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Listening to Kenny G

An examination of the most popular instrumentalist of all time, Kenny G, and why he is polarizing to so many.

Director

Penny Lane

Year

Genre

documentary, music

Box Office

N/A

Production

HBO Documentary Films,The Ringer Films,Polygram Entertainment

Awards

1 win & 2 nominations

Homepage

https://www.hbo.com/movies/music-box-listening-to-kenny-g

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Chris Washburne

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Louis Armstrong

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Chelsea Clinton

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Nat 'King' Cole

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Sammy Davis Jr.

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Dizzy Gillespie

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Whitney Houston

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Joaquin Phoenix

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♪ (THEME MUSIC PLAYS) ♪ - Listening to Kenny G

♪ (THEME MUSIC PLAYS) ♪

Kenny G is the best-selling
instrumentalist of all time. - Listening to Kenny G

Kenny G is the best-selling instrumentalist of all time.

He's probably the most famous
living jazz musician. - Listening to Kenny G

He's probably the most famous living jazz musician.

♪ (SAXOPHONE NOTES PLAYING) ♪ - Listening to Kenny G

♪ (SAXOPHONE NOTES PLAYING) ♪

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY) - Listening to Kenny G

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

It's like, "You're gonna
play, aren't you?" - Listening to Kenny G

It's like, "You're gonna play, aren't yo...

(INDISTINCT CHATTER) - Listening to Kenny G

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

♪ (UPBEAT SAXOPHONE
NOTES PLAYING) ♪ - Listening to Kenny G

♪ (UPBEAT SAXOPHONE NOTES PLAYING) ♪

TECH:
Stand by for house lights. - Listening to Kenny G

TECH: Stand by for house lights.

-(CHUCKLES)
-PENNY: Um, you can talk
as much as you want, - Listening to Kenny G

-(CHUCKLES) -PENNY: Um, you can talk as much as you want,

♪ (SONG CONTINUES) ♪ - Listening to Kenny G

♪ (SONG CONTINUES) ♪

When you first called me
and said, - Listening to Kenny G

When you first called me and said,

Um, so I had to really think
about, like, - Listening to Kenny G

Um, so I had to really think about, like,

He's just sort of part
of the musical furniture - Listening to Kenny G

He's just sort of part of the musical furniture

♪ ("SILHOUETTE" PLAYING) ♪ - Listening to Kenny G

♪ ("SILHOUETTE" PLAYING) ♪

And so, I think
I associated his music - Listening to Kenny G

And so, I think I associated his music

(CHUCKLES) - Listening to Kenny G

It feels like
he's pouring a sidewalk, - Listening to Kenny G

It feels like he's pouring a sidewalk,

He makes "nice" music
for nice people, - Listening to Kenny G

He makes "nice" music for nice people,

What it makes me feel
is that it's just wallpaper. - Listening to Kenny G

What it makes me feel is that it's just wallpaper.

I get a little knotted up
and confused when-- - Listening to Kenny G

I get a little knotted up and confused when--

With Kenny G's music,
what can you say? - Listening to Kenny G

With Kenny G's music, what can you say?

Sweater on this, over this,
would you like better, - Listening to Kenny G

Sweater on this, over this, would you like better,

PENNY: Um,
so my first question for you is, - Listening to Kenny G

PENNY: Um, so my first question for you is,

I guess, for me,
when I listen to music, - Listening to Kenny G

I guess, for me, when I listen to music,

And I just think about
what it takes to make that music - Listening to Kenny G

And I just think about what it takes to make that music

♪ (SAXOPHONE NOTES PLAYING) ♪ - Listening to Kenny G

♪ (SAXOPHONE NOTES PLAYING) ♪

I don't think there's anything
wrong with hard work, - Listening to Kenny G

I don't think there's anything wrong with hard wor...

