David Sanborn

[puresaxman]

:) Well guys for you really prolific players that can squeal out some altissimo question:
This is only my opinion: David Sanborn is my ultimate favorite sax player of all time. There is no one alive that has his sound. Why is this? I has to be more than the fact he plays a Mark VI with a Dukoff D7 or D9 and Lavoz reeds. I've tried for twenty years to imitate that inbetween sound that Sanborn posesses. There are a lot of other players I like but to hear them they really don't stand out from one another. Beckenstein, Koz, James, Elliott ,Waters, Taylor, Scott, Albright, Beasley, Najee. These guys are all great players but to hear then you would have a dificult time distinguishing them from one another. In two notes you know its Sanborn.
I feel that no one plays with the amount of passion that Sanborn plays with.
I saw him for the first time in 1984. He played "smile" which was remade from his second album "Sanborn". To this day I have not heard anyone get off on a horn like he did during that song. It was mesmerizing it almost put me into a trance :shock: .

[Morry]

Lenny Pickett is the same for me. I instantly know it's him.

[Balladeer]

I'm a Sanborn fan, too. I've never seen him play. When I listen to his recordings I hear three key ingredients
1) Unique phrasing and the natural ability to embellish the end of phrases like many black singers do.
2) Technical command equivalent to the finest classical player. Just listen to the evenness of his fast runs.
3) Big air support. He always sounds like he could blow the sound all the way to the moon.

[puresaxman]

Balladeer: Since your a big Sanborn fan do you have alot of his albums?
If you don't I'd be willing to make you copies and send them to you. Something else you might be interested in. Your profile says that your into Jesus. Do you like contempoary christian music? If you do I have some stuff I think you would really like. Let me know on the Sanborn stuff.
I have everything he's done except. "Sanborn" 2nd release. "Promise Me the Moon" 3rd release. and "Essentials" last release. I have everything else, let me know if you want any of them.
Thanks - Darryl
email: jdgault19@yahoo.com

[Balladeer]

puresaxman: Thank-you for the offer. No, I don't have many of Sanborn's recordings. I have the ones I like best, though. My absolute favorite is "Try A Little Tenderness".

Yes, I play Christian music. Since last summer I play mostly tenor followed by some soprano and occassional alto work. What Christian music do you have that appeals to us sax players?

[Giles]

Sanborn plays a D8 with Vandoran V16 reeds.

[MojoBari]

Thou shalt not steal thy neighbor's royalties.

[soulsax]

Ten thousand try! Sanborn rocks! Him and Bird (two different era's,two different types of uuh,,,music., Both changed alto playing forever. David own's like 25 mk6's. The Bird was lucky to hang on to one. (Too much ether I guess) :roll:

[Bear]

There are 2 things that strike me about Sanborn: originality and conviction. Especially the degree of conviction though. It seems like he is quite deliberate, or confident, or something. Its got me thinking differently about connections along those lines (i.e. do you HAVE to be superconfident to play like that?? - most of the true greats don't appear to come off that way though).

[Balladeer]

Screech:
I grew up listening to a lot of jazz and swing. Then in college I started playing some rock. That's when I realized that you can play swing and jazz behind the beat and sound great, but rock is played forcefully, on the beat, with confidence or it sounds wimpy. I think Sanborn plays a with his own blend of jazz, rock and r&b. If you want to play with that confident, on the beat style, then try to play like an electric guitar.

[Frank D]

I agree with Baladeer. I learned this lesson by playing blues (Chicago style blues). In that genre, you have to make a musical statement right off the bat with your solos. There's no noodling around to find something that works, or just running a compatible scale to no particular end. You've got to "say something", and more importantly, have something to say. I'm sure Mr. Sanborn learned a bit of this during his tenure with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

[Bear]

Wow thanks for the insightful comments you guys are pretty sharp! Conversely some of his stuff would sound great done on electric guitar now that I think about it in that way. Interesting. The forceful aspect seems to fit with the often seen rock performers' gymnastic stage displays too.

[puresaxman]

Good point guys.. I guess I really not ever thought of the fact that Sanborn has something to say or some thing to accomplish in his music. Now that I think about it he does own everything that he plays. He definetly makes a statement with everything that comes out of his horn.
Do you guys think that sometimes he might overpower or outstage the people that he plays with?
He's done a few tunes with Al Jarreau and it sometimes seems that he's more the focal point than the vocals.
Same with How Sweet It Is with James Taylor and Oh Baby Baby with Linda Ronstadt.
Is it him or is it the rauchiness of his playing that draws the attention?
To see him in person and watch him go off which he does often, there is no doubt that he owns his alto and everything about it. But, how on earth does he get that sound????????????????????????????????????????????? ??

