Breathless (Kenny G album)
Breathless is the sixth studio album by American saxophonist Kenny G, released in October 20, 1992 on Arista Records. It reached number 1 on the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and number 2 on the Billboard 200 and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.[3] The track "Forever in Love" won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition at the 1994 ceremony[4] and reached #18 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite negative reviews from critics, the album was still certified Diamond for shipments of over 12 million copies in the US,[5] making it one of the top 100 best-selling albums in the United States.[6]
Breathless | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 20, 1992 | |||
Recorded | 1992 | |||
Studio | Studio G (Seattle, Washington) The Hit Factory (New York, New York) The Plant Recording Studios (Sausalito, California) Ocean Way Recording Devonshire Studios (Los Angeles, California) | |||
Genre | Smooth jazz | |||
Length | 69:57 (US version) 75:29 (International version) | |||
Label | Arista | |||
Producer | ||||
Kenny G chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Entertainment Weekly | D[2] |
Track listing
Note: On the international version, "Jasmine Flower" is track 14, omitting "Natural Ride".
All music is composed by Kenny G, unless otherwise indicated below.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Joy of Life" | 4:23 | |
2. | "Forever in Love" | 5:01 | |
3. | "In the Rain" | 5:03 | |
4. | "Sentimental" |
| 6:38 |
5. | "By the Time This Night Is Over" (with Peabo Bryson) |
| 4:50 |
6. | "End of the Night" | 5:25 | |
7. | "Alone" | 5:28 | |
8. | "Morning" |
| 5:17 |
9. | "Even if My Heart Would Break" (with Aaron Neville) | 5:01 | |
10. | "G-Bop" |
| 4:09 |
11. | "Sister Rose" |
| 6:16 |
12. | "A Year Ago" | 5:18 | |
13. | "Homeland" | 4:36 | |
14. | "Natural Ride" (US track) |
| 5:17 |
15. | "The Wedding Song" (International track) |
| 3:25 |
16. | "Jasmine Flower" (Japan bonus track) | Traditional | 4:40 |
Personnel
- Kenny G – arrangements, all other instruments (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 12, 13), soprano saxophone (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14), alto saxophone (3), drum programming (4, 8), tenor saxophone (6, 9, 12)
- Walter Afanasieff – keyboards (4, 5, 8–11), synth bass (4, 5, 8, 9), arrangements (5), drums (5, 11), rhythm programming (5), all other instruments (5), guitar intro and solo (7), Hammond B3 organ (9), acoustic piano (9, 14), percussion (9, 11), Synclavier (11), acoustic guitar (11), bass (11), cello (11)
- Gary Cirimelli – Macintosh programming (5, 9, 11), Synclavier programming (5, 9, 11)
- Ren Klyce – Akai AX60 programming (5, 9, 11), Synclavier programming (5, 9, 11)
- Dan Shea – keyboards (5, 10), programming (5), rhythm programming (10), synth bass (10)
- Randy Kerber – additional keyboards (9)
- Dean Parks – guitar (1–4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13)
- Michael Thompson – guitar (5, 9)
- Vail Johnson – bass guitar (6)
- John Robinson – drums (9)
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1–4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13)
- William Ross – string arrangements and conductor (8, 14)
- David Foster – arrangements (9)
- Peabo Bryson – lead vocals (5)
- Lynn Davis – backing vocals (5, 9, 11)
- Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (5, 11)
- Portia Griffin – backing vocals (5)
- Pat Hawk – backing vocals (5)
- Phillip Ingram – backing vocals (5, 9, 11)
- Vann Johnson – backing vocals (5)
- Rose Stone – backing vocals (5, 11)
- Fred White – backing vocals (5, 11)
- Jean McLean – backing vocals (9)
- Aaron Neville – lead vocals (9)
- Alex Brown – backing vocals (11)
Production
- Producers – Kenny G (tracks 1–4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14); Walter Afanasieff (tracks 5 & 9–11); David Foster (tracks 5 & 9).
- Engineers – Kevin Becka (tracks 1–4, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14); Dana Jon Chappelle (tracks 5 & 11); Humberto Gatica (track 9); Manny LaCarrubba (track 10).
- Assistant Engineers – Steve Shepherd (tracks 1–9, 12 & 14); Kevin Becka (tracks 5 & 9); Manny LaCarrubba (track 11).
- Additional Engineering – David Gleeson (track 5); Jeffrey Woodruff (track 5); Kevin Becka (tracks 5 & 9); Steve Shepherd (tracks 5 & 9); Dana Jon Chappelle (track 9); Manny LaCarrubba (track 9).
- Orchestra on tracks 8 & 14 engineered by John Richards, assisted by Eric Rudd.
- Mixing – Mick Guzauski (tracks 1–9, 11–14); Steve Shepherd (track 10).
- Design – Susan Mendola
- Photography – Matthew Rolston
- Liner Notes – Kenny G
- Management – The Turner Management Group, Inc.
Chart positions
Album
|
End of decade charts
All-time charts
|
Certifications and sales
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[13] | 3× Platinum | 210,000^ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[14] | Platinum | 250,000* |
Canada (Music Canada)[15] | 3× Platinum | 300,000^ |
Germany | — | 25,000[16] |
Ireland | — | 80,000[17] |
Japan (RIAJ)[18] | Gold | 100,000^ |
Korea | — | ≈1,000,000[19] |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[20] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
Singapore | — | 160,000[21] |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[22] | 2× Platinum | 200,000^ |
Taiwan | — | 200,000[23] |
United Kingdom (BPI)[24] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[25] | 12× Platinum | 12,000,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Asia Pacific | — | 3,000,000[19] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Singles
Information taken from this source.[26]
Year | Title | Chart Positions | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US Adult Contemporary | US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | US Hot 100 | US Top 40 Mainstream | US Rhythmic Top 40 | ||
1992 | "Forever in Love"/"Joy of Life" | 1 | 73 | 18 | 18 | 33 |
1993 | "By the Time This Night is Over" | 1 | 37 | 25 | 29 | — |
1993 | "Sentimental" | 27 | — | 72 | — | — |
1994 | "Even if My Heart Would Break" | 28 | — | — | — | — |
References
- AllMusic review
- "Breathless". EW.com.
- Charts & Awards at AllMusic
- Grammy Awards at AllMusic
- "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
- "Top 100 Albums". RIAA. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
- https://dutchcharts.nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Kenny+G
- https://charts.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Kenny+G
- "KENNY G | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
- "Kenny G Chart History". Billboard.
- Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade - The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- "Greatest of All Time Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- "Aria Album Charts 1993". Aria Charts. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- "Brazilian album certifications – Kenny G – Breathless" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- "Canadian album certifications – Kenny G – Breathless". Music Canada. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- Pride, Dominic. "Kenny G Conquers the World" (PDF). American Radio History (Billboard Archive). p. 41. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- "Ghana Protecting Copyrights". Billboard. 4 February 1995. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
- "Japanese album certifications – Kenny G – Breathless" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 28 May 2019. Select 1993年5月 on the drop-down menu
- McClure, Steve (14 September 2002). "Really Big in Japan". Billboard. p. 40. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- "New Zealand album certifications – Kenny G – Breathless". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
- Cheah, Philip (20 May 1995). "Singapore". Billboard. p. A-24. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 937. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- "Taipei Moment". Billboard. 26 July 1997. p. 45. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- "British album certifications – Kenny G – Breathless". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 May 2019. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Breathless in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- "American album certifications – Kenny G – Breathless". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 28 May 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.
- Billboard Singles at AllMusic