Kenny G: An Evening of Rhythm & Romance Blu-ray

Kenny G: An Evening of Rhythm & Romance

 (2008)

Kenny G: An Evening of Rhythm & Romance Blu-ray delivers great video and audio in this fan-pleasing Blu-ray release
Known to fans as the King of Smooth Jazz, Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Kenny G appears live at Humphrey's By the Bay in San Diego, performing cuts from his studio album "Rhythm & Romance" along with a handful of classic numbers. The sax master soars on his much-loved cover of "What a Wonderful World" and treats the audience to a trio of Christmas tunes. Then, go behind the scenes for an interview and rehearsal footage.

For more about Kenny G: An Evening of Rhythm & Romance and the Kenny G: An Evening of Rhythm & Romance Blu-ray release, see the Kenny G: An Evening of Rhythm & Romance Blu-ray Review

Kenny G: An Evening of Rhythm & Romance Blu-ray Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov, October 13, 2009

Filmed on September 25th, 2008, at Humphrey's By The Bay in San Diego, Kenny G: An Evening of Rhythm & Romance feels very much like a giant masterclass, one where an incredibly gifted musician has been given the rare opportunity to impress those who have come to hear him play. The atmosphere at the show, however, is surprisingly relaxed – throughout the night, Kenny G talks about his band, his early years as a professional musician, even his brilliant breathing technique.

Amongst the highlights of the show are some of Kenny G's greatest hits: the laid-back "Songbird" (from the album Duotones), the uplifting "Silhouette" (from the album Silhouette), the romantic "Forever In Love" (from the album Breathless) as well as the soft Latin tune "Havana" (from the album The Moment). A few, however, appear with slightly different arrangements.

The climactic act is "What A Wonderful Wolrd", an improvised duet between Kenny G and Louis Armstrong. While the jazz icon is seen and heard singing – an old video is projected on a large screen – Kenny G delivers some lovely solos that give "What A Wonderful World" an entirely new vibe.

The rest of the show is comprised of diverse newer songs as well as prolonged solo sessions where the members of Kenny G's band –Vail Johnson (Bass), John Raymond (Guitar), Ron Powell (Percussions), Daniel Bejarno (Drums) and Robert Damper (Piano/Keyboards) show that they are just as good.

Longtime fans of Kenny G will undoubtedly be delighted with Kenny G: An Evening of Rhythm & Romance. Though in the booklet provided with this Blu-ray release the award-winning saxophonist is quoted saying "musically, this is nothing like I have ever done before", I must disagree; from start to finish, the show offers precisely the marquee sound many of us have come to associate with the Seattle-born musician.

Sax-o-loco

Tracklisting:

1. Home
2. Silhouette
3. Havana
4. Percussion Solo
5. G-Bop
6. You're Beautiful
7. Forever In Love
8. Rhythm & Romance
9. Sax-o-loco
10.Besame Mucho
11. What A Wonderful World
12. Pick Up The Pieces
13. Bass Solo
14. Cadenza
15. Songbird

Bonus Christmas Tracks:

16. Deck the Halls
17. 12 Days of Christmas
18. Dreaming of a White Christmas
19. Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Kenny G: An Evening of Rhythm & Romance Blu-ray, Video Quality

 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080i "live" transfer, Kenny G: An Evening of Rhythm & Romance arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Eagle Rock Entertainment.

I don't have any major reservations with the transfer. Contrast is very good, clarity consistently pleasing and detail excellent. Motion-judder is not an issue of concern. Harsh digital enhancements are nowhere to be seen either. Generally speaking, I also did not detect any issues to report with the multiple cameras that have been used to capture the show - there are no disturbing shadow effects or low-noise image limitations. When blown through a digital projector, the image also remains pleasingly stable. To sum it all up, Kenny G: An Evening of Rhythm & Romance looks as strong as just about every other title we have seen introduced by Eagle Rock Entertainment this year. (Note: This is a Region-Free disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

Kenny G: An Evening of Rhythm & Romance Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 

There are three audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and LPCM 2.0. I opted for the Music DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and later on did a few random comparisons with the other two tracks for the purpose of this review.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is pleasing. Kenny G's sax solos, even when he enters the audience, sound convincing. Balance, in particular, is handled quite well - there are certainly no dropouts that I detected. The band also sounds good (the different piano, bass and percussion solos are as impressive as Kenny G's own solos). Dynamically, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is undoubtedly the most impressive one on this Blu-ray disc. There is certainly more depth on it than there is on the Dolby Digital 5.1 anc LPCM 2.0 tracks. For the record, the audience noise is not an issue of concern with this release.

I did not detect any serious balance issues to report with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, so I would not recommend that you opt for the LPCM 2.0 track. On the contrary, it feels slightly more sterile, lacking the fluidity of the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. This is most obvious on the improvised duet Kenny G does with Louis Armstrong ("What A Wonderful Word").

The Dolby Digital 5.1 track does a relatively good job of coming close to the DTS-HD Master Audiu 5.1 track, but, once again, those of you who have invested in solid audio set-ups would quickly determine that it is indeed inferior. Frankly, I believe that the Dolby Digital 5.1 track would appeal only to those who still do not have the ability to enjoy loseless audio.

Kenny G: An Evening of Rhythm & Romance Blu-ray, Special Features and Extras

 

Introducing the Show - a very short introduction by Kenny G where he explains what music means to him. He also recalls the first time when he realized that he wants to be a professional musician (the same comments are included in the interview mentioned below). Not subtitled. (3 min, 1080i).

Interview - Kenny G talks about his fascination with the saxophone, his career and life in general. With optional English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch and Portuguese subtitles. (14 min, 1080i).

Rehearsal - random footage from an early morning rehearsal. Not subtitled. (6 min. 1080i).

Christmas Tracks rehearsals - "Deck the Halls" and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". (1080i).

Kenny G: An Evening of Rhythm & Romance Blu-ray, Overall Score and Recommendation

 

Kenny G has accomplished the type of commercial success most musicians can only dream about. He has sold millions of records around the world and nowadays his name is often associated with a number of different music genres. I have to admit, however, that I have not been able to discover the passion, depth and emotions other people have found in his music. Still, I recognize that he is an incredibly gifted and certainly very influential musician.

The Blu-ray disc herein reviewed, courtesy of Eagle Rock Entertainment, looks and sounds very good. It also contains an informative interview with the musician where he talks about his impressive career. Recommended.

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