[MojoBari]

I just heard David Bowie's "Young American" on the radio. Sanborn is all over it, but it fits so good. At the time was a whole new sound: Rock Alto.

[Anonymous]

Charlie Parker hardly ever played a Selmer and certainly never seemed bothered by this!

Sanborn got good by practicing day and night, evidently to over come the effects of polio as I recall. In about twenty minutes, he'd sound the same on any POS horn you handed him!

I personally find his playing no more musically interesting than Kenny G's, but, then, who's hipper, Bill Page or Billy Vaughn.

[saxshooter]

Sanborn is ALL OVER David Bowie's "Young Americans" album, not just on the title track. You should definitely pick it up.

Another thing also worth checking out is Bryan Ferry's "Boys and Girls", which has Sanborn and Marcus Miller all over it too. Great listening.

[puresaxman]

i guess the sound is just there no matter what it is he plays or even the setup he's got on the horn. Sanborn has always relied on his faithful mark VI no matter what he's playing. If anyone is a real Sanborn fan which I'm sure some of you are. Trivia question: we will see how astute you are in Sanborn trivia: Name the album he did where he plays a Yamaha not a Selmer and mostly soprano tracks as well. Let's see how good you guys really are..... :roll: :idea:

[puresaxman]

Selmer Fudd- I can respect the fact that you don't care for Sanborn's playing. But there is no one alive that has revolutionized the Alto like Sanborn. He found his niche and stuck with it. No one else can claim to do what he has done. Also, who else can claim to be the #1 sideman in modern times no one but Sanborn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D

[saxshooter]

re puresaxman's sanborn trivia question:

Sanborn played Yamaha saxophones on "As We Speak" (1982) where he also played soprano on some tunes, and also played Yamahas on "Backstreet" (1983).

There is actually a photo of Sanborn playing a Yamaha sax in the liner notes of "Casino Lights", which is from the Montreaux Jazz Festival during that period. I think the track recorded was "Theme from Love is Not Enough".

I read an interview with Marcus Miller in the late 80's when he was producing Miles Davis' Tutu and he said that the soprano that he played on that was a Yamaha given to him by Sanborn.

Now, can someone tell me what facing and opening of the Brilhart Level-Air Sanborn played in the 70's? Been trying to find that out for myself!

[saxshooter]

I was browsing Michael Brecker's website and was quite impressed when I came across the link to Brecker as a sideman:

http://www.michaelbrecker.com/discography-2.htm

Man, that's a lot of experience. And a lot of research for whoever put it together!

Has anyone come across a similar link detailing David Sanborn's work as a sideman?

[Anonymous]

If by revolutionize you mean "Made Revolting", perhaps I would concur. :lol:

It would appear that he was the first to do what he does ON PURPOSE!

Influential! Unquestionably!

Revolutionary! I don't think so!

[Giles]

Once again, another "if people will buy it, it must suck" school of thought graduate. Next time Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, or Donald Fagen/Steely Dan calls you for a session, let all of us know.

[Dauri]

Puresaxman, no offense but you have to be smoking shisha to think that

David Sandborn is one of the best players alive. David Sandborn, the cousin of Kenny G. Ask any real musician, and I mean real musician about the contribution of Sanborns ideas into music, they'll either laugh or smack the **** out of you for even asking..

I'm the laughing type :lol: :lol:

[Dauri]

I'm sorry I just can't stop laughing

Putting CHARLIE PARKER and David Sandborn in the same sentence should be considered a sin, but to compare them....... my god,

[Giles]

Yeah, I agree. Putting them in the same sentance or comparing them is insulting. Sanborn didn't screw up his life and die at a young age because of smack.

[saxshooter]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
But seriously folks, apples and oranges. Each have made their contributions to music.

[Anonymous]

As far as I can acertain, no one is saying Sanborn sucks!

Most appear to be saying that he's simply NOT in the same league as Parker! That should be self-evident! If it isn't, then we have no common ground for discussion!

[puresaxman]

I agree with giles on this one. putting them in the same sentence together may not fit.. Sanborn played better high in the 70's better than anyone did sober. With Dauri's statement about his influence in the music world.
Maybe his contributions aren't the greatest he didn't revolutionize the world of music with his contributions. But, he certainly revolutionized the world with his sound. I have seen anybody who's anybody that's a saxplayer in concert unless they are dead. It's the same story with all of them except Sanborn. They all do these beeboppy runs all over the place and gag me with a spoon it sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I admire these guys for their talent but thats it.. They all sound the freakin same oh how wonderful that is. I guess the ultimate question would be your a famous vocalist and you wanted a sax part in your song who would get the most phone calls? If you say anyone but Sanborn you are seriously disturbed. :shock: I guess that all the famous musicians that used him in the past must of not known anything at all otherwise why would they take some like Sanborn do use as the top sideman to do their recordings? Must not have been anyone else around :? Was Sanborn the only guy with call waiting? I think not!!!!!!!!!!!! All the others sound alike and suck and that's why they never called them!!!!! Including Mr. Pickett spending to much time on Saturday Night Live... :roll:

