Kenny G - (October 18, 2019)

In a recording career that spans almost three decades and 23 albums, Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Kenny G has grafted elements of R&B, pop and Latin to a jazz foundation solidifying his reputation as the premiere artist in contemporary jazz. A phenomenally successful instrumentalist whose recordings make the pop charts, Kenny G's sound has been a staple on adult contemporary and smooth jazz radio stations since the early '80s, making him a household name. His combination of unparalleled instrumental chops and indelible melodies has resulted in sales of more than 75 million records worldwide (45 million in the U.S. alone) and more than a dozen climbs to the top of Billboard's contemporary jazz chart.

Given these and other commercial and critical achievements, one might think Kenny is an artist with nothing to prove, but he once again reaffirms his enduring place in popular music with his 2015 release of Brazilian Nights on Concord Records.

On this third outing with Concord, Kenny is enjoying an unprecedented sense of creative freedom that has enabled him to make one of the best records of his career - one that's true to his roots and true to his creative vision. "Usually, when artists are left to do what they do best, the results are better than what happens when they're told what to do," he says. "That doesn't mean there can't or shouldn't be some sense of collaboration with producers and A&R people, but in the end, the choices and the decisions should be mine. It's the artist's job to be true to the integrity of his art. If he is, then things always work out well. Brazilian Nights is an example of that kind of clarity and integrity, and it's a record I'm very proud of."