New Standards

by Kenny G

Overview

With 2021's elegant New Standards, saxophonist Kenny G wryly inserts himself into the pantheon of American Popular Songbook composers performing and writing songs that feel as if they were written during the heyday of traditional pop in the '50s and '60s. The album is G's first studio production since 2015's Brazilian Nights and while it certainly hews to his distinctive crossover style, it's steeped in a lush orchestral atmosphere that evokes the classic traditional pop of artists like Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, and Ella Fitzgerald. Of course, these aren't swinging big-band numbers, but hushed and intimate ballads with just enough R&B keyboard, bass, and guitar textures to keep things contemporary. What's particularly notable about New Standards is just how effectively G has managed to capture the sound of traditional pop. While solely instrumentals, tracks like "Emeline," "Blue Skies," and "Paris by Night" are nonetheless harmonically sophisticated songs that have the cozy, martini-soaked vibe of Tin Pan Alley and Brill Building standards. One could easily imagine a companion album with lyrics and guest vocalists added to the mix. That they are all G's own newly penned original compositions makes them all the more impressive. ~ Matt Collar

Product Details

Release Date:	12/03/2021
Label:	Concord
UPC:	0888072296107

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Kenny G   Primary Artist,Sax (Alto),Sax (Tenor),Sax (Soprano)
Stan Getz   Primary Artist,Sax (Tenor)
John Raymond   Guitar (Nylon String),Guitar
Walter Afanasieff   Drums,Keyboards
Randy Waldman   Piano
Stephen Erdody   Cello
Carlitos Del Puerto   Guitar (Bass)
Ron Powell   Percussion
Rick Montalbano   Drums
Sam Hirsh   Piano
Charles Ruggiero   Drums
Dave Tull   Drums
Zachariah Rose   Orchestra
Danny Bejarano   Drums
Larry Koonse   Guitar
Greg Phillinganes   Keyboards
Nate Light   Bass,Guitar (Bass)

Technical Credits

Steve Shepherd   Recording,Mixing,Engineer
Simon Rhodes   Engineer,String Engineer
Kenny G   Arranger,Composer,Producer,Liner Notes,Recording Arranger,Recording Producer
Robert Vosgien   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Walter Afanasieff   Composer
Randy Waldman   Composer
Tommy Steele   Design,Art Direction
William Ross   Arranger,Orchestral Arrangements
Sam Hirsh   Composer
Carrie Smith   Art Direction,Design
Andrew DeRoberts   Mastering Engineer
Zachariah Rose   Group Member,Score Coordinator
Art Streiber   Photography