Breathless (Kenny G album)

Breathless is the sixth studio album by American saxophonist Kenny G, released in 1992 on Arista Records. It reached number 1 on the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and number 2 on the Billboard 200 and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.[3] The track "Forever in Love" won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition at the 1994 ceremony[4] and reached #18 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite negative reviews from critics, the album was still certified Diamond for shipments of over 12 million copies in the US,[5] making it one of the top 100 best-selling albums in the United States.[6]

Breathless
Studio album by Kenny G
Released	October 20, 1992
Recorded	1992
Studio	Studio G (Seattle, Washington) The Hit Factory (New York, New York) The Plant Recording Studios (Sausalito, California) Ocean Way Recording Devonshire Studios (Los Angeles, California)
Genre	Smooth jazz
Length	69:57 (US version) 75:29 (International version)
Label	Arista
Producer	Kenny G Walter Afanasieff David Foster Dan Shea
Kenny G chronology
Montage (1990) Breathless (1992) Miracles: The Holiday Album (1994)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Entertainment Weekly	D[2]

Track listing

Note: On the international version, "Jasmine Flower" is track 14, omitting "Natural Ride".

All music is composed by Kenny G, unless otherwise indicated below.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Joy of Life"		4:23
2.	"Forever in Love"		5:01
3.	"In the Rain"		5:03
4.	"Sentimental"	Kenny G Walter Afanasieff	6:38
5.	"By the Time This Night Is Over" (with Peabo Bryson)	Michael Bolton Diane Warren Andy Goldmark	4:50
6.	"End of the Night"		5:25
7.	"Alone"		5:28
8.	"Morning"	Kenny G Afanasieff	5:17
9.	"Even if My Heart Would Break" (with Aaron Neville)	Franne Golde Adrian Gurvitz	5:01
10.	"G-Bop"	Dan Shea Kenny G Afanasieff	4:09
11.	"Sister Rose"	Kenny G Afanasieff	6:16
12.	"A Year Ago"		5:18
13.	"Homeland"		4:36
14.	"Natural Ride" (US track)	Kenny G Afanasieff	5:17
15.	"The Wedding Song" (International track)	Kenny G Afanasieff	3:25
16.	"Jasmine Flower" (Japan bonus track)	Traditional	4:40

Personnel

• Kenny G – arrangements, all other instruments (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 12, 13), soprano saxophone (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14), alto saxophone (3), drum programming (4, 8), tenor saxophone (6, 9, 12)
• Walter Afanasieff – keyboards (4, 5, 8–11), synth bass (4, 5, 8, 9), arrangements (5), drums (5, 11), rhythm programming (5), all other instruments (5), guitar intro and solo (7), Hammond B3 organ (9), acoustic piano (9, 14), percussion (9, 11), Synclavier (11), acoustic guitar (11), bass (11), cello (11)
• Gary Cirimelli – Macintosh programming (5, 9, 11), Synclavier programming (5, 9, 11)
• Ren Klyce – Akai AX60 programming (5, 9, 11), Synclavier programming (5, 9, 11)
• Dan Shea – keyboards (5, 10), programming (5), rhythm programming (10), synth bass (10)
• Randy Kerber – additional keyboards (9)
• Dean Parks – guitar (1–4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13)
• Michael Thompson – guitar (5, 9)
• Vail Johnson – bass guitar (6)
• John Robinson – drums (9)
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1–4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13)
• William Ross – string arrangements and conductor (8, 14)
• David Foster – arrangements (9)
• Peabo Bryson – lead vocals (5)
• Lynn Davis – backing vocals (5, 9, 11)
• Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (5, 11)
• Portia Griffin – backing vocals (5)
• Pat Hawk – backing vocals (5)
• Phillip Ingram – backing vocals (5, 9, 11)
• Vann Johnson – backing vocals (5)
• Rose Stone – backing vocals (5, 11)
• Fred White – backing vocals (5, 11)
• Jean McLean – backing vocals (9)
• Aaron Neville – lead vocals (9)
• Alex Brown – backing vocals (11)

