After being asked about his remarks, Metheny replied with a lengthy essay in which he was more forthright in his criticism of the saxophonist. Included in his essay was strong criticism of Kenny G's decision to perform an electronically created "duet" with Louis Armstrong on the classic "What A Wonderful World," a track that appeared on Kenny G's album Classics On The Key Of G. Calling an artist's practice of overdubbing him or herself over a song previously recorded by a now-deceased musician (a la Natalie Cole's duets with her father Nat "King" Cole) "musical necrophilia," Metheny minced no words: "When Kenny G decided that it was appropriate for him to defile the music of the man who is probably the greatest jazz musician that has ever lived by spewing his lame-ass, jive, pseudo bluesy, out-of-tune, noodling, wimped out, f***d up playing all over one of the great Louis's tracks (even one of his lesser ones), he did something that I would not have imagined possible. He, in one move, through his unbelievably pretentious and calloused [sic] musical decision to embark on this most cynical of musical paths, s--t all over the graves of all the musicians past and present who have risked their lives by going out there on the road for years and years developing their own music inspired by the standards of grace that Louis Armstrong brought to every single note he played over an amazing lifetime as a musician. By disrespecting Louis, his legacy and by default, everyone who has ever tried to do something positive with improvised music and what it can be, Kenny G has created a new low point in modern culture -- something that we all should be totally embarrassed about -- and afraid of. We ignore this, let it slide, at our own peril. . . there ARE some things that are sacred -- and amongst any musician that has ever attempted to address jazz at even the most basic of levels, Louis Armstrong and his music is hallowed ground. To ignore this trespass is to agree that NOTHING any musician has attempted to do with their life in music has any intrinsic value -- and I refuse to do that. (I am also amazed that there HASN'T already been an outcry against this among music critics -- where ARE they on this?????!?!?!?! -- magazines, etc.) Everything I said here is exactly the same as what I would say to Gorelick if I ever saw him in person. and if I ever DO see him anywhere, at any function -- he WILL get a piece of my mind and (maybe a guitar wrapped around his head.)"
Metheny also encouraged a boycott of Kenny G's recordings and concerts. The essay sparked much discussion and debate on Metheny's website message board, as well as on other boards and sites -- including Kenny G's message board -- around the Internet. Over the weekend, one fan posted a new question to Metheny, asking him how he felt about the response his comments received. "It is a little alarming to me to see that my little rant on this topic seems to have generated such a relatively huge response. It makes me feel that in this day and age, even within the 'jazz community,' controversy, especially PUBLIC controversy, has the chance to 'win' over musical substance, even in terms of what gets discussed -- people seem to absolutely love it. I have seen (and have never dug) at least one of my peers banking on this for a few years now with his public pronouncements and I have to admit that I underestimated the impact/interest that a negative public comment, even on an obscure corner of the Web, can manifest."
When LAUNCH called Kenny G's label, Arista Records, for a response to the controversy, we were told that there was no statement.
-- Lucy Tauss, New York
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