[puresaxman]

Oh. I forgot this.. You know when they put together the Lethal Weapon soundtracks... Michael Kamen wanted the best guitarist so who do you go get oh lets see Eric Clapton... That's a no brainer... For the best saxplayer,
do you think he had a memory loss? Seems to me he chose Sanborn wonder why? Had to have someone to keep up with Clapton that doesn't leave much company now does it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!! 8) So for all of you that don't like whatever contributions that he's made to music why the heck is he still getting called so much????? Lack of talent I think not no way!!! Oh let me know if any of you have a multi million dollar deal on the horizions with Warner Brothers. Better yet when Selmer is willing to give you free saxophones and Bobby Dukoff is giving you free mouthpieces. Let me know when this all happens so that I can get on that band wagon.. :? No other saxplayer has come back from a life threatening illness and prosperred, for that alone I salute you Mr. Sanborn!!! :D

[puresaxman]

To edit my last entries.......
All the other players don't literally suck...
But most do sound the same........
I can't say they suck because they are better players than myself..
I have no recording contract nor people calling me to be on their recordings.. :cry:
All I'm saying is that most saxplayers have not been able to put every last emotion into their playing.. Sanborn has and has done it in an exceptional fashion.. That is why he is my favorite.. He is the only sax player I have ever seen to make me cry with his playing... And that is not because he's playing ability was not up to snuff.
If I offended anyone in my last threads I apologize :)

[puresaxman]

saxshooter: I'm impressed with your knowledge alot of people would not have known what album he played a Yamaha on. I'll have to look into your facing question because I'm stumped on that one..
For all you Sanborn lovers I salute you and admire your taste...

[Balladeer]

puresaxman:
Relax. There will always be people who like to make easy things look hard - look at how so many rock musicians do it. Thankfully, there will always be those who make hard things look easy. This is how classical, academic, legit, big band and many other musicians who have been trained do it. Sanborn definately makes it sound so easy, but we know it is very difficult to master the saxophone as he has. Many musicians have not been interested in formal training, opting for 'their sound', and the public jumps up and down with praise for this 'new' sound which is really the lack of having attained a good sound.

It all reminds me of when I was playing 6 nights a week in a soul band at the Flying Machine in Ft. Lauderdale during the summer of '68. After playing some real trash, I turned to the trumpet player and asked him why people buy sh*t. He responded, 'Because it's cheap'. You see, they don't have make much mental investment, that's why it's cheap.

I'm a tone guy. It doesn't matter what instrument I'm playing, I go for the tone first and the technical prowess second. Sanborn has both in spades. He just happens to like to play songs that have recognzable melodies. I can't criticize him for his taste. At least he does not show bad taste.

[puresaxman]

SelmerFudd- Do you think the record execs at warner bros. where revolted by his playing? Mr. Sanborn you revolt us with your playing would you be willing to make more albums with us? I hate to tell you this but instrumentalists with no talent get no deals!!!! You think maybe they were high on smack like your precious "bird". That had to be it... Now I know why they signed him to his contracts... Maybe bird was their supplier when they were much younger.. I can't respect any musician that will throw their life away like Parker did. I don't care how good he was.. :roll: Just remember Parker is past tense.. Sanborn is past and present tense and future tense... I can tell you what Parker's doing right now he's decomposing what a pleasant thought.. : :( Parker's best work was probably ahead of him. but, since he screwed his life up no one will ever know now will we? :? "The bird that once made beautuful music, now has birds flying over head making beautiful music and deficating on his tombstone."

[puresaxman]

Balladeer- Playing in the summer of '68 you've been playing a long time..
I was only 2 years old then and had no idea what a sax was. Sax didn't change my life until '76. I agree with you about sound and them technical prowess. I play the same way, I master the sound first and then work on the mechanics. I can't play like Sanborn but I can come close. I've worked for twenty years to come close to that sound. I'm not there yet but i'm getting closer everyday. His altissimo is very difficult to duplicate. I try but to no avail its really hard. I got an opportunity to talk with him at length 3 years ago. It was like I was a kid in a candy shop. To talk to my mentor was wonderful. He told me about his setup and was vague about his sound. Maybe that's like KFC's 11 herbs and spices and its a secret :shock: But he gave me alot of insightful ideas and told me if I ever got to NYC to try to look him up. Maybe one day I can play with my hero who knows? :D

[puresaxman]

