About This Item
Over the past two decades, the millions around the globe who have experienced the Kenny G phenomenon live in concert have learned the funky secret behind his melodic soprano sax success-one of the most incredibly rocking ensembles in the business. From 1982 through 1987 (during which time the saxman's fourth album Duotones launched a superstar), Kenny and Roger Sause, the saxman's keyboardist and musical director, gathered a handful of the Pacific Northwest's best musicians to create one of contemporary jazz's most exhilarating shows. Sixteen years after leaving the fold, Sause reunites with five of his former bandmates-along with special guest sax stars Gerald Albright and Eric Marienthal-to create Freestyle Funk, easily the freshest and edgiest smooth jazz recording of 2003 and his debut on the Portland, Oregon based indie tag Lucky Records. The perfectly titled, ultra-melodic and heavy grooving disc features eight new soulful Sause originals, along with exciting reworkings of two instrumental hits synonymous with the pre-superstardom Kenny Gorelick 'G-Force' featuring Marienthal's punchy alto, and Freestyle Funk's first radio single, 'Tierra Verde,' a Gorelick-Jeff Lorber composition whose original version appears on Lorber's 1981 album It's A Fact. Sause chose Albright to play the tune's cool, swaying soprano melody due to the saxman's familiarity with the song; long before he was a smooth jazz star in his own right, Albright also held the sax chair in Lorber's band. Keeping the Freestyle Funk moving throughout are bassists Vail Johnson (who has played with Kenny G from 1985 to the present) and Joe Plass (1983-84), guitarists John Raymond (1985-present) and Marlon McLain (1983-84), drummer Bruce Carter (1988-present) and percussionist Ron Powell (1988-present). Each of Sause's cohorts has an extensive musical resume apart from the Kenny G experience as well; Vail
