Kenny G, is a living legend and iconic American jazz saxophonist, composer, and producer, and one of the best-selling artists of all time, with global sales totaling more than 75 million records. In 2024 Kenny will be making his 3rd Headline appearance at the National Grid Syracuse International Jazz Festival where he delighted audiences with back to back performances in 2012 on the OCC Campus, and in 2013 at the 30th Anniversary edition staged at Jamesville Beach State Park.
Kenny's career started as a sideman for Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1973, when he was 17 and still in high school. He continued to play professionally while studying at the University of Washington in Seattle, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude. Kenny later played flute and saxophones with a Seattle funk band before coming to national prominence as a member of the Jeff Lorber Fusion in 1980. Kenny G signed with Arista Records as a solo artist in 1982, after label president Clive Davis heard his rendition of Abba's "Dancing Queen" and he adopted Kenny G as his stage name. His debut studio album, Kenny G, was recorded with members of the Jeff Lorber Fusion, and reached No. 10 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. Kenny followed his debut with G Force in January 1983 and Gravity in May 1985, both of which went Platinum in the US for selling one million copies.
In 1986, Kenny's fourth solo album, Duotones, featuring the smash hit original instrumental track, "Songbird", inspired by his decision to move to Los Angeles, marked the start of a new life for him. The album went on to sell 5 million copies in the US alone and increased his profile worldwide as a result. "Songbird" reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987.
Kenny worked with jazz and R&B artists such as George Benson, Patti LaBelle and Aretha Franklin. The 1987 hit single "Love Power", a Dionne Warwick duet with Jeffrey Osborne that featured Kenny as a guest saxophonist, peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 5 on R&B/Hip-Hop songs. Kenny has collaborated with a wide variety of artists, including Andrea Bocelli,Aaron Neville, Toni Braxton, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Natalie Cole, Steve Miller,Weezer, Dudley Moore, Lee Ritenour, The Rippingtons, Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Peabo Bryson, Frank Sinatra, Bebel Gilberto, Whitney Houston and Smokey Robinson. Kenny G has also worked on several film soundtracks, including The Bodyguard starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston.
His 6th album, Breathless, in 1992, went on to become the best-selling instrumental album ever, with over 15 million copies sold worldwide, selling 12 million copies in the US alone. The album included many hits such as "Forever in Love", the recipient of the Grammy Award for the Best Instrumental Composition. His first holiday album, Miracles, sold over 13 million copies, making it the most successful Christmas album to date. He also performed the "National Anthem" oat the 1994 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
A 15-time Grammy nominee, Grammy winner, Soul Train Awards winner and NAACP Image Awards winner, Kenny G has also earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1997 for playing the longest note ever recorded on a saxophone. On At Last...The Duets Album, he collaborated with friends and colleagues David Sanborn, David Benoit; Richard Marx, Daryl Hall Burt Bacharach, and Barbra Streisand. It includesGroege Michael's Careless Whisper, and Elton John's "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word". The album is certified Gold in the US. And as the beat goes on, the list goes on. Welcome back kenny
Kenny's career started as a sideman for Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1973, when he was 17 and still in high school. He continued to play professionally while studying at the University of Washington in Seattle, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude. Kenny later played flute and saxophones with a Seattle funk band before coming to national prominence as a member of the Jeff Lorber Fusion in 1980. Kenny G signed with Arista Records as a solo artist in 1982, after label president Clive Davis heard his rendition of Abba's "Dancing Queen" and he adopted Kenny G as his stage name. His debut studio album, Kenny G, was recorded with members of the Jeff Lorber Fusion, and reached No. 10 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. Kenny followed his debut with G Force in January 1983 and Gravity in May 1985, both of which went Platinum in the US for selling one million copies.
In 1986, Kenny's fourth solo album, Duotones, featuring the smash hit original instrumental track, "Songbird", inspired by his decision to move to Los Angeles, marked the start of a new life for him. The album went on to sell 5 million copies in the US alone and increased his profile worldwide as a result. "Songbird" reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987.
Kenny worked with jazz and R&B artists such as George Benson, Patti LaBelle and Aretha Franklin. The 1987 hit single "Love Power", a Dionne Warwick duet with Jeffrey Osborne that featured Kenny as a guest saxophonist, peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 5 on R&B/Hip-Hop songs. Kenny has collaborated with a wide variety of artists, including Andrea Bocelli,Aaron Neville, Toni Braxton, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Natalie Cole, Steve Miller,Weezer, Dudley Moore, Lee Ritenour, The Rippingtons, Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Peabo Bryson, Frank Sinatra, Bebel Gilberto, Whitney Houston and Smokey Robinson. Kenny G has also worked on several film soundtracks, including The Bodyguard starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston.
His 6th album, Breathless, in 1992, went on to become the best-selling instrumental album ever, with over 15 million copies sold worldwide, selling 12 million copies in the US alone. The album included many hits such as "Forever in Love", the recipient of the Grammy Award for the Best Instrumental Composition. His first holiday album, Miracles, sold over 13 million copies, making it the most successful Christmas album to date. He also performed the "National Anthem" oat the 1994 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
A 15-time Grammy nominee, Grammy winner, Soul Train Awards winner and NAACP Image Awards winner, Kenny G has also earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1997 for playing the longest note ever recorded on a saxophone. On At Last...The Duets Album, he collaborated with friends and colleagues David Sanborn, David Benoit; Richard Marx, Daryl Hall Burt Bacharach, and Barbra Streisand. It includesGroege Michael's Careless Whisper, and Elton John's "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word". The album is certified Gold in the US. And as the beat goes on, the list goes on. Welcome back kenny