If you like that vibe, the whole record’s that vibe.īrendan Francis Newnam: That’s the thing. So, I recorded about five of the original stuff from the 60s, and then I wrote five originals of my own. I loved how the old jazz greats used to do their style of bossa nova, which was cool jazz changes, but still, that sexy rhythm. Kenny G: I’ve been to Brazil a few times, and nothing would please me more than to say yes, but I love bossa nova. First of all, it’s called, as we mentioned, “Brazilian Nights.” We want to believe that it was either recorded or conceived at night, in Brazil. Kenny G: That was one of the memorable moments of my career.īrendan Francis Newnam: Let’s change to this record. Rico Gagliano: 75 million albums, but that was the highlight of your career right there, right? He looks at me and goes, “Hey, that’s great, baby. So, I walk up to him and I go, “Barry White, if it wasn’t for you, it was my first gig, I was in high school,” and all this stuff. So, he didn’t know anything about me, but I’m thinking, you know, my name’s popular enough, so I’m sure I’m probably on Barry White’s radar at least. So, I’m in the bathroom, and there comes Barry White in the restroom, in the men’s room, and he’s at the mirror, washing his hands or something like that, and I’m looking, and I’m going, man… First of all, I didn’t meet him when I was seventeen. I got a Soul Train Music Award, which was obviously very flattering. Probably the only white guy within ten miles of the building, and I got an award. Years later, years later, I’m at the Soul Train Music Awards. But, I will give you a Barry White story. I didn’t even know what to do with myself. I was fifteen years younger than anybody else. Kenny G: Well, I was so young and so green. That was my only job.īrendan Francis Newnam: What is it like, being a teen and working with this king of oversexed, 70s soul music? Or, is the answer in the question?īrendan Francis Newnam: Around our office. Rico Gagliano: Called “Brazilian Nights”, and Kenny, thank you for joining us, sir.īrendan Francis Newnam: So, Kenny, before we get to the new album, in researching your career, we came across this: Your first job, when you were still in high school, was playing for Barry White. Rico Gagliano: It’s something like fourteen. He has just released a new album, his fourteenth full-length. That makes him one of the best-selling musicians of all time, and the biggest-selling instrumental musicians of the modern chart era. His smooth saxophone sounds have sold over 75 million records. Rico Gagliano: Yes, each week, you send in your questions about how to behave, and here to answer them this week is Kenny G.

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