Listening to Kenny G (2021)

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with hard work, practice, preparation, and… not “perfection,” but at least trying, striving for it. Trying your best to strive for that. I don’t think anybody can say there’s anything wrong with that.” – Kenny G.

Number of Times Seen – 1 (3 Dec 2021)

Brief Synopsis – Documentary about the diverse opinions regarding the music of Kenny G.

My Take on it – As a kid of the 80’s, I grew up at the right time to be affected by the music of Kenny G.

This film does a great job showing the polarity of his music and of his style.

Some people love his songs while others vehemently hate them.

I can’t say that I know all of his work, but he truly was able to create an easy listening feel for his music that wasn’t very popular before he came around.

This movie deals with the idea that his new genre of music is a spinoff of Jazz and that most people who despise his work are musicians themselves who think he has changed the way people think of their music.

whether this is true or not, it doesn’t matter much because he has been doing his music for over 3 decades and has in some ways become so mainstream with all that he does and in effects has created a whole new genre; like it or hate it.

This documentary features lots of interviews with other musicians and with fans and de-criers alike, but the most fascinating interviews to listen to were the ones with Kenny G. himself.

His interpretation of his style, tone and music is great to hear because he does a nice job explaining why he feels it has been so popular yet also gives reasonings for the polarizing effect it has had on the masses over the years.

Recommended

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Initially, Bill Simmons, the creator of HBO’s Music Box series, invited Penny Lane to make a music documentary. Lane chose Kenny G as the subject of the film because Kenny G is “a musician who is objectively popular, by way of record sales, but is also hated by the ‘critical class’.” Kenny G himself didn’t have any control of the content of the film. (From Wikipedia)

Rating – Globe Worthy (8/10)