Balladeer- Playing in the summer of '68 you've been playing a long time..
I was only 2 years old then and had no idea what a sax was. Sax didn't change my life until '76. I agree with you about sound and them technical prowess. I play the same way, I master the sound first and then work on the mechanics. I can't play like Sanborn but I can come close. I've worked for twenty years to come close to that sound. I'm not there yet but i'm getting closer everyday. His altissimo is very difficult to duplicate. I try but to no avail its really hard. I got an opportunity to talk with him at length 3 years ago. It was like I was a kid in a candy shop. To talk to my mentor was wonderful. He told me about his setup and was vague about his sound. Maybe that's like KFC's 11 herbs and spices and its a secret :shock: But he gave me alot of insightful ideas and told me if I ever got to NYC to try to look him up. Maybe one day I can play with my hero who knows? :D

[saxshooter]

puresaxman:

thanks. i was a big Sanborn freak during my last years of high school, this was in 88-89. Was turned on to his music by an upperclassman when I was a sophomore, and "As We Speak" was the first album I listened to (which, incidentally says, David Sanborn plays Yamaha Saxophone in the liner notes).

Coincidently, I was already playing on a Dukoff D5 at the time (maybe I started using it when I was 11? started early so was able to learn how to control that thing) and after being interested in Sanborn's sound eventually moved up to the D8 which he uses.

Sanborn was a serious high school addiction -- listening, reading up on, and watching. He was getting a lot of exposure on network TV, from his appearances most Thursday nights on Letterman, hosting his short-lived "Night Music" program, and even performing at a Grammys at Radio City onstage with Michael Brecker and Marcus Miller where they played Miles Davis' "Tutu" (Brecker was a last minute substitution, I believe, it was supposed to be Miles) and later performed New York State of Mind with Billy Joel.

His sound was what grabbed me too, and it was something which I found "worked" in the pop/R&B/jazz influenced settings that I was playing in -- it cut through all the instruments, especially in noisy bar bands.

Getting to college, I was still playing a lot of gigs outside of class, and friends turned me on to other players, so I moved on from Sanborn a bit, but will always appreciate his sound, and also his musicianship.

Critics of his playing are so ready to lump him in along with the Kenny G's and other contemporary GRP, "happy jazz", adult contemporary music players. But what they forget is Sanborn's musicianship, evidence in his projects with shows like "Night Music" which tried to fuse music from all over. And maybe those who dis on Sanborn haven't even listened to "Another Hand" (1991?) which is what Sanborn came out with after taking a hiatus from his own widely imitated signature licks and squeals. Sanborn himself has admitted his limitations musically, but "Another Hand" showed that he was interested in breaking out of that. I haven't followed him recently.

So to make a long story short, I did finally get to meet Sanborn in 1996. My obsession with him had worn off, for the most part. It was at a jazz festival in Bangkok, Thailand, and I accompanied a reporter to interview him (I'm a photojournalist by profession) and at the end of the shoot, I admitted that I was his biggest fan and had him sign a CD of "Promise Me the Moon" (which is unavailable and I bought as a Japanese import in Hong Kong) much to his surprise ("where did you get THAT?" was his reaction.) The writer and I ran into him again the next night at the venue, and he invited us backstage before the performance, where I helped him carry one of his horns backstage. Haha. If I were still the same high schooler at that moment...

SO yeah, Sanborn. Hats off to his style and sound. And his past efforts as a musical "conduit", with his "Night Music" program. I don't see guys like Kenny G. spending time doing that. They'd rather cash in.

Oh, perhaps to make you envious, a few years ago I was lucky to come across a Selmer Mark VI alto with the magic number 144,xxx. It plays great, along with my Dukoff D8 mouthpiece, Harrison ligature, and LaVoz Medium reeds. I just wanted to understand the sound. Given the same equipment, it's up to the individual player.

Cheers.

[puresaxman]

saxshooter:
Do you know where I can get promise me the moon? that was his only import c.d. and its a needle in a haystack and very difficult to find. Did you see his hair on the cover? Talk about Sanborn with big hair! :shock: I've listened to hundreds of other players some which I really like and some I could care less if I ever heard again. Your right when he released Another Hand he changed the persona immensly. To date though that's the only release he's done like that. I was a big fan of Pearls with the orchestra behind him. Willow weep for me is a great tune. Do I think Sanborn's the most technical player out there no not by a long shot but
his edge and his biting sound has me mesmerized for life. He will always be #1 in my book till the day I die. Often imitated never duplicated, that's what i love the best, his one in a million sound and passion. Plus girls dig his sound as well, was very fortunate with many females thanks to Mr. Sanborn. I'm listening to Backstreet as I type this I guess I'll always love David Sanborn. :D

[saxshooter]

puresaxman:

haven't listened to pearls. strange, how at one point in their careers, soloists often feel compelled to make a recording with a large orchestra...

sanborn did it earlier with michael kamen, i think it was called "concerto for saxophone", around the period of "another hand" and they were already working together on the Lethal Weapon soundtracks. I wasn't too impressed by it and last spotted the album in a bargain bin at Tower Records. I think he even substituted his bright Dukoff for something darker for the recording. Photo in liner notes and sound suggest that.

re "promise me the moon", check your email.

