Double Bass "Kenny G used to be a real jazz player"

[ElMon]

Ya'know, this just occurred to me. If we didn't have such absolute crap polluting the music marked, would we ever know what is good?

 

[Ron Lacey]

Pat Metheny's contribution to the Anti-Kenny G. magnum opus:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Wow! I wasn't aware of the overdubing with Louis Armstrong. Shameful! (I'd say dispicable but I can't spell that). I've been boycotting Kenny G my whole life, now I have a good reason.

 

[Aaron Saunders]

Lord, has anyone actually heard this? When I first read Pat's rant, I went out and downloaded the track in question. It is absolutely atrocious.

 

[arto alho]

I feel for you, man. Consider it an educational experience, though. From now on You don´t have to step on, taste, or smell bull**** to recognize it.

 

[Damon Rondeau]

Lord, has anyone actually heard this?

Yep. It's what turned me -- a peace-loving, laissez-faire guy -- into an anti-G partisan.

 

[WillBuckingham]

Pat Metheny is much more convincing than you guys. That Kenny G, "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" (from the P.M. interview) . . . what a bastard!

 

[WillBuckingham]

Does URB = Jazz?

I actually enjoy E-bass in my Jazz. I think that the URB does not sound good on most of the recordings I've heard. One album that comes to mind is "Kind of Blue".

Joe

Haha, no, I mentioned that as part of my "why do you guys care" schtick, because I thought he only used electric bassists, but I guess he plays with acoustic bassists also, this being discussed by a bunch of upright bassists. I was definitely not making a statement regarding electric bass and its legitimacy in jazz. As far as "Kind of Blue" goes, I think maybe you should take another listen.

 

[stitchbass]

Just came back from a Kenny G gig in Puerto Rico which I was INVITED to, did not buy the tickets

Apart from having to endure the Titanic theme and James Blunt's ''You're Beautiful'' on the same night, it was great entertainment. (except the bass drum and bass sound in the huge arena which was hell). The man can really really play his ass off. And what a humble man also, constantly acknoledging his GREAT band. One of the finest percussion solos I've seen was at the gig. Pretty smokin' bass solo also although I've grown a dislike to 'bass solos' out of bitterness and contempt towards those pros far better than I shall ever be!

The guys put on a show for the crowd. Most couldn't care if more than 50% of the set was covers of cheesy songs, they just came to be entertained by some of the worlds most talented musicians and they were.

I wasn't really looking forward to the gig to be honest and probably won't go again but Kenny G and his band get my respect in a big way, those guys can play.

 

[Jazzin']

Kenny G gives Kenny Garrett a bad name.

 

[Marcus Johnson]

I once told Danny Gottlieb (jokingly) that he could make a lot of money if he'd start calling himself "Danny G". Danny is one of the sweetest, nicest guys in the world, but the look that he gave me...

 

[musicman5string]

Didn't something happen at the 1983 World Series where Ken G. played the National Anthem and held the last note for like over minute and the pitcher of one team threw a ball at him?

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

Just came back from a Kenny G gig in Puerto Rico which I was INVITED to, did not buy the tickets

Apart from having to endure the Titanic theme and James Blunt's ''You're Beautiful'' on the same night, it was great entertainment. (except the bass drum and bass sound in the huge arena which was hell).

That's quite funny to me - as there was a time in the past when Vail Johnson (Kenny G's bass player) was posting on TB and kicked up a huge hornet's nest, when he started lecturing everybody about the size of speaker you needed and how nothing else would do, to get a great bass sound!!

A lot of people said that he was a very good bass player - but they couldn't stand his attitude and although they were certain he was wrong about his "speaker theory" - they weren't going to listen to Kenny G just to prove it!!

 

[Marcus Johnson]

Didn't something happen at the 1983 World Series where Ken G. played the National Anthem and held the last note for like over minute and the pitcher of one team threw a ball at him?

I don't know... but I love the story!

 

[blah148]

perhaps its in bad taste that i revitalize the kenny-g eating beast of talkbass but...

it seemed as though this methany tape was not known to anyone:



good stuff.

 

[Andy Allen]

Ha!

And here's a musical comment from another great songwriter-guitarist, Richard Thompson: .

Andy

 

[Paul Warburton]

The sadness of Kenny is like shooting a fish in a barrel.
What gets me are all these "Smooth Jazz" dorks copping David Sanborn.
Doan get all excited.....I dig David. He even sounded great with Chet, but how many SJ coppers have you heard that grab that sound and even his body language?
I've often thought about dropping a letter to David suggesting he offer a Sanborn Franchise, like McDonald's or Burger King.

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

Ha!

And here's a musical comment from another great songwriter-guitarist, Richard Thompson: .

Andy

That was great - very funny!

 

[Big B.]

Ok guys, you may have heard this but, I thought it was worth giving my musical apptitude test in this debate.

You are in an elevator with Kenny G., John Tesh, and Yanni-

You have a gun with one bullet. Who do you shoot first and why?

line them up in this order: Kenny G, Yanni and Tesh. I'm sure I could get two of them with one shot but a 44 or a 357 might bag all three.

 

[bottomzone]

On the recordings Wizard Island(80) and Galaxian(81) by the "The Jeff Lorber Fusion" Kenny Gorelick(later Kenny G.)played alto, tenor saxophone and Flute and it will surprise most who may take a listen to it,because Kenny G.was really holding his own.

I concur. After he left JLF, I lost interest in his playing. I must say that the saxophonist that preceded him, Dennis Springer (who played with Pleasure) was a much better player than Kenny.

A Groove is a Terrible Thing to waste!

 

[JAUQO III-X]

I concur. After he left JLF, I lost interest in his playing.

I think a lot of people lost interest after he left JLF.