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Personnel: Kenny G (vocals, flute, saxophone, synthesizer, percussion); Barry Johnson (vocals); Steve Horton, Marlon McClain, Ira Seigal (guitar); Kashif (keyboards, Synclavier, synthesizer, bass, percussion); Jeff Lorber, Barry Eastman, Paul Lawrence Jones III (keyboards); Peter Scherer (Synclavier); Wayne Braithwaite (synthesizer, bass, percussion); Omar Hakim, Leslie Ming, Yogi Horton (drums); Bashiri Johnson, Steve Kroon (percussion); Lillo Thomas, B.J. Nelson, Steve Horton, La La, Yolanda Lee, Freddie Jackson, Jan And Angie background vocals). Recorded at Celestial Sounds Studios, New York, New York. Kenny G's work can be divided into three main categories: first, his improvisatory fusion efforts as a Jeff Lorber sideman in the late '70s; second, his R&B-oriented albums of 1982-1985; and third, the elevator Muzak he has specialized in since 1986. Falling into the second category, G Force is a fairly decent urban contemporary release that clearly benefits from the input of Kashif (who serves as executive producer). Kashif was hot at the time, and the R&B singer/producer/songwriter had been burning up the charts with hits by Evelyn "Champagne" King, George Benson, Howard Johnson and himself. Kashif's stamp is all over this sleek album; you can hear it on both the tunes with R&B vocals ("Hi, How Ya Doin'" and "Do Me Right") and groove-oriented instrumentals like "I've Been Missin' You" and "I Wanna Be Yours." G Force, Kenny G's second album, is a long way from the adventurous fusion Kenny G had recorded with Lorber, and the sax solos he was taking in 1983 were hardly breathtaking. But thanks to Kashif's participation, G Force is an enjoyable, R&B-oriented date and is probably the best album he did as a leader (which isn't saying a lot, considering how boring most of his subsequent projects would be). ~ Alex Henderson
