Kenny G Spices it Up with Latin-Influenced 'Rhythm & Romance'
By Doug Levine
Washington
By Doug Levine
Washington
Kenny G is one of today's best-selling jazz artists, known for his light pop ballads,
remakes of pop standards, and tried and true holiday songs. VOA's Doug Levine tells
us the Grammy-winning saxophonist is taking a different turn on his latest album,
Rhythm And Romance.
Smooth jazz comes together with samba and salsa on Kenny G's first full album of
Latin tunes. From an original titled "Salsa Kenny" to the Latin classic "Besame
Mucho", Kenny ventures well beyond his usual melodic fare for his most engaging collection
of jazz in years.
Kenny G got his start in Barry White's 40-piece Love Unlimited Orchestra. He played
sax in a Seattle, Washington funk band, and dabbled in fusion with keyboardist Jeff
Lorber, before moving on to his stellar solo career in the early 1980s.
Kenny has sold more than 75 million albums worldwide, earning him top honors as the
best-selling instrumental artist of all time. He's recorded Latin music on previous
releases, but, with his new album, Kenny injects his trademark melodic jazz into
a broad range of Latin styles.
"I have always loved the rhythm of Latin music and wanted to see if my melodies
would combine with this rhythm in a way that was different than anything else that
I've ever heard," he says.
Kenny G's Rhythm And Romance recently hit Number One on
Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Chart.
remakes of pop standards, and tried and true holiday songs. VOA's Doug Levine tells
us the Grammy-winning saxophonist is taking a different turn on his latest album,
Rhythm And Romance.
Smooth jazz comes together with samba and salsa on Kenny G's first full album of
Latin tunes. From an original titled "Salsa Kenny" to the Latin classic "Besame
Mucho", Kenny ventures well beyond his usual melodic fare for his most engaging collection
of jazz in years.
Kenny G got his start in Barry White's 40-piece Love Unlimited Orchestra. He played
sax in a Seattle, Washington funk band, and dabbled in fusion with keyboardist Jeff
Lorber, before moving on to his stellar solo career in the early 1980s.
Kenny has sold more than 75 million albums worldwide, earning him top honors as the
best-selling instrumental artist of all time. He's recorded Latin music on previous
releases, but, with his new album, Kenny injects his trademark melodic jazz into
a broad range of Latin styles.
"I have always loved the rhythm of Latin music and wanted to see if my melodies
would combine with this rhythm in a way that was different than anything else that
I've ever heard," he says.
Kenny G's Rhythm And Romance recently hit Number One on
Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Chart.
