How Kenny G went from local fill-in to global saxophone phenom
He’s no longer rolling up to Franklin High School in a blue Oldsmobile Super 88 with homemade white wall tires, or knocking out accounting tests on the University of Washington campus, but Kenny G is still in touch with his Seattle roots -- even after selling more than 75 million records worldwide.
The iconic sax-man played a run of sold-out shows at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley over the turn of the new year. In case you couldn’t make it to a show, the story of how Kenneth Gorelick of Seward Park became one of the best-selling instrumentalists of all time is chronicled in Kenny G’s new memoir, “Life in the Key of G.”
The book explores the craft of saxophone playing and the mind of a meticulous artist, always striving to improve. Readers also get some unexpected stories -- like how Kenny G once tried his best to get fired from Whitney Houston’s tour, or the time Elton John gave him a “pinch” of approval.
Soundside's Libby Denkmann caught up with Kenny from his LA studio ahead of his return to Jazz Alley.
Guests:
- Kenny G
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Libby Denkmann
Host, Soundside
Libby Denkmann joined KUOW in December 2021 as the host of the midday show Soundside. She’s a native Pacific Northwesterner who grew up in Redmond, graduated from the University of Washington, and covered local news as a producer and reporter with KIRO Radio.
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Alec Cowan
Producer, Soundside
Alec Cowan is a producer for Soundside. His interests have brought many eclectic stories to the program, and his segments gravitate toward history, technology, arts and culture, and the environment. He's proud to be KUOW's unofficial "boat guy."
More stories from Alec Cowan »
