David Sanborn
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David Sanborn | |
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David William Sanborn (July 30, 1945 – May 12, 2024) was an American
Sanborn was one of the most commercially successful American saxophonists to earn prominence since the 1980s. He was described by critic Scott Yanow[5] as "the most influential saxophonist on pop, R&B and crossover players of the past 20 years." He became identified with radio-friendly smooth jazz, although he disliked the term and said he was not a jazz musician.[6][1]
Early life
Sanborn was born in 1945 in
While confined to bed, he was inspired by the "raw rock 'n' roll energy" of music he heard on the radio, particularly saxophone breaks in songs such as Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame" and Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti".[11] He loved the sound of the saxophone, and at the age of eleven[12] was happy to change to saxophone from piano lessons when doctors recommended that he take up a wind instrument to improve his breathing and strengthen his chest muscles.[13] By the age of 14 he was a good enough saxophonist to play with blues musicians in local clubs. Alto saxophonist Hank Crawford, at the time a member of Ray Charles's band, was an early and lasting influence.[14]
Sanborn attended college at
Career
Sanborn performed with blues musicians
In 1972, Sanborn played on the track "Tuesday Heartbreak" on the Stevie Wonder album Talking Book. In 1975 he worked with David Bowie on Young Americans and on the James Taylor recording of "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" on the album Gorilla.
In the mid-1970s, Sanborn became active in the popular jazz fusion scene by joining the Brecker Brothers band, where he became influenced by Michael Brecker. With the Brecker brothers he recorded his first solo album, Taking Off, which became a jazz/funk classic.
In 1985, Sanborn and Al Jarreau played two sold-out concerts at Chastain Park in Atlanta.[15]
Although Sanborn was most associated with smooth jazz, he studied free jazz in his youth with saxophonists Roscoe Mitchell and Julius Hemphill. In 1993, he revisited this genre when he appeared on Tim Berne's Diminutive Mysteries, dedicated to Hemphill. Sanborn's album Another Hand which featured avant-garde musicians.
He found life on the road increasingly difficult but continued to tour. In 2017, despite plans to reduce his workload to no more than 150 gigs a year, he embarked on a tour that included Istanbul and Nairobi.[16]
Recordings
Sanborn was a highly regarded session player from the late 1960s onwards, and played with an array of well-known artists such as
Many of his solo recordings were collaborations with bassist/multi-instrumentalist/composer and producer Marcus Miller, whom he met in the Saturday Night Live band in the late 1970s.
Sanborn performed with Eric Clapton on film soundtracks such as Lethal Weapon (and its sequels) and Scrooged.
In 1991, Sanborn recorded Another Hand, which the All Music Guide to Jazz described as a "return by Sanborn to his real, true love: unadorned (or only partly adorned) jazz" that "balanced the scales" against his smooth jazz material.[17] The album, produced by Hal Willner, featured musicians from outside the smooth jazz scene, such as Terry Adams, Charlie Haden, Jack DeJohnette, Bill Frisell, and Marc Ribot.
In 1994, Sanborn appeared in
In 2006, he featured in
In 2010, Sanborn toured with a trio featuring jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco and Steve Gadd. They played the combination of blues and jazz from his album Only Everything. In 2011, Sanborn toured with keyboardist George Duke and bassist Marcus Miller as the group DMS. In 2013, Sanborn toured with keyboardist Brian Culbertson on "The Dream Tour" celebrating the 25th anniversary of the song "The Dream".
Besides playing alto saxophone as his main instrument, Sanborn also played baritone, soprano and sopranino saxophones; saxello; flute; and keyboards/piano on some recordings.[19][20][21][22]
Broadcasting
Sanborn performed and hosted radio, television, and web programs. He was a member of the Saturday Night Live Band in 1980. From the late 1980s he was a regular guest member of Paul Shaffer's band on Late Night with David Letterman. He also appeared a few times on the Late Show with David Letterman in the 1990s.
From 1988 to 1989, he co-hosted
During the 1980s and 1990s, Sanborn hosted a syndicated radio program, The Jazz Show with David Sanborn.[14]
Sanborn recorded many shows' theme songs, as well as several other songs for
In 2021, as the coronavirus pandemic paused live music performances in public venues, Sanborn hosted a series of master classes on Zoom and also virtual productions of "Sanborn Sessions" with artists such as Marcus Miller, Christian McBride, Sting, Michael McDonald, which involved live performances and interviews from his home in Westchester, New York.[23]
Equipment
Sanborn played a Selmer Mark VI alto saxophone.[24] In the early 1980s he was endorsed by Yamaha and played their saxophones on the albums As We Speak and Backstreet. He can be seen playing a Yamaha saxophone at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1981.
