After The Gorge, Will Kenny G Get To Play The White House?

Things are going well for saxophonist Kenny G.

He recently married actress Lyndie Benson and bought a waterfront home in the bucks-o'-plenty neighborhood of Hunt's Point. Bill Clinton named him his favorite musical act before a nationwide television audience. He was nominated for a Grammy for best pop instrumental ("Theme From Dying Young," from the movie "Dying Young"). He has a new album in the works and will perform tomorrow evening at the Champs de Brionne Winery in George.

G - for Gorelick - and his brand of decaffeinated pop-jazz have been perennial favorites among the easy-listening set even before his 1987 breakthrough hit, "Songbird," from the album "Duotones." The follow-up album, "Silhouette," also hit the Top 10, fueled by the future available-only-by-TV-compilations classic "Don't Make Me Wait For Love This Time."

Gorelick has been working on his new album for the past year and a half. As with his previous work, he plays most of the instruments. A few songs feature the accompaniment of a symphony orchestra, arranged by Gorelick acquaintance Bill Ross. Peabo Bryson makes a guest appearance on vocals.

"I want it to be fresh and new and different, but still me," he said by phone from Oakland. "It's a lot of agony as well. You have to look at yourself and stretch your creativity and not just throw some product out there." He said the difference would come in arrangements, sounds and techniques.

Gorelick and his band are embarked upon a six-week tour, spending half that time performing 20 dates around the country and the other half visiting South America's largest cities. While the tour isn't in support of a new album, Gorelick said that's not necessary. "My particular audience has never been one that needs a new record and a hit song to come out and hear," he said. "It doesn't even matter what we play - we have a certain style. We've been able to do that for the past 10 years."

He called the Gorge the most beautiful venue he's played, adding, "I like my life and career to be like this, rather than follow a set of rules" about the recording-touring cycle.

And how does it feel to be the fave of perhaps the future president of the United States?

"Very flattering," Gorelick said. He said that he and Clinton jammed together when both were in Los Angeles a little while ago. Gorelick expected to just jam, but Clinton pulled out the sheet music from "Songbird" and took it from there. Conversely, Gorelick "picked (Clinton's) brains" for political perspective. "I like him; I think he's sincere," Gorelick said. "It's not often that people get to meet the candidate and talk to him alone for 20 minutes."