Kenny G: King of cool?

Ignoring it won't make it go away: Kenny G is one of the most popular punchlines of this musical era, joining the likes of Yanni and John Tesh. Who knows exactly why the G-man has become the mayor of Lameville? Leagues of musicians with less talent have fared better in critical circles.

Maybe it's because Kenny G plays the soprano sax, which is about as manly as a pink tutu. Or maybe it's because his recordings are used as a sedative, particularly as on-hold music or in elevators. It doesn't help that he looks like the stunt double for Sideshow Bob.

Don't think any of this is news to the Kenster.

When asked why he's a lightning rod for ridicule, he sighed, then philosophically compared his plight to that of Starbucks. "I was in Seattle when Starbucks came into being and was considered the ultimate in coffee," he said on the phone from Los Angeles, where he lives.

"Now that there are 10,000 Starbucks or however many, people say it's getting too commercial ... they've lost their edge, lost their instinct, lost their integrity. But it's still the same company, still the same good coffee. Anything that becomes popular is always subject to someone knocking it down."

It ain't easy being G. But the upside is that he can just wipe away his tears with wads of money. He's one of the top 25 best-selling artists in U.S. history. As of 2006, he had sold 48 million units in this country alone, putting him smack dab between Fleetwood Mac and Neil Diamond on the Recording Industry Association of America's best-sellers list.

Kenny G's first concert in Anchorage, slated for Monday in Atwood Concert Hall, sold out a few weeks ago. Love him or want him to choke on his reed, you can't deny that the maligned musician is a worldwide sensation.

Born Kenny Gorelick, the artist broke into the mainstream with 1986's "Songbird" and laid the blueprint for the smooth jazz radio format. Last year, he released his 12th No. 1 contemporary jazz album.

The songs for "I'm in the Mood for Love: The Most Romantic Melodies of All Time" were handpicked by Kenny and Arista Records legend Clive Davis. The disc is largely slow-dance standards done in Kenny's signature lazy-river style, frosted with a few arrangements of contemporary ballads, such as James Blunt's ubiquitous "You're Beautiful."

Unless he has his saxophone in hand, Kenny G said he doesn't really think of himself as a romantic. However, this chestnut begs to differ. When the G family was house shopping, his wife, Lyndie Benson, fell in love with one particular home. He pretended their offer wasn't accepted, when in fact he'd bought the place. One day while she was at the spa, he had everything moved to the new house.

"I told her we should go by and say goodbye, and then when we got there it was like 'Ta da! We got it, and here's all your clothes in the closet," he said.

Kenny, 50, is working on his next album, which he said will have a Latin flavor and contain wholly original work. He anticipates it will be released late this year or early 2008.

His other big project next year: He's going to try to beat his 1997 Guinness World Record for holding the longest musical note -- 45 minutes, 47 seconds. In layman's terms, Kenny G said the circular breath control technique is like a squirrel storing nuts in its cheeks, except he stores air. That air sustains a note while he takes quick breaths through his nose.

In a randy moment, Kenny G said the skill comes in handy in one other area of his life. "I always joke that I'll come out with an instructional DVD to sell to all the guys in the audience," he said, laughing.

Wow. OK. Moving on.

Golf. Golf is safe.

In 2006, Kenny G was named the best golfer among music makers by Golf Digest magazine. He was most pumped to beat Alice Cooper. "Alice and I are really good friends, and we have this friendly rivalry about music and golf, so just the fact that I beat him makes me feel great," he said.

Might there come a day where Kenny gets more respect in golf circles than music ones? After three decades, jazz purists and music critics still harp on Kenny, saying his commercial sound and lack of improvisation should exile him from the jazz world.

But Kenny said that "regular people" aren't caught up in labels. He said he understands why jazz traditionalists would not want his music to be in the same category. But he reminds his critics that Miles Davis was a Kenny G fan -- Davis even invited the saxophonist on tour as his opening act.

"If you're an artist, there's no reason for you to re-create the past when you have an instinct about the future," Kenny said. "Do what's in your heart. Doing something to satisfy critics makes zero sense to me. Be true to yourself, and let the people decide if they like it or not."

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Five reasons Kenny G is cooler than you

1. He's one of the 10 initial investors in Starbucks.

2. He golfs with Alice Cooper. The G-man is nearly a scratch golfer -- his handicap is plus-0.6.

3. He set a Guinness World Record for holding the longest musical note, timing in at 45 minutes, 47 seconds.

4. One of his first jobs was in Barry White's back-up band.

5. He has a Grammy.

You know it.

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If you go

Kenny G

When: 8 p.m. Monday

Where: Atwood Concert Hall

How much: Doesn’t matter, it’s sold out

Web: www.kennyg.com