Brazilian Nights

天王柔情回归，等待5年最新个人专辑 热恋萨克斯风，重返抒情曲风，热恋巴西夜～情迷波萨诺瓦 当代抒情萨克斯风天王、全球专辑销量逾七千五百万张纪录保持人Kenny G生涯首张Bossa Nova钜作 融合温柔动人原创歌曲与閒适优雅经典再造，加值收录4首个人生涯经典全新现场演绎版本. 自1987年以一曲婉转悦耳的“Songbird”一举进驻全美排行榜并红遍全球，迄今于流行爵士乐坛缔造累计销售逾七千五百万张难以企及的傲人成绩，并且坐拥13张全美流行爵士冠军专辑以及24首抒情榜前40名畅销单曲，同时也多次荣获格莱美奖、全美音乐奖、灵魂列车奖与世界音乐奖等大奖肯定，这位如今早已是家喻户晓的萨克斯风天王Kenny G，依然不受自我侷限始终积极探索将不同风格元素融入本身创作的无限可能，致力于带给深爱他的全球乐迷焕然一新的听觉飨宴，等待5年最新个人作品【Bossa Nova】将其灵感触角延伸至巴西，谱写出其生涯首张全Bossa Nova风格的全新个人专辑。 源自巴西的Bossa Nova曲风由于具备繁複的和弦变化、层次丰富的和声以及轻快柔和的旋律等特性，在萨克斯风名家史坦‧盖兹、吉他手查理‧博德等人的引进和推广之下于60年代掀起全球性的广大风潮，时至今日人气始终不衰，成为南美洲最具代表性的音乐风格；而深具疗癒都会心灵效果的Smooth爵士则是后续崛起最受听众欢迎的当代音乐类型之一，其讲求流畅优美的动听旋律线与轻鬆舒缓的写意节拍，正是擅长运用各式萨克斯风音色深入抚慰人心的肯尼吉最拿手的绝艺，而这些特点恰巧也和Bossa Nova的基本调性不谋而合。 “Bossa Nova在我的生命裡一直佔有一席之地，”曾经花费一年半时间深入研习该曲风作曲理论的Kenny G分享创作此张专辑时的心路历程：“过去5年来除了不断地让自己沉浸在相关的经典作品中，我也不停思索如何在向加农砲‧艾德利、保罗‧戴斯蒙等大师致敬的同时，写出属于我自己的Bossa Nova之歌，而今成果终于出炉，我想应该可以很自豪地说，我们做的真的还不错！” 开场曲“Bossa Antigua”原本是酷派爵士萨克斯风代表保罗‧戴斯蒙杰作，以和缓的吉他与轻柔的节奏做为前导，Kenny G纯淨无瑕的音色奏出悠扬优美的旋律，听来心旷神怡，音符间尽是阳光煦煦的加勒比海风情，令人为之嚮往。 耳熟能详的裘宾名曲“Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars) ”在一段柔情似水的钢琴独奏后优雅开展，肯尼吉轻盈而稳健地引领旋律行进，逐步将乐曲带往高潮，精湛的乐句与钢琴共同交织出如梦似幻的繁星夜空景象，静谧之中悄然流洩盎然生机。 “Bossa Real”为Kenny G的全新创作，初次登场就是长达7分半钟的大作，熟悉的吉他主节奏与衬底的柔美弦乐形塑出原汁原味的Bossa Nova氛围，不同的是洋溢现代感的萨克斯风旋律，丰盈饱满的恬美音色为心灵灌注巨大能量，中后段则留给钢琴大量即兴挥洒空间，最后由意境悠远的萨克斯风作结，平添无穷馀韵。 同为原创曲的标题作品“Brazilian Nights”起始充满著电影感的抒情弦乐与如诗般的钢琴弹奏轻易便能直入人心深处，Kenny G听来舒缓平和的萨克斯风吹奏中却泛溢著莫名的哀愁与惆怅，在深夜无人时分悄悄勾起那些早已被遗忘的曾经轻狂。 “April Rain”如同雨点般的轻快节拍揭开序幕，伴随著连绵不绝的萨克斯风诱人心醉神驰，恍如置身四月春雨中的恣意欢畅，即令细微水珠湿遍全身也要尽情地歌唱曼舞，无需在乎他人目光，因为生命很快就要和雨后的彩虹一同重新开展。 “Menina Moca”是一首向心仪女孩倾诉爱慕的舞曲，肯尼吉用媲美史坦‧盖兹盈妙流畅的乐声传达柔情款语，活泼灵动的空心吉他俨然是另外一位要角，与萨克斯风之间彷彿双人对舞亦步亦趋亲密跟随，趣味十足同时又叫人过耳难忘。 “Bu Bossa”可别被一开始缓慢沉静的吉他独奏给矇蔽了，紧接著畅快摇摆的钢琴和萨克斯风摆明了就是要你动起来，肯尼吉用珠圆玉润般的绝美音色吹奏和谐音韵，绵密鬆软的节拍被包覆在温暖柔和的整体氛围中，让人得以閒适自在地轻舞足蹈，完美显现Bossa Nova最迷人的魅力所在。 “Clouds”Kenny G的萨克斯风比起大师加农砲‧艾德利的著名版本多带了一种云淡风轻的豁达，搭配雅緻而细腻的钢琴音符，在轻鬆和缓的节奏下翩然演绎浮云的千变万化，彷彿徜徉在无边无际的辽阔大地之上，别有一番陶然自得滋味。 堪称Bossa Nova国歌的“Girl From Ipanema”用慵懒呢喃的萨克斯风低迴刻划出明亮动人的热带沙滩景致，迷濛深沉的弦乐则将它烘托得愈发充满诱惑魅力，重现原曲中来自伊帕尼玛的年轻美女那曼妙婀娜的身段，予人无限遐思，久久难以忘怀，也为这首早已翻唱无数的甜美歌谣再添新经典。 “Summer Love”延续著前一首的夏日风情，沁凉入心的吉他拨弹之后随即接入明朗而爽快的萨克斯风，徐徐倾吐最真挚恳切的爱恋絮语，醇醉动人的诠释发散无比芬芳，也为廿一世纪的Bossa Nova全新创作写下完美注解。 【加值版】额外收录的4首歌为Kenny G生涯经典的现场录音，包括婉转悱恻的抒情佳构Loving You、融合放克节拍热闹活力四射的G Bop，以及1994年格莱美奖最佳演奏曲&全美抒情榜冠军金曲Forever In Love，再加上2010年格莱美提名之【今生惟一】同名单曲Heart And Soul，在意境悠远的诠释中带领乐迷远离尘嚣，重拾丰足满盈的心灵能量，完美程度更胜录音室版本，且听观众如雷般的喝采与掌声正是独树一帜的肯式风格无限魅力又一明证！ Kenny G has had one of the most eclectic and dominant careers the music business has ever seen. He’s maintained a high level of creative excellence through decades of unprecedented commercial success by never allowing himself to stay in one place too long. That reputation for musical curiosity stays well intact on his fourteenth studio album Brazilian Nights, set for release on January 27th, 2015 via Concord Records. Pre-order the album here. “I’ve been in love with bossa nova my whole life,” says the saxophonist in the album’s liner notes. “I think the first song that ‘won me over’ was Cannonball Adderley’s version of “Quiet Nights.” And more recently I’ve been listening (non-stop!) to Stan Getz’s album called Getz For Lovers. I think I've listened to that record almost every day for the past 5 years and it really was the inspiration in making this album. My goal was not only to make a bossa nova album that pays tribute to the “Masters” who I’ve been listening to (Cannonball Adderley, Paul Desmond and Stan Getz) but also to write and record original bossa novas that I hope can ‘hold their own’ in this distinguished company. I humbly say that I feel we’ve succeeded.” Starting with melodious sounds of “Bossa Antigua,” the ten-song set is a mixture of classics and Kenny G originals. Writing five of the ten tracks with longtime collaborator (and co-producer) Walter Afanasieff, the veteran performer plays alto, tenor and soprano sax and dazzles on such cuts as “Bossa Real, ”the gently pulsating “April Rain,” and the relaxed yet dramatic flair of the title cut. He admits that he took his time making Brazilian Nights, as he wanted to immerse himself into the light and melodic sounds of music from across the globe. “I spent a year and a half studying and embracing the style of the bossa novas from decades ago. I had fun and learned a lot during my "wonderful labor of love” and I truly hope you get the same pleasure from this album that I have experienced when I sit down after a long day and put on my “bossa nova” sounds. Words can’t describe that feeling but hopefully the melodies that I’ve played here will.” Melodies and music have long been a signature part of Kenny G’s life. Since releasing his self-titled debut disc in the fall of 1982, Kenny G has become the biggest selling instrumental musicians of the modern era and one of the best selling artists of all-time with global sales totaling more than 75 million records. His biggest album was 1992’s Breathless, which sold a staggering twelve million copies in the United States alone. In addition, his 1994 Christmas disc Miracles: The Holiday Album ranks as one of the most successful Yuletide albums ever, with sales of over eight million copies. Seven of his singles have hit the Top-40 on the Billboard Hot 100. He has also been ranked as one of the most-played artists in the Adult Contemporary format with nine top ten singles. His biggest hit came with 1987’s “Songbird,” which peaked at #4 on the Hot 100. Kenny G continues to play to sold out houses both here and abroad, with dates on his calendar already filled through mid-2015.