What did Kenny G reveal about his long curly hair and plans to explore Vietnam?

On the afternoon of November 13, saxophone "legend" Kenny G held a press conference to share about the program "Kenny G Live In Vietnam" opening the series of projects "Good Morning Vietnam" jointly organized by Nhan Dan Newspaper and IBGroup, which will take place at the My Dinh National Convention Center on the evening of November 14.

Kenny G expressed: "I am very happy to be back in Vietnam after a while. Watching the video that the organizers of "Kenny G Live In Vietnam" played, I saw that the welcome from everyone in Vietnam was so warm and hospitable. I was very surprised to see that Vietnamese people love me so much. I want to continue to come back to Vietnam many more times."

Overview of the meeting with Kenny G on the afternoon of November 13 in Hanoi . Photo: VA

In response to the affection of the organizers of "Kenny G Live In Vietnam" and the press and audience of Vietnam, Kenny G played "Forever In Love" with a 60-year-old trumpet that he had played since high school. The artist shared that this trumpet is priceless to him and will never sell it. Kenny G also gave the organizers a trumpet that he brought from the US to auction to raise funds for charity. This trumpet is brand new and is no longer in production.

Dan Viet recorded the exchange and Q&A between reporters and Kenny G at the press conference on the afternoon of January 13.

You have been to Vietnam once, recently you made a clip for Vietnamese audiences in which you greeted them in Vietnamese. How is your Vietnamese now?

- My Vietnamese is actually not very good, it is very difficult to learn Vietnamese and speak Vietnamese correctly. Therefore, tomorrow night (ie November 14th) I will not be able to speak Vietnamese. I will try to practice pronouncing Vietnamese correctly to communicate with the audience tomorrow.

What pieces will you perform in the show "Kenny G Live In Vietnam" on the evening of November 14?

- I will perform according to the format (script) that I have performed for over 30 years with my band members. I will still perform familiar musical works: Forever In Love, Titanic, Going Home…

The special thing is that I am not a singer, so when I perform the song, I use music instead of lyrics. Even the way I play the song Forever In Love today is different from yesterday. Music without lyrics will make the audience remember more, have more emotions and be impressed with what happens.

Kenny G gave a saxophone to the "Good Morning Vietnam" organizers. Photo: VA.

For artists, musical instruments are priceless treasures because they will follow them throughout their career journey. So why did you give the saxophone to the Organizing Committee? What position does this saxophone have in your collection?

- The saxophone I just performed Forever In Love with is a soprano saxophone. The saxophone I gave was an alto saxophone. This saxophone is a replica of a model from 1950 that is no longer in production. I started my career and performed with this alto saxophone and this is a gift I gave to Nhan Dan Newspaper. I rarely give away a saxophone to a program. I once gave a platinum disc to former US President Bill Clinton. And a few years ago, I think I gave away a saxophone to a program also for charity.

Have you ever listened to Vietnamese music, especially traditional Vietnamese music? In this performance, will you perform any traditional Vietnamese songs for the audience?

- Not long ago, Mr. Nguyen Thuy Duong (Director of IB Group) representing the Organizing Committee sent me a very famous Vietnamese song called "Beo dat may troi" for me to listen to in advance. But because I was busy with the tours, I had time to research how to perform it with the orchestra and piano. From now until tomorrow night, I'm afraid I won't have time to practice this piece. If I have time, I believe that performing this piece will be wonderful.

Kenny G plays a part of the song "Forever In Love" for the organizers and the press. Clip: HTLong

What is your formula for connecting yourself with the audience through your legendary trumpet sound?

- There is no formula for connecting with the audience through my saxophone. I play music with all my heart. When I play music, audiences around the world feel the meaning and love me through music. I feel grateful for that. I travel everywhere and see the world. I am very happy when my music helps people connect with their families, children and parents. In the morning, when they wake up, they listen to my music. In the evening, before going to bed, they listen to music, after a long day of hard work. I am very happy to know that.

After finishing the show in Hanoi, what are your plans for visiting Vietnam?

- After finishing the show in Hanoi, I will have a vacation in Da Nang beach, visit Hoi An ancient town.

Why have you remained loyal to your familiar long curly hair for so many years? Do you think this hairstyle is the only one that suits you or have you always kept this hairstyle to create your own brand?

- My characteristic hair is inherited from my grandmother, my father and then me, all have thick, beautiful and curly hair like this.

Thanks Kenny G for sharing the information.

Kenny G, whose real name is Kenneth Bruce Gorelick, is an American composer, producer, and saxophone legend with hundreds of instrumental songs in the smooth Jazz, R&B, Pop, and Latin genres. Over the past 30 years, Kenny G has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling artists of all time.

Kenny G has also been invited to collaborate with many famous artists around the world, such as Andrea Bocelli, Frank Sinatra, Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Toni Braxton, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton, George Benson...

He won a Grammy in 1994 for “Forever in Love,” the only instrumentalist to win the award. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Kenny G is also the only artist in the world to be listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for playing the longest note on a saxophone for 45 minutes and 47 seconds.

Source: https://danviet.vn/kenny-g-tiet-lo-nhung-gi-ve-mai-toc-xoan-dai-va-ke-hoach-kham-pha-viet-nam-20231113160353014.htm