I'm hoping so, - Listening to Kenny G

(CROWD CHEERING) - Listening to Kenny G

(CROWD CHEERING)

JASON KING: The 1980s and 1990s
represented a peak moment - Listening to Kenny G

JASON KING: The 1980s and 1990s represented a peak moment

There was an attempt - Listening to Kenny G

There was an attempt

But he had such a beautiful
tone on the saxophone, - Listening to Kenny G

But he had such a beautiful tone on the saxophone,

♪ (JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ - Listening to Kenny G

♪ (JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING) ♪

(AUDIENCE APPLAUDS) - Listening to Kenny G

(AUDIENCE APPLAUDS)

CHRIS WASHBURNE:
The fact of the matter is, - Listening to Kenny G

CHRIS WASHBURNE: The fact of the matter is,

TV HOST: How does it feel
knowing that - Listening to Kenny G

TV HOST: How does it feel knowing that

CHRIS: If you'd ask people, - Listening to Kenny G

CHRIS: If you'd ask people,

Many times, it's Kenny G. - Listening to Kenny G

Many times, it's Kenny G.

TV HOST 2: I would like
you to demonstrate - Listening to Kenny G

TV HOST 2: I would like you to demonstrate

It's basically-- - Listening to Kenny G

It's basically--

He's made it into the Guinness
Book of World Records - Listening to Kenny G

He's made it into the Guinness Book of World Records

PAT: Such an interesting person, - Listening to Kenny G

PAT: Such an interesting person,

And I won't say-- I can't--
I shouldn't say "hated." - Listening to Kenny G

And I won't say-- I can't-- I shouldn't say &...

Hey, happy birthday, Jesus.
Hope you like crap. - Listening to Kenny G

Hey, happy birthday, Jesus. Hope you like crap.

(AUDIENCE LAUGHS, APPLAUDS) - Listening to Kenny G

(AUDIENCE LAUGHS, APPLAUDS)

Denigration when it came
after Kenny G - Listening to Kenny G

Denigration when it came after Kenny G

♪ (OUT OF TUNE MUSIC PLAYS) ♪ - Listening to Kenny G

♪ (OUT OF TUNE MUSIC PLAYS) ♪

-Kenny G?
-♪ (SAXOPHONE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ - Listening to Kenny G

-Kenny G? -♪ (SAXOPHONE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪

♪ ("SONGBIRD" PLAYS) ♪ - Listening to Kenny G

♪ ("SONGBIRD" PLAYS) ♪

(IMITATES SAXOPHONE) - Listening to Kenny G

(IMITATES SAXOPHONE)

-It's "Songbird."
It's my-- It's ringtone.
-(NEWS ANCHORS LAUGH) - Listening to Kenny G

-It's "Songbird." It's my-- It's ri...

-Make it stop, Mel, please!
-(NEWS ANCHORS LAUGH) - Listening to Kenny G

-Make it stop, Mel, please! -(NEWS ANCHORS LAUGH)

But, that said,
I'm not writing music - Listening to Kenny G

But, that said, I'm not writing music

The fact that what appeals to me
also appeals to other people... - Listening to Kenny G

The fact that what appeals to me also appeals to other peopl...

Most of the music critics
are not kind to me, - Listening to Kenny G

Most of the music critics are not kind to me,

(PLANE ENGINE WHIRRING) - Listening to Kenny G

(PLANE ENGINE WHIRRING)

I'm gonna make this flight,
you know, stellar. - Listening to Kenny G

I'm gonna make this flight, you know, stellar.

"Yeah, he did all right." - Listening to Kenny G

"Yeah, he did all right."

And it's gonna be, like,
not just my best, - Listening to Kenny G

And it's gonna be, like, not just my best,

And now you can see
downtown Seattle from here. - Listening to Kenny G

And now you can see downtown Seattle from here.

Never thought I'd be flying
my own plane - Listening to Kenny G

Never thought I'd be flying my own plane

KENNY G: See, I just think,
walking in with the sax is-- - Listening to Kenny G

KENNY G: See, I just think, walking in with the sax is--

KENNY G: I don't think
I ever came in this way. - Listening to Kenny G

KENNY G: I don't think I ever came in this way.

