Hardbopjazz Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 From the annals of Kenny G. This may have been posted here before. I laughed my ass off after reading this. B&N.com: What are some of your favorite Washington, Coltrane, and Parker recordings? KG: The Grover Washington one that I listened to a lot when I was a kid was called "Inner City Blues." As for Coltrane, of course, "Giant Steps" is the main one that he did, and he also did a rendition of "My Favorite Things." With Charlie Parker, there are just so many different records. I don't say this to be disrespectful, but when you listen to Charlie Parker, on pretty much any record he's going to sound the same. He's going to be unbelievable. He'll be playing the fastest lines in that style. He was the fastest. Nobody played faster and more cleanly than him. Except that there was another saxophone player named Sonny Stitt. He was actually an almost exact duplicate of Charlie Parker, except he played it even cleaner. Charlie Parker would squeak a lot, and that's why they called him Bird, because his reed would chirp. B&N.com: You think that's why they called him Bird? That's interesting. KG: That is why they called him Bird. That was the deal. He played so fast, and his reed would chirp because it...I don't know, it just couldn't take the speed of his fingers. But Sonny Stitt used to do it without the chirping thing, and played beautiful. But I don't think he ever got the same accolades that Charlie Parker did, mainly because Charlie Parker was the first one. Anyway, I know a lot about that kind of music, and I admire those players. But I am not motivated to try to copy what they do or play in that style, because there's no way that anybody can play better than Charlie Parker. You can't. So what's the point? I mean, even if I played every note exactly the way he played it, at exactly the speed, it's not going to be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontooneous Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 The incessant, infernal chirping, of course, is why Art Blakey killed him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Moments Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 The incessant, infernal chirping, of course, is why Art Blakey killed him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 Charlie Parker's step-father played the slide trumpet. He was dubbed "Ostrich," which perhaps explains in part why his career as a musician never took off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontooneous Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 Charlie Parker's step-father played the slide trumpet. He was dubbed "Ostrich," which perhaps explains in part why his career as a musician never took off. Jimmy Heath still bristles at being called "Little Ostrich." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 isnt tehre some urban legend that art blakey murdered charlie parker? or am i just dreaming that up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontooneous Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 We need to add these facts to the Wikipedia entry on Bird real soon. Because if we don't, Stanley Crouch will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoGrubb Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 Is all this true?! Where have I been!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 I remember this from the last time somebody posted it. Hilarious. Almost enough to redeem Kenny G, as long as I never have to listen to him again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niko Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 I mean, even if I played every note exactly the way he played it, at exactly the speed, it's not going to be better. wonder why nobody has ever tried to play exactly the same notes chirping but at a much much higher speed (and then another guy might come along and play the same thing cleanly and nobody would care about him) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 maybe here the G-ster could get an idea about chirps? parallel universes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 to me the only thing worse than an incredibly stupid guy is an incredibly stupid guy who's making more money than me - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie87 Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 The whole interview is must-read stuff, not just the excerpt in the original post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosco Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 Charlie Parker... Nobody played faster and more cleanly than him. Sonny Stitt... he played it even cleaner. Holy crap, it's a real interview??! I assumed this was from The Onion or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swinging Swede Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 Kenny G has a new album out. I know this because the last time I surfed to AMG, a sound ad started to play automatically in a pop-over window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niko Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 The whole interview is must-read stuff, not just the excerpt in the original post. indeed! here is another telling favorite... B&N.com: What sort of things are in your personal listening rotation at this point? Do you listen to a lot of music? KG: No, I don't listen to a lot of music at all. I'm actually more into...I don't know. I'm just more into playing golf. It's a great thing. I work on my music, and I play my albums, and when I'm done, I'm done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 few people know this, but Kenny G is related to Najee and Gandhi Ji - and Kenny P (Peplowski) - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 and, of course, the G-Spot - and G-Men and gee whiz and cheese whiz - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 and larry K. and chuck N. and Jim A. and Jim S. and Joe G. and Chris A. why is this starting to sound like a Victorian novel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 I don't know, M. _____. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kari S Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 I remember this from the last time somebody posted it. Hilarious. Almost enough to redeem Kenny G, as long as I never have to listen to him again. "Again"...Oops, you just admitted that you listen to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Kenny G has a new album out. I know this because the last time I surfed to AMG, a sound ad started to play automatically in a pop-over window. I saw it in Starbucks tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 The whole interview is must-read stuff, not just the excerpt in the original post. indeed! here is another telling favorite... B&N.com: What sort of things are in your personal listening rotation at this point? Do you listen to a lot of music? KG: No, I don't listen to a lot of music at all. I'm actually more into...I don't know. I'm just more into playing golf. It's a great thing. I work on my music, and I play my albums, and when I'm done, I'm done. Holy sh.t !! If it wasnt so sad it would be hilarious indeed! As if that "Bird chirp" bit weren't enough already! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted February 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 From another board. KennyG is probably the greatest jazz musician of all time. In 1997, KennyG earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for playing the longest note ever recorded on a saxophone. KennyG held an E-flat for over forty five minutes! No wonder he hasn't any time to listen to music, he's busy getting in the Guinness Book of world records. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 He cheated. If he was a real man, he'd have held a D# for over an hour. Doing an E-flat for over forty five minutes instead is like going for the slightly less attractive friend of the girl you really want because you know it'll be easier for a schmuck like you to get there. Remember - a flat by definition lowers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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