A common thread in
Kenny G
's music is his ability to calm and soothe, so his decision to record an album of lullabies isn't quite a surprise; in a sense, he's always been moving in the direction that would lead him toward a cozy collection of instrumentals. So it is with
Innocence
, a 2023 album that finds the saxophonist balancing seven originals with his own interpretations of "Edelweiss," "Over the Rainbow," and other familiar family melodies. Working with an orchestra,
doesn't improvise much -- these tracks are short, most clocking around three minutes, with a few under that -- but surprise isn't the point of this set: this is built for comfort, not speed, and it delivers precisely what it promises. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine