Don't Call Him Kenny G

Happy People\nKenny Garrett\nWarner Bros.\nIt shouldn't be surprising to hear that Kenny Garrett has won several readers' choice awards in publications such as Downbeat and Rolling Stone for his playing. Garrett's brilliant alto and soprano sax work always sounds fresh and grooves with tight arrangements and cool rhythmic ideas. Garrett plays with confidence, keeping a good balance of melodic hooks and unpredictable changes.\nHappy People features more than just Garrett's tasty soloing. Guests Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Michael "Patches" Stewart on trumpet and singer Jean Norris give each track they play on a distinctive flavor. Each player's style contrasts with Garrett's sound to color each piece. This is a great example of how changing instrumentation at the right times can make a disc sound so much sharper. Bass pro Marcus Miller produced this album and even plays on the opening track, "Song for DiFang." Miller's outstanding sense of rhythm and fat sound really make this track rock.\nGarrett's sound is great because it works well over a variety of jazz styles. "Song for DiFang" has some funk and subtle rock elements thanks to the rhythm section and "Monk-ing Around" borrows a few of ideas from Monk's chromatic chord changes. Ethnic jazz influences on "Asian Medley" and "Tango in 6" also work well showing just how compatible Garrett's style is. Randy Razz's clean guitar tones and smooth soloing on "Ain't Nothing But the Blues" sound slick and prove that Garrett is a composer with depth and a player who doesn't mind sharing the spotlight.\nGarrett's music is energetic and full of challenging solos and rhythmic interplay between the other band members. He's not the most original soloist and borrows a lot from the past, but he has definitely made some cool choices in who to borrow from and plays with conviction. This is a CD that delves into complex changes and melodies just enough to sound both interesting and accessible. He might not be John Coltrane, but Garrett has a strong and versatile sound that will definitely make him an important figure in the future of jazz saxophone.\n

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