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[Tim McCulloch]

http://www.jazzoasis.com/methenyonkennyg.htm

[Tim Halligan]

Pat Metheny telling it like it is.

Sorry for the video quality and sync issues...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-mjt1ypiF8

And supporting argument fro Richard Thompson:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucgZQGPZOpk

Cheers,
Tim

[Bob Leonard]

I'm impressed with his expressions and can't agree more. Metheny, being the master talent he is, and having paid his dues more than once, has the right to express himself on this subject in any manner he may see appropriate and he has done a perfect job of doing so here. every time I've heard KennyG I have to compare his abilities to the young guitar player that can play very fast, just not very well. Only this KennyG does it with a horn. No feel, no class, no talent.
 
Metheny;

"Not long ago, Kenny G put out a recording where he overdubbed himself on top of a 30+ year old Louis Armstrong record, the track "What a Wonderful World". With this single move, Kenny G became one of the few people on earth I can say that I really can't use at all - as a man, for his incredible arrogance to even consider such a thing, and as a musician, for presuming to share the stage with the single most important figure in our music.

This type of musical necrophilia - the technique of overdubbing on the preexisting tracks of already dead performers - was weird when Natalie Cole did it with her dad on "Unforgettable" a few years ago, but it was her dad. When Tony Bennett did it with Billie Holiday it was bizarre, but we are talking about two of the greatest singers of the 20th century who were on roughly the same level of artistic accomplishment. When Larry Coryell presumed to overdub himself on top of a Wes Montgomery track, I lost a lot of the respect that I ever had for him - and I have to seriously question the fact that I did have respect for someone who could turn out to have such unbelievably bad taste and be that disrespectful to one of my personal heroes.

But when Kenny G decided that it was appropriate for him to defile the music of the man who is probably the greatest jazz musician that has ever lived by spewing his lame-ass, jive, pseudo bluesy, out-of-tune, noodling, wimped out, fucked up playing all over one of the great Louis's tracks (even one of his lesser ones), he did something that I would not have imagined possible. He, in one move, through his unbelievably pretentious and calloused musical decision to embark on this most cynical of musical paths, shit all over the graves of all the musicians past and present who have risked their lives by going out there on the road for years and years developing their own music inspired by the standards of grace that Louis Armstrong brought to every single note he played over an amazing lifetime as a musician. By disrespecting Louis, his legacy and by default, everyone who has ever tried to do something positive with improvised music and what it can be, Kenny G has created a new low point in modern culture - something that we all should be totally embarrassed about - and afraid of. We ignore this, "let it slide", at our own peril.

His callous disregard for the larger issues of what this crass gesture implies is exacerbated by the fact that the only reason he possibly have for doing something this inherently wrong (on both human and musical terms) was for the record sales and the money it would bring.

Since that record came out - in protest, as insignificant as it may be, I encourage everyone to boycott Kenny G recordings, concerts and anything he is associated with. If asked about Kenny G, I will diss him and his music with the same passion that is in evidence in this little essay."

[Lee Douglas]

You know, I can't help but agree to some extent.  But Kenny G. didn't do that alone.  Somebody that was entrusted with the Louis Armstrong catalog, its administration and the protection of its legacy, had to sign off to allow that to happen.

[Tim McCulloch]

You know, I can't help but agree to some extent.  But Kenny G. didn't do that alone.  Somebody that was entrusted with the Louis Armstrong catalog, its administration and the protection of its legacy, had to sign off to allow that to happen.

I think the comment about "musical necrophilia" is spot on.  When you can't get a living partner, bring out your dead.

[Paul Dershem]

I love this thread as much as I despise Kenny G.   

[Bob Leonard]

Kenny G is all about playing simplistic runs to someone elses music, or some poorly arranged song of his own. He doesn't even play jazz, but mostly riffs to standards, old rock songs and ballads. He's in Boston this month and I might just buy a ticket so I can boo the shit out of him.

[brian maddox]

all musical issues aside...

i had the 'privilege' of working with kenny G on several occasions.  On all those occasions he was...  shall we say...  'less than gentlemenly' in his dealings with crew and others.

i was/am not amused.  Small people, regardless of fame/musical skills, etc., do not impress me.

of course, he doesn't care.  he's living large in his very large home.  and i am not....

[Mac Kerr]

all musical issues aside...

i had the 'privilege' of working with kenny G on several occasions.  On all those occasions he was...  shall we say...  'less than gentlemenly' in his dealings with crew and others.

i was/am not amused.  Small people, regardless of fame/musical skills, etc., do not impress me.

of course, he doesn't care.  he's living large in his very large home.  and i am not....

There was a famous NYC gig 5 or so years ago. It was a Bat Mitzva party held at The Rainbow Room and Top of the Rock. It was about a $5MM party. The main entertainment in the not so big room was Aerosmith, who had to be flown in. There were a few other bands of that stature. Kenny G played in the lobby for people arriving. It was perfect.

Mac

ps. there were no bands a 13 year old girl was interested in, but I guess her rich dad had a good time.

[Bob Leonard]

Did people throw coins into his open sax case??

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