Kenny G

Kenny G, the world's most renowned saxophonist, will release his first Latin Jazz album, Rhythm & Romance, backed by some of the world's finest Latin musicians. The result is a rich, one-of-a-kind tapestry of samba and salsa, ballads and bossa nova, all of which are held together by beautiful melodies of Kenny G's signature sound. The album is a collection of new songs and beloved classics that are rhythmically rooted in two disparate sounds resulting in a completely original and moving work. Set for release just in time for Valentine's Day 2008, the album marks Kenny's first album for Starbucks Entertainment and Concord Records.This is remarkable considering for the past two decades Kenny has established himself as the biggest-selling instrumental musician of the modern era, with global sales totaling more than 75 million albums, with 45 million albums sold in the U.S. alone. Yet, for Rhythm & Romance, Kenny ventures into uncharted creative territory and is having the time of his life crafting a lively album, one that speaks to exactly why a young Kenny Gorelick of Seattle, Washington, who discovered the saxophone one evening while watching the Ed Sullivan show, was inspired to pick up the instrument in the first place.Enamored with the rhythm of Latin music, Kenny and longtime collaborator and producer Walter Afanasieff (Mariah Carey, Barbara Streisand, Celine Dion) set out to find the right instrumentation and arrangements for the romantic Latin melodies that have been swirling around saxophonist's head for months. Together they have assembled an all-star line-up of Latin musicians including guitarist Ramon Stagnaro, percussionists Michito Sanchez, Paulino Da Costa, Ron Powell and legendary drummer Alex Acuña (Weather Report). The album also features guest vocals by rising Chilean star Barbara Munoz and Spanish-speaking pop/rock sensation, Camila. Every song for Rhythm & Romance is recorded live as the sessions brim with energy and inspiration. Here we not only get a glimpse of Kenny G the artist, but Kenny G the collaborator, working out each note with the greatest attention to detail, while still allowing the improvisational skills of he and the other musicians to shine through. Each recording is a unique mix of precision and invention that conjures up the sounds of Brazil, Havana and everything in between. Other notable works include: 1999's album of Jazz standards entitled Classics in the Key of G, (which featured "What a Wonderful World," the virtual duet with Louis Armstrong and "The Girl From Ipanema" duet with Bebel Gilberto) and 2006's I'm in the Mood for Love: The Most Romantic Melodies of All Time, the saxophonist's unique take on some of the greatest love songs ever written including standards such as Dorothy Fields' "The Way You Look Tonight," right up through modern hits such as Alicia Keys' "I Ain't Got You," and James Blunt's "You're Beautiful."But music remains the artist's first love. With each new recording, Kenny begins from a personal place- the sounds that move him. It brings him great joy to introduce new material to a live audience. For the past twenty years he has been a fixture in arenas, amphitheaters and concert halls and has performed for millions of people all over the world. When pressed about his theory as to why he has been so successful, Kenny offers, "I think my music gives people the opportunity to listen to their own thoughts. Tap into their imaginations. Create their own stories to songs without the limitation of words... plus it's a really beautiful instrument."