According to an April 1988 interview in the jazz magazine DownBeat, he had a preference for Selmer Mark VI alto saxophones in the 140,000-150,000 serial number range, all produced in 1967. From the late 1970s, Sanborn played mouthpieces created by Bobby Dukoff. He later played a mouthpiece designed by Aaron Drake.
Personal life and death
Sanborn was married to his fourth wife, French-born Alice Soyer Sanborn, a pianist, vocalist, and composer. His first three marriages ended in divorce.[10] He had one son, Jonathan, a bass player,[10] and two granddaughters.[25]
Sanborn died of complications from prostate cancer in Tarrytown, New York, on May 12, 2024, at the age of 78.[26] He had been diagnosed with the disease in 2018.[27]
Awards and honors
Sanborn won six Grammy Awards and had eight gold albums and one platinum album.[28]
Sanborn won Grammy Awards for Voyeur (1981), Double Vision (1986), and the instrumental album Close Up (1988).
In 2004, Sanborn was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame.[29]
-
Union Square, San Francisco (2003).
-
Riviera Maya Jazz Festival (2008).
-
North Sea Jazz Festival (2015).
Discography
As leader
- Taking Off (Warner Bros., 1975)
- David Sanborn (Warner Bros., 1976)
- Promise Me the Moon (Warner Bros., 1977)
- Heart to Heart (Warner Bros., 1978)
- Hideaway (Warner Bros., 1979 [1980]) – No. 2 jazz hit; #33 R&B hit[9]
- Voyeur (Warner Bros., 1981) – No. 1 jazz hit[9]
- As We Speak (Warner Bros., 1982) – No. 1 jazz hit[9]
- Backstreet (Warner Bros., 1983) – No. 1 jazz hit[9]
- Straight to the Heart (Warner Bros., 1984) – live; No. 1 jazz hit[9]
- Double Vision with Bob James (Warner Bros., 1986) – No. 1 jazz hit; No. 16 R&B hit
- A Change of Heart (Warner Bros., 1987)
- Close-Up (Reprise, 1988)
- Another Hand (Elektra Musician, 1991)
- Upfront (Elektra, 1992)
- Hearsay (Elektra, 1994)
- Pearls (Elektra, 1995)
- Songs from the Night Before (Elektra, 1996)
- Inside (Elektra, 1999)
- Time Again (Verve, 2003)
- Closer (Verve, 2005)
- Here and Gone (Decca, 2008)
- Only Everything (Decca, 2010)
- Quartette Humaine with Bob James (Okeh, 2013)
- Time and the River (Okeh, 2015)[30]
- This Masquerade (Warner, 2018)
Compilations
- The Best of David Sanborn (Warner Bros., 1994)[31]
- Love Songs (Warner Bros., 1995)
- Dreaming Girl (WEA, 2008)
- Then Again: The Anthology (Rhino, 2012) [2-CD][32]
- Anything You Want (Cherry Red, 2020) [3-CD]
As guest
- Arif Mardin, All My Friends Are Here (NuNoise, 2010) – on "So Blue"[33]
- Anders Wihk, Same Tree Different Fruit – on ”Thank You For The Music” (Capitol Music Group AB, 2012)
As sideman
With George Benson
With James Brown With the Brecker Brothers
With Randy Brecker With Paul Butterfield
With Ron Carter
With Gil Evans
With Maynard Ferguson
With Michael Franks
With Bob James
With Al Jarreau
With Steve Khan
With Lisa Lauren
With Pure Prairie League
With Kenny Loggins
With Carly Simon
With Mike Stern
With James Taylor
With John Tropea
|
With others
|
Video
- Love and Happiness (1986)
- The Super Session (1997) - David Sanborn & Friends
- The Super Session II (1998) - David Sanborn & Friends
- Legends: Live at Montreux 1997 (2005)
- The Legends of Jazz: Showcase (2006)
- Live at Montreux 1984 (2009)
Filmography
Actor/Host
- The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True (1995)
Cast member in the TV stage musical - Scrooged (1988)
Played a street musician - Sunday Night (1988)
Was the host of this music show - Magnum P.I.(1986)
Was guest saxophonist in the episode L.A. - Stelle Sulla Citta (1983)[39]
Himself
- Saturday Night Live (March 15, 1980)[39]
- One Trick Pony (1980)
- Late Night with David Letterman / Late Show with David Letterman (occasionally, 1986–2010)
- The 1st Annual Soul Train Music Awards (1987)
- The 2nd Annual Soul Train Music Awards (1988)
- Benny Carter: Symphony in Riffs (1989)
- Michael Kamen: Concerto for Saxophone (1991)
- Celebration: The Music of Pete Townshend and The Who (1994)
- Forget Paris (1995)
- Burt Bacharach: One Amazing Night (1995)
- The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (1996)
- Eric Clapton & Friends in Concert (1999)
Composer
- Moment to Moment (1975)
- Stelle Sulla Citta (1983)
- Finnegan Begin Again (1985)
- Psycho III (1986)
- Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
- Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)
- Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)[39]
Musician
- Saturday Night Live (1975)
- Murphy's Romance (1985)
- Psycho III (1986)
- Lethal Weapon (1987)
- Tequila Sunrise (1988)
- Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
- Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)
- Forget Paris (1995)[39]
- Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)
Videography
- Sanborn Sessions, official Youtube channel.
