what do you think about the kenny g and louis armstrong overdub?

Question

what do you think about the kenny g and louis armstrong overdub?

Answer 1

This is what Pat Metheney said about this subject and I share his opinion entirely.



"Not long ago, Kenny G put out a recording where he overdubbed himself on top of a 30+ year old Louis Armstrong record, the track "What a Wonderful World". With this single move, Kenny G became one of the few people on earth I can say that I really can't use at all - as a man, for his incredible arrogance to even consider such a thing, and as a musician, for presuming to share the stage with the single most important figure in our music.



This type of musical necrophilia - the technique of overdubbing on the preexisting tracks of already dead performers - was weird when Natalie Cole did it with her dad on "Unforgettable" a few years ago, but it was her dad. When Tony Bennett did it with Billie Holiday it was bizarre, but we are talking about two of the greatest singers of the 20th century who were on roughly the same level of artistic accomplishment. When Larry Coryell presumed to overdub himself on top of a Wes Montgomery track, I lost a lot of the respect that I ever had for him - and I have to seriously question the fact that I did have respect for someone who could turn out to have such unbelievably bad taste and be that disrespectful to one of my personal heroes.



But when Kenny G decided that it was appropriate for him to defile the music of the man who is probably the greatest jazz musician that has ever lived by spewing his lame-***, jive, pseudo bluesy, out-of-tune, noodling, wimped out, ****** up playing all over one of the great Louis's tracks (even one of his lesser ones), he did something that I would not have imagined possible. He, in one move, through his unbelievably pretentious and calloused musical decision to embark on this most cynical of musical paths, **** all over the graves of all the musicians past and present who have risked their lives by going out there on the road for years and years developing their own music inspired by the standards of grace that Louis Armstrong brought to every single note he played over an amazing lifetime as a musician. By disrespecting Louis, his legacy and by default, everyone who has ever tried to do something positive with improvised music and what it can be, Kenny G has created a new low point in modern culture - something that we all should be totally embarrassed about - and afraid of. We ignore this, "let it slide", at our own peril.



His callous disregard for the larger issues of what this crass gesture implies is exacerbated by the fact that the only reason he possibly have for doing something this inherently wrong (on both human and musical terms) was for the record sales and the money it would bring.



Since that record came out - in protest, as insignificant as it may be, I encourage everyone to boycott Kenny G recordings, concerts and anything he is associated with. If asked about Kenny G, I will diss him and his music with the same passion that is in evidence in this little essay.



Normally, I feel that musicians all have a hard enough time, regardless of their level, just trying to play good and don't really benefit from public criticism, particularly from their fellow players. but, this is different.



There ARE some things that are sacred - and amongst any musician that has ever attempted to address jazz at even the most basic of levels, Louis Armstrong and his music is hallowed ground. To ignore this trespass is to agree that NOTHING any musician has attempted to do with their life in music has any intrinsic value - and I refuse to do that. (I am also amazed that there HASN'T already been an outcry against this among music critics - where ARE they on this?????!?!?!?!, magazines, etc.). Everything I said here is exactly the same as what I would say to Gorelick if I ever saw him in person. and if I ever DO see him anywhere, at any function - he WILL get a piece of my mind and (maybe a guitar wrapped around his head.) "



In my opinion, Kenny G sucks more than Paris Hilton.

Answer 2

Bix's post, and Mr.Metheney took the words right out of my mouth. Literally. When Natalie Cole did it it was only forgivable because of the familial connection. And I hated when Tony Bennett did it, and I am a huge Bennett fan. Kenny G should come out of his denial and quit standing on the backs of the true greats. Yuk.

Answer 3

Like a beautiful layer of buttercreme frosting on prime rib. Completely inappropriate.



The original song was beautiful, the solos KennyG does are pretty, but they don't match the style of the song. Kenny Gorelick is actually a VERY good musician, for proof listen to his work with Jeff Lorber. It's too bad that he has been forced into a box with all the schmaltz that he is producing now and the duet is completely inappropriate





His career went out the artistic window long ago, but lately he has proven his inability to do anything except play arpeggios. He can't do anything original anymore Since 2004 duets album almost everything has been like reruns on TV, nothing original or fresh.



EDIT: I agree wholeheartedly with Pat metheny and Bix

Answer 4

I don't even have to listen to this overdubbed duet, to know the answer to this question!



What has the music of Kenny G, have to do with the virtuosity of a Jazz Master like Louis Armstrong?



WHY would Kenny G, want to clap-up the Father of Jazz Music recordings, with his new over-dubbed sax tracks, unless it was only done to appease Kenny G's own, way too over-inflated ego and swelled head?



This old truth is still fact today, Kenny G! > "Pride goes before a fall!"



Louis Armstrong is at the very pinnacle top of the heap, when I list the best of Jazz master virtuoso musicians.



However, in my mind, Kenny G has never been on any of my lists of Jazz, or any other music genre - masters, because he is not and NEVER HAS BEEN, at any time; what I know to be a virtuoso, master musician! Kenny G always has been, always will be, a big headed, egotistic, molly-coddled "gifted" one, other people have named him. Musically gifted, Kenny G is not!



Kenny G, in my mind, is the exact opposite of everything, as a musician, performer and truly sincere good person; Louis Armstrong was and still IS, when we listen to and view Louis' classic recordings, or live film footage, on CD and DVD's, today!



I cannot leave off this answer herein, without speaking of my utter disdain for the label execs in the music industry today, whom would allow some current recording artist, (such as Kenny G), to lay any kind of new tracking, over, or along with, the tracks of a past music master pioneer, the likes of Louis Armstrong!



Have the people in control of the record labels today, gone completely soft-in-the-head, when it comes to making certain that no one today, claps-up a classic master music artists recordings, with new overdubs?



I don't care if we're talking new remixes of two hugely successful, past recording artists, such as the remixed duets of Jim Reeves with Patsy Cline, done in the early 1980's, or what! It's easy to ascertain why, Jim Reeves never recorded any duets with Patsy Cline, when they were both alive at the same time period and in their musical prime! The above mentioned remixed duets of Jim and Patsy, were horrendous and awful sounding recordings, just ghastly!!



Unless you have the original master recording artists own daughter or son, whom sounds a great deal like their parent(s) and is now a virtuoso recording artist in high esteem today; laying very respectful, very well mixed and in taste with song character tracks, down with their parents' original tracks, (such as Natalie Cole's duet overdubs with her father, Nat "King" Cole); IF we cannot have that kind of new tracking overdubs from the master musicians own immediate kin, added to one of the classic master artist songs; then we'd best make certain SURE too not allow any kind of other newly tracked overdubs, from anyone else, get anywhere near the classic master musicians original recordings!



All the rest of the overdub attempts will fail miserably and sound like some "wannabe" jazz master, (such as Kenny G), doing a very shoddy Karaoke sounding, unprofessional over-dub; with a true Jazz Master Musician, the stature of Jazz Master Virtuoso, Mr. Louis Armstrong!



That kind of very mismatched tracking over-lay remix, will always sound like a sailor dosed-up with a terminal case of the clap! (IE: Not worth a painful piss, to ANYONE!)



I rest my case!



Thank you!

Answer 5

Kenny G is to Jazz, what Michael Bolton is to R & B and they both suc.

Answer 6

kenny g should stay away from louis armstrong's music.....hope i never hear the shenanigans.