 equates to 20%, which is in turn 20% to much for Kenny's effort.

I personally feel like ripping my brain out of my head whenever I hear Kenny G's playing, but this is only a matter of opinion. Whether you like Kenny G or not, who is anyone to say you're wrong? However, I am appalled that this guy could be pretentious and self-absorbed enough to befoul Louis Armstrong's "Wonderful World" recording with his mediocre playing. Satchmo must be turning over in his grave! I mean, Kenny G's inane noodling over this recording of one of the most important musicians in history is equivalent to someone painting a moustache on the Mona Lisa! This move was in incredibly poor taste on Kenny G's part, and I hope he thinks twice before defiling any more of our precious jazz heritage with his mindless rambling.

Anyway, if you like Kenny G, then my opinions won't (and shouldn't) change that, and I assume you'll enjoy this CD. However, if you want to hear the true potential of the saxophone, I might recommend you try out some musicians who actually offer some talent and substance in their music, such as John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Cannonball Adderley, Wayne Shorter, Lester Young, Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, Phil Woods, Sonny Stitt, Stan Getz, and Paul Desmond. Or even some of the newer cats, like Joshua Redman, Mark Turner, and Kenny Garrett (the REAL Kenny G). I can assure you, after you really listen to what they have to say in their music, you will amazed at what you were missing.

I had to listen to this insufferable tripe at work recently. Therefore, I am at least somewhat qualified to comment. I had to hear the whole freaking cd. I guess it was my time to be punished for putting that frog in my homeroom teacher's thermos when I was nine.

Anyway, aside from the fact that the music of this cd is completely devoid of any originality, excitement, variety, or passion, Mr. Kenneth Gorelick, a.k.a Kenny G, the "artist" of discussion, is just not a good saxophone player at all. His tone is very thin and whiny, especially in the upper register, and he plays quite out of tune a good deal of the time. It seems that Kenny G. never varies his dynamic range, always playing at that same moderately soft, Weather Channel friendly level. In addition, it seems that Mr. G. has sloppy finger technique that he tries to hide by playing just quickly and softly enough so that his passages come across as clean. It doesn't work, folks. The better saxophone players play much cleaner than Kenny G., and thus are more effective with their music making.

If you wish to explore the endless possibilities of the saxophone with a new-age bent to the music, try some Dave Sanborn or Dave Koz. Both blow Kenny G. away as a sax player, and are much better musicians. Of course, one can always check out Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Wayne Shorter, Micheal Brecker, John Coltrane, Paul Desmond, and Gerry Mulligan to name a few. I'll tell you what, first play some Kenny G. and then if you don't run to the closet for some Mylanta, play some Coltrane. You'll certainly notice the difference between a real world class saxophonist and a no-talent goon like Kenny G.

As far as I am concerned, Kenny G. is a one-man musical wasteland who may please the mindless trendies that like to visit South Beach so they can spend $20 for a sushi-flavored pretzel and look contemporary, but the rest of us know what the real deal is with this clown. Negative infinity stars for Kenny G!

Kenny G has compiled some of his best-known and greatest recorded hits. This CD is a must for any person who loves Kenny G. It has Brazil, My Heart Will Go On, and The Girl from Impanema. All of these songs and more. So I advise you to buy it today and plus it would make a great gift for any Kenny G fan that you know.

In 1999 I went to a wedding and the best man forgot to bring his CD collection. My cousin had a Kenny G CD in his car, so this is what played for 3 hours during the reception. After that incident 5 years ago I learned how obnoxious an instrumental album could be. The sound of this little bleating sax sounds like an electic kazoo. Whats even more irritating is that it sounds as though this guy (I think its a guy) never takes a breath! I think he uses an air compressor in the studio to play this thing. We hear a series of notes that NEVER lets up! This is jazz? This is a CD to cringe to. Musically sterile, totally uncreative and irritating to listen to. Kenny G is all hype and promotion with little more talent than a high school band player.