{"id":72165,"date":"2021-09-13T09:07:05","date_gmt":"2021-09-13T13:07:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=72165"},"modified":"2021-09-13T09:07:06","modified_gmt":"2021-09-13T13:07:06","slug":"feature-tiff-doc-listening-kenny-g-asks-question-good-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2021\/09\/13\/feature-tiff-doc-listening-kenny-g-asks-question-good-music\/","title":{"rendered":"FEATURE | TIFF Doc \u2018Listening To Kenny G\u2019 Asks The Question: What Is Good Music?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"'Listening
‘Listening to Kenny G’ (Image courtesy of TIFF)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As Listening to Kenny G<\/em> opens, filmmaker Penny Lane notes that the saxophonist is the best-selling instrumentalist of all time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI made this film to find out why this makes certain people very angry,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re either fan or foe of Kenneth Bruce Gorelick and his music, but anyone living in North America, or China for that matter, over the last three decades or so has undoubtedly heard it. The film makes that point by showing it playing in shopping malls as well as in concert, and as the daily signal to leave work in Shanghai\u2014but also during weddings and many people\u2019s other special moments in life.<\/p>\n

Smiling through every interview, and unshakably upbeat in his approach, Kenny frequently runs through (intentionally) impressive runs on his saxophones during his interview segments. He\u2019s good, and he wants to tell you about it. There\u2019s no doubt he has the chops, and he continues to practice three hours daily even at this stage of his career.<\/p>\n

Is it good? Is it jazz?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Despite his obvious musicianship, it\u2019s the style that grates with some critics. He\u2019s gotten many, many disparaging reviews, and the film shows a sampling. He\u2019s also sold upwards of 75 million records.<\/p>\n

It’s the same kind of furor that classical music purists exude at the mention of Lang Lang, whose flamboyant style and highly successful commercialized approach to releasing and presenting his music have led to much pearl clutching.<\/p>\n

But, what\u2019s the accusation, exactly?<\/p>\n

In the case of Kenny G, the accusation amounts to a down-dumbing of jazz, a notoriously esoteric genre of music, for the masses. He\u2019s easy listening, adult contemporary\u2014even RnB in his early releases from his debut in 1986. But, jazz…?<\/p>\n

What, though, as Kenny himself asks in the doc, is wrong with music that’s easy to listen to? And, all those jazz festivals he\u2019s played at would tend to reinforce his cred.<\/p>\n

His sound is soothing, perfect for office environments and those drive-home radio shows where it first became hugely popular. Musically, there are no hard edges or high drama.<\/p>\n

At one point, one of the critics featured in the film mentions that his music \u201cisn\u2019t against anything\u201d, and that\u2019s one of its characteristics. It takes no stance on social or any other issues, and offers only his signature soothing strains of smooth jazz, a genre that was essentially coined based on his popularity.<\/p>\n

Kenny touches on his style when talking about a new release of original works he\u2019s calling \u201cnew standards\u201d, instead of the usual jazz standards he says he has no interest in. It\u2019s a new direction in his career that circles back stylistically to the traditional jazz he started with as a precociously gifted teenager.<\/p>\n

After coming up with the melodies, he works with an arranger to develop the chords for his compositions. This time out, he says he\u2019s asking for darker jazz chords.<\/p>\n

\"'Listening
‘Listening to Kenny G’ (Image courtesy of TIFF)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I\u2019m a sound<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019m a personality to people,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m a sound.\u201d<\/p>\n

The doc does a good job of portraying Kenny as a musician and professional, from his start as the superstar of his high school jazz band, gigging in his teens, and then the various professional connections that would make his career hit the rights notes at seemingly exactly the right time.<\/p>\n

Lane doesn\u2019t shy from the bad reviews, or even the famous 2000 rant by jazz guitarist Pat Metheny<\/a>, who was incensed at the idea of Kenny G playing that posthumous duet with Louis Armstrong.<\/p>\n

Early in the movie, a series of film critics and experts, including The New York Times<\/em>\u2019 Ben Ratliff, PopMatters<\/em>\u2019 Will Layman, and professors from Columbia and Bard, are shown one by one. As Lane begins to play in unmistakable strains of Kenny G\u2019s sax, each of them smiles, then squirms a little as they try to find the words to reply on camera. It\u2019s a funny way to visualize their dilemma. \u201cIt\u2019s just wallpaper,\u201d one says. \u201cI\u2019m better than that!\u201d<\/p>\n

Later, they outline the jazz genre controversy. Jazz is an idiom where performers connect to the history of the music, similar to the way the classical music repertoire is acknowledged by all classical musicians. Jazz also a musical history profoundly connected with Black artists and even the Civil Rights movement.<\/p>\n

Kenny G, not so much.<\/p>\n

Jazz is about improvisation, and organic interplay between the musicians. Kenny G\u2019s music is instead structured like pop music, where he\u2019s the one star and focal point, and the rest of the ensemble exists to make him sound good. The sax is mixed like the vocals typically are\u2014 right up front.<\/p>\n

As for his personal life, or any glimpse at an identity beyond the perennially smiling musician, his two sons are shown, but there is no hint of any other side to him. He doesn\u2019t even seem to like listening to music\u2014only performing.<\/p>\n