Production

• Producers – Kenny G (tracks 1–4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14); Walter Afanasieff (tracks 5 & 9–11); David Foster (tracks 5 & 9).
• Engineers – Kevin Becka (tracks 1–4, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14); Dana Jon Chappelle (tracks 5 & 11); Humberto Gatica (track 9); Manny LaCarrubba (track 10).
• Assistant Engineers – Steve Shepherd (tracks 1–9, 12 & 14); Kevin Becka (tracks 5 & 9); Manny LaCarrubba (track 11).
• Additional Engineering – David Gleeson (track 5); Jeffrey Woodruff (track 5); Kevin Becka (tracks 5 & 9); Steve Shepherd (tracks 5 & 9); Dana Jon Chappelle (track 9); Manny LaCarrubba (track 9).
• Orchestra on tracks 8 & 14 engineered by John Richards, assisted by Eric Rudd.
• Mixing – Mick Guzauski (tracks 1–9, 11–14); Steve Shepherd (track 10).
• Design – Susan Mendola
• Photography – Matthew Rolston
• Liner Notes – Kenny G
• Management – The Turner Management Group, Inc.

Chart positions

Album Chart (1993) Peak position Australian ARIA Albums Chart 1 Dutch Albums Chart[7] 11 New Zealand Albums Chart[8] 1 UK Albums Chart[9] 4 US Billboard 200[10] 2 US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[10] 2 US Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums[10] 1

End of decade charts Chart (1990–1999) Position US Billboard 200[11] 15 All-time charts Chart Position US Billboard 200[12] 117

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[13]	3× Platinum	210,000^^
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[14]	Platinum	250,000^*
Canada (Music Canada)[15]	3× Platinum	300,000^^
Germany	—	25,000[16]
Ireland	—	80,000[17]
Japan (RIAJ)[18]	Gold	100,000^^
Korea	—	≈1,000,000[19]
New Zealand (RMNZ)[20]	Platinum	15,000^^
Singapore	—	160,000[21]
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[22]	2× Platinum	200,000^^
Taiwan	—	200,000[23]
United Kingdom (BPI)[24]	Gold	100,000^^
United States (RIAA)[25]	12× Platinum	12,000,000^^
Summaries
Asia Pacific	—	3,000,000[19]
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Singles

Information taken from this source.[26]

Year	Title	Chart Positions
		US Adult Contemporary	US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	US Hot 100	US Top 40 Mainstream	US Rhythmic Top 40
1992	"Forever in Love"/"Joy of Life"	1	73	18	18	33
1993	"By the Time This Night is Over"	1	37	25	29	—
1993	"Sentimental"	27	—	72	—	—
1994	"Even if My Heart Would Break"	28	—	—	—	—

Samples

See also

• List of best-selling albums in the United States

References

1. AllMusic review
2. "Breathless". EW.com.
3. Charts & Awards at AllMusic
4. Grammy Awards at AllMusic
5. "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
6. "Top 100 Albums". RIAA. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
7. https://dutchcharts.nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Kenny+G
8. https://charts.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Kenny+G
9. "KENNY G | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
10. "Kenny G Chart History". Billboard.
11. Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade - The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
12. "Greatest of All Time Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
13. "Aria Album Charts 1993". Aria Charts. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
14. "Brazilian album certifications – Kenny G – Breathless" (in Portuguese). Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
15. "Canadian album certifications – Kenny G – Breathless". Music Canada. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
16. Pride, Dominic. "Kenny G Conquers the World" (PDF). American Radio History (Billboard Archive). p. 41. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
17. "Ghana Protecting Copyrights". Billboard. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
18. "Japanese album certifications – Kenny G – Breathless" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 28 May 2019. Select 1993年5月 on the drop-down menu
19. McClure, Steve (14 September 2002). "Really Big in Japan". Billboard. p. 40. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
20. "New Zealand album certifications – Kenny G – Breathless". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
21. Cheah, Philip (20 May 1995). "Singapore". Billboard. p. A-24. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
22. Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 937. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
23. "Taipei Moment". Billboard. p. 45. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
24. "British album certifications – Kenny G – Breathless". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 May 2019. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Breathless in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
25. "American album certifications – Kenny G – Breathless". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 28 May 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
26. Billboard Singles at AllMusic