dB Film Fest: Listening to Kenny G
Schedule
Thu Oct 28 2021 at 07:00 pm
Location
Roxie Theater | San Francisco, CA
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CO-OPENING NIGHT FILMAward winning filmmaker Penny Lane takes a witty and provocative look at the easy-listening saxophonist’s story while asking: what makes music good or bad?
Is there any musician more polarizing than Kenny G? The curly-haired saxophone player spawned the category of smooth jazz with international hits such as “Songbird” and “Silhouette.” But he also came to symbolize the easy-listening music played in malls and elevators that detractors love to hate.
Listening to Kenny G reconciles the man with the meme, charting the rise of Kenny G to explore his boom and backlash. Lane interviews jazz critics, academics, and DJs for their takes on Kenny G. It’s “wallpaper music,” says one commentator. “I just want to believe that I’m better than that.” For some critics, Kenny G represents a means to discuss how Black musicians had their work appropriated by white performers. Lane contrasts the haters with Kenny G admirers who cherish his music as the soundtrack to their lives.
“I don’t think I’m a personality to people,” says Kenny G. “I think I’m a sound.” He’s well aware of the jokes at his expense, but he retains a naiveté that makes for a fascinating character study. This documentary isn’t only about Kenny G. It’s also about you as a listener."
Director Penny Lane is an SF DocFest alumni and Non-Fiction Vanguard Award recipient (The Pain of Others - 2018).
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Where is it happening?
Roxie Theater, 3117 16th St, San Francisco, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays: