Kenny G: an eternal mystery

Many years ago in North London I visited a particular, slightly upmarket Chinese restaurant each week for takeaway. I noted, as I waited for my lemon chicken or three treasures, that they had one muzak soundtrack: the slightly queezy soprano sax tonings of Kenny G.

Thereafter, I noticed, that although Our Kenny was entirely forgotten to the city in general, he was endlessly popular with the Cantonese restaurants of Chinatown. (Kenny, with occasional blastings of Celine Dion).

Now I am living in Singapore (some 20 years after the North London takeaway era) and you cannot enter a cab or Chinese eaterie without being treated to.. yes.. Kenny G.

This tireless loyalty actually led me thinking that perhaps Kenny was, in fact, Asian. Kenny Goh, Kenny Gan? Actually, he's a Jewish geezer from Seattle.

What is the Chinese obsession with Kenny G?

Answers greatly appreciated!

Meanwhile I would guess Mr G is ever grateful to his Asian proprietor fans - Chinese restaurants across the world must have helped keep him comfortable for many years!

 

ps Recently I endured an entire meal in a Chinese-run Japanese restaurant to the loud accompaniment of Kenny's* sax doing instrumental renditions of Celine Dion tracks. ^^

*or an impersonator's