It was after midnight but the crowd at Jazz Royale Festival at Sanam Sua Pa last week had long since lost track of the time. They had been spellbound over the course of a long evening of jazz, particularly by the saxophone magic of Kenny G.

With decades of experience playing his trademark velvety jazz, Kenny G had no problem keeping his listeners awake. He says it's all about finding the right tempo. Much to the crowd's delight, he found it for "Home", "Silhouette", "Havana" and "Songbird".

"You have to start off with a little bit more energy - can't be too soft for the first song," says Kenny, who performed in the last slot two evenings running at the festival. And he was still fresh for the press interview just 10 hours later.

He says his second song is typically a more relaxing and better known one. Then he'll decide if the audience is ready for a little bit more punch or if they just want to hold hands for one more song. "There can't be too many of the same kind of songs in a row," he says. He's never worried about selecting the right tune though - he has a repertoire of hundreds of songs to choose from.

Kenny Gorelick - aka Kenny G - has been a professional musician for more than three decades. Since his first appearance, playing with Barry White's Love Unlimited band in 1976, he's been in the limelight for his smooth way with jazz, selling over 75 million albums worldwide. But while millions around the globe sit back to his soothing notes, purists often grumble that his sound isn't authentic jazz.

Apart from his musical skills, Kenny has also been named a top golfer by Golf Digest. With a zero handicap and a recent invitation to play in a major tournament, he could turn pro if he wanted to.

But don't worry - he won't be setting aside his saxophone for a putter any time soon. Kenny reckons that it would take years and years of practise to become a real golf pro - though he first played as a youngster, he only took up  golf seriously five years ago.

And in his spare time, he prefers the company of golfers to musicians. He plays the game with his Korean golfer friend KJ Choi and other professionals. "It [hanging out with musicians] doesn't sound fun to me. There'll be too much talk about music. When I play golf, I wanna play golf. I don't wanna play for money. It's a game, let's go."

Kenny says he's just a normal person when he's without his saxophone. "Thank goodness," he says, "I don't think I could be that romantic."

 He might not play for money, but the sax man says that golf brings out his competitive streak. "When I'm not playing saxophone, I'm gonna win, win, win, win," he says, making a fist. "I'm mean out there."

After five years of golf and decades in the music business, Kenny has figured out one thing in common between the two activities: Talent can't be bought. To make it as a golfer or a saxophonist means dedication, concentration and endless practise. "You can't buy it or fake it. You can't pretend it. There's no team to make you look good."

Asked why people around the world love his music, he replies "because they know that it's from my heart - there's no tricks. They know it's real."

Sirinya Wattanasukchai

The Nation