When we were invited to cover ‘An Evening with Kenny G’ at New York City’s historic venue The Town Hall, it was an immediate yes. Even when I looked at the date and realized it was on my birthday I knew I needed to be there. Where else would one want to spend their birthday than with the dulcet tones of the Grammy Award winning saxophonist?
I’ve seen Kenny G on Twitter as well as his recent HBO documentary, Listening to Kenny G, and knew the show would be filled with incredible music, but also a lot of laughs. His humor and personality shine at all times, and you can always expect some sort of saxophone double entendre or innuendo. However, despite those things that you know G brings to a concert, Friday’s show was so much more.
The Town Hall is a 1,500 seat venue, and yet Kenny G made it feel intimate. The beautiful sounds coming from his soprano saxophone, the same exact one he played in high schools echoed off the walls of the 101-year-old venue. Kenny G wasn’t alone on stage, he played along with a five-piece band. The same band he has been playing with for 35 years, and their sounds melted together perfectly for a wonderful night of Jazz.
Kenny G – Blue Note Jazz Festival
More than just their impressive playing, Kenny G took fans on a journey while also educating them on the history of Jazz. Kenny G was playing at The Town Hall as part of the 11th Annual Sony presents Blue Note Jazz Festival. He asked fans to imagine being transported to the historic Blue Note Jazz club in which the festival got its name. Once fans were transported to the Blue Note, Kenny G educated the fans on Jazz legend Stan Getz and the art of bossa nova before playing an over 10-minute rendition of their songs with each member getting solos.
Following that the renowned saxophonist took the crowd to another historic R&B club on its way back to The Town Hall. There he taught the crowd about John Coltrane and played their favorite R&B hits.
Kenny G can often grind the gears of Jazz purists, but for the fans at the Blue Note Jazz Festival, me included, he put on a terrific show. The swagger and confidence Kenny G has with a sax in his hand is unmatched. The only bad part of the show was watching and knowing that I will never be as good at anything in my life as Kenny G is in the midst of a sax solo.
The Blue Note Jazz Festival rolls on every night until July in New York City, and features names like Herbie Hancock, George Clinton, Chis Botti, Macy Gray, and more. Get your tickets to the festival here.
photos by Pablo Perez/Road Trip Playlists