I would come in
that way every morning, - Listening to Kenny G

I would come in that way every morning,

-(KENNY G LAUGHING)
-PRINCIPAL: Yeah, well, I'd love - Listening to Kenny G

-(KENNY G LAUGHING) -PRINCIPAL: Yeah, well, I'd love

-Not to put you on the spot.
-No, no, it's just-- - Listening to Kenny G

-Not to put you on the spot. -No, no, it's just--

KENNY G: I want-- Now this is
a lot of pressure - Listening to Kenny G

KENNY G: I want-- Now this is a lot of pressure

-This is hard!
-(CHUCKLES SOFTLY) - Listening to Kenny G

-This is hard! -(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

(CLICKS TONGUE) - Listening to Kenny G

(CLICKS TONGUE)

Unofficially, Seattle is
considered - Listening to Kenny G

Unofficially, Seattle is considered

Officially, the Franklin
High School Jazz Lab - Listening to Kenny G

Officially, the Franklin High School Jazz Lab

This 18-piece ensemble
has pushed itself - Listening to Kenny G

This 18-piece ensemble has pushed itself

♪ (UPBEAT JAZZ MUSIC PLAYS) ♪ - Listening to Kenny G

♪ (UPBEAT JAZZ MUSIC PLAYS) ♪

When you're teaching
somebody, - Listening to Kenny G

When you're teaching somebody,

Kenny was quiet, shy, - Listening to Kenny G

Kenny was quiet, shy,

♪ (UPBEAT SAXOPHONE
NOTES PLAYING) ♪ - Listening to Kenny G

♪ (UPBEAT SAXOPHONE NOTES PLAYING) ♪

Then all of a sudden...
(IMITATES SAX NOTES) - Listening to Kenny G

Then all of a sudden... (IMITATES SAX NOTES)

I said, "Okay, okay,
so let's move this up a notch." - Listening to Kenny G

I said, "Okay, okay, so let's move this up a notch...

♪ (UPBEAT JAZZ MUSIC PLAYS) ♪ - Listening to Kenny G

♪ (UPBEAT JAZZ MUSIC PLAYS) ♪

But, in the long run, - Listening to Kenny G

But, in the long run,

The very good kids, - Listening to Kenny G

The very good kids,

And we had a concert
at the Opera House. - Listening to Kenny G

And we had a concert at the Opera House.

He's supposed to do a cadenza,
like... (IMITATES SAX NOTES) - Listening to Kenny G

He's supposed to do a cadenza, like... (IMITATES SAX NO...

So instead of doing that,
Kenny decides to hold a note. - Listening to Kenny G

So instead of doing that, Kenny decides to hold a note.

♪ (SUSTAINED SAX NOTE PLAYING) ♪ - Listening to Kenny G

♪ (SUSTAINED SAX NOTE PLAYING) ♪

(IMITATES SUSTAINED SAX NOTE) - Listening to Kenny G

(IMITATES SUSTAINED SAX NOTE)

And all of a sudden, a light
is shining on this kid. - Listening to Kenny G

And all of a sudden, a light is shining on this kid.

I'm going-- And a big old light.
Whoo! - Listening to Kenny G

I'm going-- And a big old light. Whoo!

-Whoo! My God.
-(AUDIENCE CHEERING FAINTLY) - Listening to Kenny G

-Whoo! My God. -(AUDIENCE CHEERING FAINTLY)

Listening to Kenny G poster

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

An examination of the most popular instrumentalist of all time, Kenny G, and why he is polarizing to so many.

User Rating: 0.0 (0 ratings)

Director: Penny Lane

Writer: N/A

Production: HBO Documentary Films,The Ringer Films,Polygram Entertainment

Genre: documentary, music

Year: 2021

MetaScore: 81/100

ImdbRating: 7.5

BoxOffice: N/A

Released: 02 Dec 2021

Awards: 1 win & 2 nominations

Homepage: https://www.hbo.com/movies/music-box-listening-to-kenny-g

Also watch: Gypsy, Inherent Vice, Interstellar, Joker, Tenet, Snowpiercer, Me Before You, Parasite, Society of the Snow, Green Book, Spider Man: No Way Home, Oppenheimer, Poor Things, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Leave the World Behind, Coco, John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum, Get Out