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

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

Kenny G expressed: "I'm so happy to be back in Vietnam after a while. Watching the video that the organizers of 'Kenny G Live In Vietnam' showed, I saw how warmly and hospitably the people of Vietnam welcomed me. I was very surprised to see how much the Vietnamese people love me. I want to continue to return to Vietnam many more times."

A panoramic view of the Kenny G meet-and-greet on the afternoon of November 13th in Hanoi . Photo: VA

In response to the affection shown by the organizers of "Kenny G Live In Vietnam," the press, and the Vietnamese audience, Kenny G played "Forever In Love" on his 60-year-old harmonica, the same one he played in high school. The artist shared that this harmonica is priceless to him and he would never sell it. Kenny G also gifted the organizers a harmonica he brought from the US to be auctioned off for charity. This harmonica is brand new and no longer in production.

Dân Việt recorded the Q&A session between reporters and Kenny G during the press conference on the afternoon of January 13th.

He has visited Vietnam once before, and recently he made a video for his Vietnamese audience, which included a greeting in Vietnamese. How is his Vietnamese now?

- My Vietnamese isn't actually very good; it's very difficult to learn and speak Vietnamese correctly. Therefore, I won't be able to speak Vietnamese tomorrow night (November 14th). I will try my best to practice my Vietnamese pronunciation to be as accurate as possible so I can interact with the audience tomorrow.

What songs will he perform at the "Kenny G Live In Vietnam" show on the evening of November 14th?

- I will perform in the same format (script) that I've been using for over 30 years with my band members. I will still perform familiar songs : Forever In Love, Titanic, Going Home…

What's special is that I'm not a singer, so when I perform a song, I use music instead of lyrics. Even the way I play " Forever In Love" today is different from yesterday. Instrumental music makes the audience remember more, feel more emotions, and be more impressed by what happens.

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

For artists, musical instruments are like priceless treasures, accompanying them throughout their professional journey. So why did he donate the saxophone to the organizing committee? What is the significance of this instrument in his collection?

- The saxophone I used to perform "Forever In Love" was a soprano saxophone. The one I gifted was an alto saxophone. This saxophone is modeled after a 1950 design that is no longer in production. I started my career and performed with this alto saxophone, and this is a gift I'm giving to the Nhan Dan Newspaper. I rarely donate saxophones to any program. Previously, I donated a platinum record to former US President Bill Clinton. And a few years ago, I think I donated a saxophone to another program, also for charity.

Have you ever listened to Vietnamese music, especially traditional Vietnamese music? Will you be performing any traditional Vietnamese songs for the audience at this performance?

- Not long ago, Mr. Nguyen Thuy Duong (Director of IB Group), representing the organizing committee, sent me a very famous Vietnamese song, "Floating Water Lilies and Drifting Clouds," for me to listen to beforehand. However, due to my busy touring schedule, I haven't had time to study how to perform it with the orchestra and piano. I'm afraid I won't have enough time to practice this piece between now and tomorrow evening. If I had more time, I believe the performance would be fantastic.

Kenny G played a snippet of "Forever In Love" on the flute for the organizers and the press. Clip: HTLong

Does he have a formula for connecting with his audience through his legendary trumpet playing?

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

After concluding his performance in Hanoi, what are his plans for exploring Vietnam?

- After finishing my performance in Hanoi, I will take a vacation to Da Nang beach and visit the ancient town of Hoi An.

Why has he remained loyal to his familiar long, curly hair for so many years? Does he feel that only this hairstyle suits him, or does he maintain this hairstyle to create his own unique brand?

- My distinctive hair style is inherited from my grandmother, then my father, and now I have thick, beautiful, and curly hair like this.

Thanks to 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 pieces in smooth jazz, R&B, pop, and Latin music. Over more than 30 years, Kenny G has sold over 75 million records worldwide, making him 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, and many others.

He won a Grammy Award in 1994 for "Forever in Love," and is the only instrumentalist to have won this 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 Records for playing a single note on the saxophone for the longest time – 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