[Giles]

[quote="Balladeer"]puresaxman:
Relax. There will always be people who like to make easy things look hard - look at how so many rock musicians do it.

You jazz snobs make me ill. :x

[Anonymous]

Puresaxman!

I didn't say I did concur, only that I might!

You have read a lot of vidictive into a pretty straight-forward comment that Sanborn, whatever he may be, IS NOT revolutionary in any accepted definition of the term. You don't have to agree, but it would help to argue the same argument!

He's a great saxophone player, period.

The Warner Brothers, Wacko and Yacko, wouldn't know talent if it bit them repeatedly in the nether regions, but they do have some expertise in selling records. David Sanborn is a product to be packaged!

People use Sanborn because he helps sell records. They don't use Parker, because he, as you so elegantly pointed out, is dead (of drug abuse!)

I know of no recording that Sanborn was on that would have failed miserably without him, but I'll bet there are MANY that he performed brilliantly on that couldn't be given away!

Confusing talent with sales is a very common trait in any "creative" field. The correlation, if there exists any, is a nebulous one!

When I stated that I don't care for Sanborn, I should have added that Parker didn't/doesn't exactly rock my world either!

[soulsax]

Sanborn has changed the way alto is played in the last 25 or so years and is probably imitated today more than any other alto player. Bird did the same thing over 50 years ago. Bird was so imitated (and still is) that he changed alto forever. Beside's that, they have little in common. Sorry I sinned for using them in the same sentence. But what's Parker's drug use got to do with anything? Nothing. :roll: Dizzie said he was even better when he wasen't high. That's not the point. Getts, Coltrain, Miles, Art Pepper, and a ***** load of other "greats" did the the stuff, and that's too bad, but it has nothing to do with the impact they all had on music. Bird and Sanborn are probably the
two most imitated alto players of the 20th century. Read into it what want, but its true. Jez, I thought sax players (here) were a little deeper on their thinking. Wrong. Id be interested in hearing a few here on this thread blow! Perhaps Id be impressed by some, but I doubt many. Maybe then, digesting some of the above would be more enlighting.

[puresaxman]

:? :? :? alright! already maybe I was a little presumtious in my thinking earlier.. I'm not knocking Bird for his playing at all. Whether he had a drug problem or not, and your right this has nothing to do with drug problems only their playing ability. Sanborn did his share of drugs years back as well, luckily he overcame the influence of drugs later in his career.
As saxshooter pointed out in an earlier thread Sanborn's television show did make alot of steps to try to bridge to gap between alot of different music genres. That is something that most musicians have not done. My thinking is not limited to one style either. One of the best sax solos is J.J. Walker's when he did urgent for foreigner. I can't group Sanborn with Kenny G even though they aren't exactly in the Jazz vein. Kenny's music is almost elevator stlye where Sanborn's has an edge and some non noodling capabilities. I love the guy and always will. I'm not a big fusion lover so guys like Marsalis, Sanchez and others I don't care for alot. To me there has to be some kind of melodic tendencies or I loss interest fast.
I just love sax playing and sax players for the most part. I would put my money where my mouth is. I'm a semi pro player, I get played to play and sometimes in the past made a living off of it but, my paychecks don't compare even close to these heavyweights. I'm not a top pro but by no means am I anywhere close to an amatuer. :D

[puresaxman]

:( Giles: I take offense I'm no jazz snob. It's just that most sax music falls into the /jazz vein. I love hearing sax in all venues but unfortunately it gets pigeon toed into jazz most of the time. My self personally I'm more a rock sax player than I am a jazz sax player. My tastes aren't limited to one vein, its just that jazz is the majority only because of sax parts. 8)

[gd]

