KENNY G last performed a concert in Malaysia five years ago, and for a man who will be turning 67 this June, his return concert last Sunday was nothing short of spectacular. The saxophonist proved that age was just a number as he serenaded the sold-out crowd at Resorts World Genting’s Arena of Stars with a setlist comprising his greatest hits, and some new material.
Whether you realise it or not, chances are you’ve heard Kenny G before. Maybe it was on the radio, at a wedding, walking through the mall, on Spotify or in an elevator, the American musician’s unique sound is hard to forget.
After all, the Seattle native has chalked up an impressive body of work in a career spanning four decades with multiple Grammy nominations and album sales of over 75 million.
The artist has had a career resurgence of late, collaborating with Kanye West and The Weeknd, and it shows ... the crowd that packed Resorts World Genting’s Arena of Stars had a healthy mix of lifelong fans and youthful faces.
Kenny started the evening with Loving You followed by much-loved Silhouette before rounding up the first set with the upbeat and fun G-bop.
Three songs in and he already had the entire arena eating out of the palm of his delicate hands. And that pretty much set the tone for the entire evening, as Mr G once again held court at the Arena of Stars doing what he does best – presenting a musical tour de force of hits.
His reputation as one of the best live performers is well deserved, especially when backed by his longtime touring wingmen of over 30 years Robert Damper on piano, guitarist John Raymond, bassist Vail Johnson, percussionist Ron Powell, and drummer Daniel Bejarano – all played a part in making his concerts an unforgettable experience.
Throughout the evening, each member of the band had the chance to showcase their individual talents, with the highlight being the always-entertaining Powell.
After delivering an amazing congo set, he stood front and centre with his trusty pandeiro and performed a series of complicated beats, egging the crowd to mimic him by clapping their hands.
For the third and final set, fans were not disappointed as Kenny performed a string of well-loved songs starting with the late, great, Teresa Teng’s The Moon Represents My Heart, Jasmine Flower, Going Home, Heart and Soul, Cadenza and my personal favourite, Songbird, before capping off the set with Celine Dion’s epic ballad My Heart Will Go On from Titanic.
For the encore performance, Kenny and the band performed the aptly named The Moment to a sea of fans using their smartphones’ flash function to simulate a sea of fireflies. This audience participation has become a thing at his concerts and a perfect way for fans to show their appreciation at the end of the evening.
Kenny had earlier joked that his 50 years of playing the saxophone was the longest relationship he’d ever had and the only one that he could make work and from the perspective of lifelong fans such as myself, the world is all the more blessed for it.