References
- ^ ISBN 0-14-051368-X.
- ^ a b c "Biography". Official Community of David Sanborn. Archived from the original on May 17, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2008.
- ^ "Rolling Stone: David Sanborn, Jazz Saxophonist Who Played on David Bowie's 'Young Americans,' Dead at 78". May 13, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
- ^ "David Sanborn obituary The Guardian". May 14, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
- ^ Yanow, Scott. "David Sanborn – Biography Archived April 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine" from Allmusic.com. Retrieved May 21, 2011
- ^ The Times Register: Obituary David Sanborn, 29 May 2024
- ^ The Times Register: Obituary David Sanborn, 29 May 2024
- ^ The Times Register: Obituary David Sanborn, 29 May 2024
- ^ a b c d e f g Himes, Geoffrey (November 2008). "David Sanborn: The Blues and the Abstract Truth". Jazztimes.com. Archived from the original on October 23, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e The Times Register: Obituary David Sanborn, 29 May 2024
- ^ The Times Register: Obituary David Sanborn, 29 May 2024
- ^ "David Sanborn obituary The Guardian". May 14, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
- ^ The Times Register: Obituary David Sanborn, 29 May 2024
- ^ a b c Balfany, Greg (January–February 1989). "David Sanborn". Saxophone Journal. Vol. 13, no. 4. pp. 28–31.
- ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ "David Sanborn, Saxophonist Who Defied Pigeonholing, Dies at 78". May 13, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
- ISBN 0-87930-308-5.
- ^ "David Sanborn & Blue Note Tokyo All-Star Jazz Orchestra directed by Eric Miyashiro". Blue Note Tokyo. Blue Note Japan Inc. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
- ^ "David Live – David Bowie | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
- ^ "David Sanborn – as We Speak Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
- ^ "Upfront – David Sanborn | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
- ^ "Voyeur – David Sanborn | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
- ^ Post-Dispatch, Daniel Durchholz | Special to the (March 18, 2022). "St. Louis upbringing inspired saxophonist David Sanborn's music career". STLtoday.com. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
- from the original on April 4, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
- ^ Grow, Kory (May 13, 2024). "David Sanborn, Jazz Saxophonist Who Played on David Bowie's 'Young Americans,' Dead at 78". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ France, Lisa (May 13, 2024). "David Sanborn, Grammy award-winning saxophonist, dead at 78". CNN. Archived from the original on May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ "Gigs". davidsanborn.com. David Sanborn. Archived from the original on September 14, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
- ^ "St. Louis Walk of Fame Inductees". stlouiswalkoffame.org. St. Louis Walk of Fame. Archived from the original on October 31, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
- ^ Jurek, Thom (April 7, 2015). "Time and the River – David Sanborn | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ^ "The Best of David Sanborn". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
- ^ "Then Again: The Anthology – David Sanborn | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 6, 2016. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
- ^ "All My Friends Are Here – Arif Mardin | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 18, 2022. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
- ^ "The Brecker Brothers Band Reunion". Randybrecker.com.
- ^ "Rocks". Randybrecker.com.
- ^ "The Paul Butterfield Blues Band – Live At Woodstock (2-LP)". Bluesmagazine.nl. January 23, 2020. Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ "Blue Moves - Elton John | Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 6, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ^ "David Sanborn | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 6, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Filmography". Official Community of David Sanborn. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2008.
External links
This article's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. (May 2024) |
- Media related to David Sanborn at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website
- David Sanborn at AllMusic
- David Sanborn discography at Discogs
- David Sanborn at IMDb
- David Sanborn discography at MusicBrainz
- Interview by Pete Lewis, Blues & Soul, September 2008
- Interview Archived May 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, RundgrenRadio.com
- The Greatest Ears in Town: The Arif Mardin Story (EPK) on YouTube
- Chaka Khan - So Blue on YouTube