Hey this is some pretty funny stuff.
By reading your posts, puresaxman, it sounds like you should move to NYC or at least take it easy. I may be an old fart, but having read all of this, seems as though Sanborn and Bird are the two greatest sax players ever. Sure i dig both of them, but having spent the past 30 years listening to and reading about jazz from the 1920s to the mid-70s, all I can say is you are missing a whole lot if you dismiss Lester Young, Coleman hawkins, Don Byas, Ben Webster, Benny carter, tab Smith, Art pepper, lee konitz, Sonny stitt, Gene Ammons, Stan Getz, Al cohn, Zoot Sims, Sonny Criss, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Lucky Thompson, Paul Desmond, George Coleman, Wayne Shorter, Frank Strozzier, Serge Chaloff, Gerry Mulligan, Illinois jaquet, Von Freeman, Benny Golson, Steve Lacy, Sonny Rollins, Jackie mcLean, frank traumbauer, Bud freeman, Anthony Braxton, Bud Shank, Joe Harriott, Tubby hayes, Warne marsh, Stanley turrentine, Odean pope, Hank mobley, Tina Brooks, Johnny Griffin, Eric Dolphy, Jim pepper, Red Tyler, Charlie Rouse, Bill Perkins, Lou Donaldson, Maceo Parker, Paul Quinechette, Brew moore, Roland kirk, just to name a FEW (and in no particular order of preference, except that Lester Young IS my alltime favorite). God knows who I've left out - there are so many great players and one can learn from each and every one of them. The jazz tradition is a treasure. Obviously you love playing and have spent a long time working out your sound, but to confine your sonic investigations to such a narrow range is a shame. i can only repeat lester Young's query when asked what he thought about a hot new young lion of a player: "Yea, but can he tell me a story?"
Having said that, i'd also simply add that one should not cast stones so easily about those who've suffered horrible addiction. Sure, it was a choice they made, but rare is the family on this planet that does not have a member who has suffered same. Perhaps you should be a bit more open minded to the concept of historic circumstance and/or compassion. Either that, or move to NY City. That will definitely take the edge off...
I've played for over 20 years, many hundreds of gigs of all varieties and enjoy it immensely as a wonderful hobby. No, i am not ashamed to call it that. I have no illusions about my abilities, although like everyone else's they are unique to me. Listening to as many players live and on record as possible is a wonderful aid to honing my own tone and sound. It also deepens my appreciation for this amazingly resilient and labrynthine music. Jazz is a blessing and a joy to behold.
All this is meant with respect and in good spirit. Keep on wailing!

On the flipside,
gd

[Bill Mecca]

[quote="puresaxman: One of the best sax solos is J.J. Walker's when he did urgent for foreigner. [/quote]

Just to clarify, that would be Junior Walker, and interestingly that solo was edited together by Mick Jones and Mutt Lange from about four takes Jr. took on the tune. Later when he appeared with them live, he played the recorded solo note for note.


I loved Sanborn's playing, have gotten away from it a bit. I do remember something on TV in the past several years, he was on stage wtih Clapton and James Taylor I think, and he let loose a solo that would give you chills. Even Clapton and Taylor looked over in awe. Acgtually I'm not sure both of them were there, I'm qutie sure it was Clapton, but I'm thinking it might have been some kind of "all-star" thing, because I have recollection of Sheryl Crow being there as well.

anyone know what show that was, and If I can get a copy?
email is in my profile.

[puresaxman]

bill - I must have missed that show, what a shame because i love to see him play. I'll try to look it up somehow and see if there is any record of it. That reminds me of many shows on thursday nights that he played on Letterman and really let loose. It was always astonishing to watch Sanborn go off. :D

[puresaxman]

you know guys, part of my fascination with Sanborn is probably his mystic when he's in concert. He'll always wear a black suit with a black shirt, these horn rimed shades that look like they are from the 60's and his mark VI looks like it was left outside for several months. So Kenny G in Nashville while I was in college and it looked like he was wearing a karate uniform it made me laugh for weeks. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Hurling Frootmig]

Sanborn has that piericing tone and let's face it the guy can BLOW. As I understand it he studied with Hemke at Northwestern in Chicago and kinda got sucked into the jazz and blues scene. I found his recording with Kaman on Concerto For Saxophone (I think that's right) shows a different side to his playing that we normally don't get to hear.

I believe he's more versitle than some of the other posters have given him credit for being.

[puresaxman]

He did study with hemke at northwestern and that's where he got his B.A. in musical studies. :Later he went to University of Iowa and got his Masters so he's no bofoon wh ojust picked up a horn and started blowing...
You're right the Concerto he did with Michael Kamen and his Another Hand release from 1991 definetly showed a sign of Sanborn most people :D haven't seen...

[soulsax]

Ever since high school about 70 or 71, when the hit by James Taylor "How Sweet it is the be Loved by You" can out I never knew the sax solo was Sanborn till many many years later. First time I heard the song knowing this, it was like,,of course thats him. I was raised around some pretty straight ahead stuff by my two brothers yet Desmond was my favorite, yes . I agree with who ever said Desmond was smooth jazz. When I heard Everette Harp play in Houston clubs years back one night we talked and I asked him who he was "into", and he said David Sanborn. This was in 86 or 7 I was simi hip to him at the time. Soon after that I had my wife buy a Sanborn tape,, so she came home with 'Straight to the Heart'. I was a little set a back by the rock beat, but was open and tryed to stay open. After going here Everette play more I,,, "sold out." :idea: The clubs were always packed and the crowd was dancing all the time. Cool thing about it is Everette does not sound like Sanborn at all,, he does have his own sound. I like that. Dont we all learn from somebody? Sanborn rocks, lots of others that do too. The experence with Everette changed my thinking/playing big time, and I don't regret it either. Nothing stays the same, sax included.

[Scottysax73]

1st of all..his new cd comes out on june 3rd
2ndly, on "promise me the moon" he actually sings a tune
3rdly...david sanborn is as great a sax player as any before him. its not the amount of notes that one plays, its how you play it. my opinion is that he is the most emotional sax player ever to live. he makes his horn sound like its crying.
true, bird and canonnball were more technical and played more complex music...no doubt. but in his own right, sanborn is amazing. he is one of the most often imitated sax players of all time.
so what, he doesnt play straight ahead jazz (although ive heard him do it) but, bird didnt play rock music.
sanborn had stood the test of time. some say his music all sounds alike 2 a degree. but what about the boppers? wasnt all their music jazz and standards?
-peace

[saxshooter]

that's hiram bullock (guitarist) singing on "Promise Me the Moon".

interesting things about the album: Sanborn plays sopranino on a track, and also the Lyricon -- a wind synthesizer.

Regards.

[Anonymous]

I hear Sanborn was going to do an album called "The Coffee Grind" with Bill Chase, but there was a problem with the billing!

[Vader]

I truly find it amazing(as well as amusing) that Sanborn is the subject of such a long argument.
Putting him in the same category as Charlie Parker is laughable. However, there is no denying how influential, and original he was(is). For better or for worse, he changed how people play the saxophone. You simply cannot say enough about how passionate, recognizable, commercial(yet creative as well), his playing is. He does all this mind you, without sacrificing any integrity. Like him or not, he's for real.
He is not technical at all. I think that adds to the "authenticity" of his playing. You can hear what he's working on on most his recordings(especially the later ones). Check out the first cut of his new CD. He uses a diminished idea, as well as a triad idea, all through that solo. That's a perfect example of him using what he's working on in his recordings. He's not technical enough for that stuff to blend in. Check out the cd that has "Ramblin" on it. He was totally practicing diads at that point in time. You hear them through the whole cd.
David is committed to music, and while not the most proficient player of all time(would you want to hear him play Moment's Notice?........umm no.), he deserves his place in history(no more, no less). There's simply no getting around it.
About that ultimate sideman of all time........I think Michael Brecker might have something to say about that(as previously stated). They have both been obsenely recorded.

[Big Nick]

I don't think I'd be particularly interested in hearing Charlie Parker play 'Slam' either.

[Vader]

Ha! That's funny. Actually, that's mt least favorite tune on that recording. Otherwise, I really like that CD. I have it in my car right now.

[uksaxman]

I've just listened to backstreet, on the cd of same name, and the playing is pretty slick, and pretty jazzy. Sanborn can play much whatever he wants to. Thats the crucial thing, he plays what he enjoys playing, but obviously has to take advice from his employer (as do all of us) and do what pays the bills (How many of you could take the sax to work and play, and tell the boss, not to worry, its what your audience wants to hear!). Charlie Parker was effectively a pop star of his time. Hugely successful, and playing what people wanted to hear (Sheesh Parker was a commercial sell-out in his time!). Retrospectively we all now undestand how techinically great it was, but who in his audiences could have cared at the time? If Parker was alive now, in his prime, he wouldnt have a hope of a charted track.
Sanborn is a great player (I've heard he can play be-bop a bit too!), superb live performer, has been everywhere, has the T shirt, cd, movies, etc to prove it. Seem a pretty nice guy too, so knock him if you will, just seems it takes a lifetime to hone your artistry as a player, wheras heckling/citical skill are immediately available in all of us. Consider what a source of inspiration he has been, to so many people. Hearing a single track of his inspired me, and changed my life. Ive met so many good people, and played hundreds of gigs, have an instant social life wherever I am, all thanks to Mr S, and a bit of hard work. I'm sure kids in 50 years time will find an old CD, play it, and the cycle will start again.
Brian

Thats what its all about

[Scott Marlowe]

Anyone who's played with the Gil Evans orchestra, raise your hand.

Anyone, anyone?

You may or may not like Dave's sound (yes, it is quite strident) but he sounded great on the cuts on Svengali with Gil's orchestra.

[FWB]

Listening to David Sanborn was what inspired me to start playing the saxophone many years ago - the amazing sound and emotive style that has been truly one of the great innovations in sax playing and emulated by so many. Its hard to think of contemporary alto sax playing in the genre he plays in that hasn't been influenced by him. He will always be every bit the legend that the bebop greats are, and when he moved out a bit with Another Hand, he showed his artistry with an amazing work that was hailed by the mainstream jazz critics.

