An Evening With Kenny G

Kenny G plays The Midland Theatre on Thursday, November 19, 2026, at 7 PM. For most of us, the name is a shorthand for a very specific kind of sound—the smooth, melodic saxophone that defined adult contemporary radio for decades. If you grew up with that music in the background, this is a chance to hear it live in Kansas City.

Kenneth Gorelick, known to everyone as Kenny G, started out as a professional in 1976, playing with Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra and later working with Jeff Lorber Fusion. He signed to Arista and put out his first album as a leader in 1982. It was his fourth record, Duotones, that really broke him wide open—it included "Songbird," the track that made him a household name. From there, he became a staple of pop, R&B, and jazz charts throughout the '80s and '90s, with a sound that drew from Grover Washington, Jr.

Since then, the numbers have been huge. He's sold more than 75 million albums worldwide, and 1992's Breathless is still the best-selling instrumental record of all time. In 1994, Miracles became the number-one Christmas record of all time, and his song "Going Home" has become the unofficial end-of-the-work-day anthem in China. He also recorded a version of "My Heart Will Go On" in 1998, and the 2021 HBO documentary Listening to Kenny G followed him on the road.

It's a long career that's mostly lived on the radio, so seeing him in person is a different thing entirely. The show is at The Midland Theatre, 1228 Main St, Kansas City, MO, on Thursday, November 19, starting at 7 PM.