Kenny G - Kenny G

Kenneth Bruce Gorelick came on to the American adult contemporary and smooth jazz scene in the early 1980's under his stage name of Kenny G. In the early 1970’s, while still in high school, he worked with Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra.

On August 1st of 1982, he released his first album. The self-titled Kenny G went to number 10 on the US Jazz charts and eventually went Gold. Today we will look at this record as part of its thirtieth anniversary celebration.

Donald Fagen - the Nightfly

This week (October 29th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of The Nightfly, the first solo album from Steely Dan founder Donald Fagen. This 1982 record went Platinum in both the US and the UK. Chart-wise, it peaked at number 44 in the UK, number 16 in the Netherlands, number 9 in New Zealand, number 8 in Sweden, number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 200 and number 24 on the Billboard R&B charts.

Larry Elgart & His Manhattan Swing Orchestra - Hooked On Swing

American born jazz bandleader Larry Elgart, also an alto saxophone player, formed his first professional ensemble in the mid-1940’s and made his first recorded album in 1953.

In June of 1982, thirty years ago this month, Elgart and his Manhattan Swing Orchestra released Hooked On Swing, which combined the style of music he had playing for decades with the recently popular medley-style of dance music made popular by such acts as Stars On 45. The album went to number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 200.

Steely Dan - Aja

Welcome to another edition of Seventies Sunday.

In September of 1977, the American rock band Steely Dan released their sixth studio album entitled Aja. Considered by many as one of their best releases, the record went multi-Platinum in sales and scored them some of their highest chart ratings world-wide; it went to number 35 in Sweden, number 10 in Norway, number 9 in Australia and the Netherlands, number 5 in the UK, and number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 200 chart.