[Frank D]

Just heard him this weekend, on the Sanborn/Crusaders bill that's touring this summer. Sounds as good as ever, and while his tone has edge, there's nothing thin about it.

I think we tend to forget that while we may classify players as "jazz" or "pop" or "funk", musicians may not hang those labels on themselves. I think David sees himself as a sax player trying to be out there making a living, playing stuff that he likes with like-minded players. When you think of all the albums he's made, and all the years he's been touring as a solo artist, that's a pretty impressive body of work.

I'd highly reccomend catching this tour if you can, especially you middle and high-school age players. It's a great opportunity to hear two terrific sax players (the other being Wilton Felder of the Crusaders) in non-nightclub environments, as they're playing a lot of the "sheds", indoor-outdoor amphitheater places where you can sit inside or on the lawn.

[Tissot]

can anybody tell me where can I get the whole series of David's concert DVD ??

thanks

[tmoss]

Sanborn and Bird can certainly be mentioned in the same sentence, and justifiably so. Both are instantly recognizable, soulful, musical, brilliant, inspiring, unique. Sanborn's latest, Timeagain, is beautiful. Bird and Dave both make my inside's move, truly.

When I pick up an alto, I instinctively mimic Sanborn, paricularly that piercing split tone he gets on high F# and G. I love it and use to great effect in my R&B band. When Bird died prematurely, there could be found graffiti all over NY saying "Bird Lives." YES!!! As does and always will Mr. Sanborn. Thank the heavens for both of them...

[Aceman]

Who was it that played with Billy Joel? was it sanborn?

[saxshooter]

Phil Woods played Alto on Billy Joel's recording "Just the Way You Are", but I remember seeing on TV Sanborn play "New York State of Mind" with Billy Joel on the Grammy Awards at Radio City Music Hall in the late 80's.

[John Laughter]

Aceman, Richie Cannata was a member of the Billy Joel Band for many years during the Top 40 hits era. He toured with the Beach Boys in the 1990s. Past album credits include Celine Dion, Elton John, Taylor Dayne, The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, Joe Piket and Lita Ford. As of 2001, he was touring with Al Jardine’s Family & Friends Beach Band.

As saxshooter mentions, in addition to Phil Woods on "Just the Way You Are", other session players included Eddie Daniels , Michael Brecker, Mark Rivera , David Sanborn , Andrew Love and Lenny Pickett.


http://www.softshoe-slim.com/lists/j/joel.html

[benjamin1979]

Atcually there is someone's playin is 95% ~99% close to sanborn and that is Andy Snitzer. Wow, check him out.... 8-)

[rollen]

If Sanborn is not an influence why do Mark VI altos in the 144,### range sell for $500-1000 more than horns made around the same years. Just like the 86,### tenors and Guardalas are more sought after becuase of Brecker.

[Turnaround]

I know I'm raising an old thread here, but I thought this little tidbit might be interesting enough to post.

Taken from wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sanborn):

"To keep his reeds humidified without over-soaking them, David uses a bell jar. First he soaks them for a couple of hours in the jar, and then empties out most of the water so that the reeds won't get wet, but will still stay humid. He finds this technique extremely valuable."

[hakukani]

I know I'm raising an old thread here, but I thought this little tidbit might be interesting enough to post.

Taken from wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sanborn):

"To keep his reeds humidified without over-soaking them, David uses a bell jar. First he soaks them for a couple of hours in the jar, and then empties out most of the water so that the reeds won't get wet, but will still stay humid. He finds this technique extremely valuable."

Why would he keep his reeds in a Sylvia Plath novel?

[Turnaround]

Why would he keep his reeds in a Sylvia Plath novel?

Not just any Sylvia Plath novel, a wet one.

[jrvinson45]

Now THAT's a novel idea!

[Multi Reed]

For me, the big thing about Sanborn is the sound. Often, when I am asked to play on something there are two names that come up as a reference point for 'that sound'. Brecker's sound on tenor and Sanborn's sound on alto. That 80s sound and style is quite distinctive.

Comparisons with other players are somewhat futile. Particularly as generations separated some examples.

[Multi Reed]

Aceman, Richie Cannata was a member of the Billy Joel Band for many years during the Top 40 hits era.

As saxshooter mentions, in addition to Phil Woods on "Just the Way You Are", other session players included Eddie Daniels , Michael Brecker, Mark Rivera , David Sanborn , Andrew Love and Lenny Pickett.

Mark Rivera did a lot of touring with Billy Joel and I saw him play a couple of times with Billy Joel. Met Mark during one of those tours and he highly recommended and used the Rascher studies book.

[Multi Reed]

can anybody tell me where can I get the whole series of David's concert DVD ??

thanks

Check out "Legends Live at Montreux" through Eagle Vision(?). I think it has Sanborn, Clapton, Marcus Miller and Steve Gadd in concert from memory.