David William Sanborn (born July 30, 1945) is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

with

instrumental An instrumental is a recording normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer to inst ...

pop and R&B. He released his first solo album ''Taking Off'' in 1975, but has been playing the saxophone since before he was in high school and was a session musician long before its release. He remains popular as a session musician, playing in several albums of various artists (see

Discography Discography is the study and cataloging of published sound recordings, often by specified artists or within identified music genres. The exact information included varies depending on the type and scope of the discography, but a discography entry ...

). One of the most commercially successful American saxophonists to earn prominence since the 1980s, Sanborn is described by critic Scott Yanow as "the most influential saxophonist on pop, R&B, and crossover players of the past 20 years." He is often identified with radio-friendly

smooth jazz Smooth jazz is a genre of commercially-oriented crossover jazz and easy listening music that became dominant in the mid 1970s to the early 1990s. History Smooth jazz is a commercially oriented, crossover jazz which came to prominence in the 19 ...

, but he has expressed a disinclination for the genre and his association with it.

Early life

Sanborn was born in Tampa, Florida, and grew up in Kirkwood, Missouri. He contracted

polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...

in his youth. He began playing saxophone on a physician's advice to strengthen his weakened chest muscles and improve his breathing, instead of studying piano. Alto saxophonist Hank Crawford, at the time a member of

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

's band, was an early and lasting influence on Sanborn. Sanborn attended college at

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

and studied music. But he transferred to the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 col ...

where he played and studied with saxophonist J.R. Monterose.

Career

Sanborn performed with blues musicians

Albert King Albert Nelson (April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992), known by his stage name Albert King, was an American guitarist and singer who is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential blues guitarists of all time. He is perhaps b ...

and

Little Milton James Milton Campbell Jr. (September 7, 1934 – August 4, 2005), better known as Little Milton, was an American blues singer and guitarist, best known for his number-one R&B single " We're Gonna Make It". His other hits include " Baby, I Love ...

at the age of 14. He continued playing blues when he joined

Paul Butterfield Paul Vaughn Butterfield (December 17, 1942May 4, 1987) was an American blues harmonica player, singer and band leader. After early training as a classical flautist, he developed an interest in blues harmonica. He explored the blues scene in his n ...

blues band in 1967. Sanborn recorded on four Butterfield albums as a

horn section A horn section is a group of musicians playing horns. In an orchestra or concert band, it refers to the musicians who play the "French" horn, and in a British-style brass band it is the tenor horn players. In many popular music genres, the te ...

member and soloist from 1967 to 1971. In the early morning of Monday, August 18, 1969, Sanborn appeared as a member of the band at the

Woodstock Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock. Billed as "an Aq ...

Music Festival at Bethel, NY. In 1972 Sanborn played on the track "Tuesday Heartbreak" on the Stevie Wonder album ''

Talking Book ''Talking Book'' is the fifteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter, and musician Stevie Wonder, released on October 27, 1972, by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. This album and '' Music of My Mind'', released earlier the same y ...

''. His work in 1975 with

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

on ''

Young Americans ''Young Americans'' is the ninth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 7March 1975 through RCA Records. The album marked a departure from the glam rock style of Bowie's previous albums, showcasing his interest in soul and ...

'' and on the

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...

recording of "

How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You) "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" is a song recorded by American soul singer Marvin Gaye from his fifth studio album of the same name (1965). It was written in 1964 by the Motown songwriting team of Holland–Dozier–Holland, and produce ...

" on the album ''

Gorilla Gorillas are herbivorous, predominantly ground-dwelling great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. The genus ''Gorilla'' is divided into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, and either four or fi ...

'' further brought to prominence his alto saxophone voice in popular music. In the mid-70s Sanborn became active in the popular jazz fusion scene by joining the Brecker Brothers band where he became influenced by

Michael Brecker Michael Leonard Brecker (March 29, 1949 – January 13, 2007) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He was awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of M ...

, and it was with the brothers that he recorded his first solo album, Taking Off, nowadays regarded as something of a jazz/funk classic. Although Sanborn is most associated with

, he studied

free jazz Free jazz is an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventions, such as regular tempos, tones, and chord changes. Musicians duri ...

in his youth with saxophonists Roscoe Mitchell and Julius Hemphill. In 1993, he revisited this genre when he appeared on

Tim Berne Tim Berne (born October 16, 1954) is an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist and record label owner. His primary instruments are the alto and baritone saxophones. Biography Berne was born in Syracuse, New York, United States. He has said that ...

's '' Diminutive Mysteries'', dedicated to Hemphill. Sanborn's album ''Another Hand'' featured avant-garde musicians. In 1985 Sanborn and Al Jarreau played two sold-out concerts at Chastain Park in Atlanta.

Recordings

He has been a highly regarded session player since the late 1960s, playing with an array of well-known artists, such as James Brown,

Bryan Ferry Bryan Ferry CBE (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. His voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established a distinctive image and sartorial style: according to ''The Independent'', Ferry an ...

Michael Stanley Michael Stanley (born Michael Stanley Gee; March 25, 1948 – March 5, 2021) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, radio and television personality. Both as a solo artist and with the Michael Stanley Band (MSB), his brand of heartland r ...

, Eric Clapton,

Bobby Charles Robert Charles Guidry (February 21, 1938 – January 14, 2010), known as Bobby Charles, was an American singer-songwriter. Early life An ethnic Cajun, Charles was born in Abbeville, Louisiana, United States, and grew up listening to Cajun mus ...

, Cat Stevens,

Roger Daltrey Roger Harry Daltrey (born 1 March 1944) is an English singer, musician and actor. He is a co-founder and the lead singer of the rock band The Who. Daltrey's hit songs with The Who include " My Generation", " Pinball Wizard", " Won't Get Fooled ...

, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon,

Jaco Pastorius John Francis Anthony "Jaco" Pastorius III (; December 1, 1951 – September 21, 1987) was an American jazz bassist, composer and producer. He recorded albums as a solo artist and band leader and was a member of Weather Report from 1976 to 1981. ...

, the Brecker Brothers, Michael Franks,

Kenny Loggins Kenneth Clark Loggins (born January 7, 1948) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. His early songs were recorded with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1970, which led to seven albums recorded as Loggins and Messina from 1972 to 1977. His ...

Casiopea , now known in its fourth iteration as Casiopea-P4, is a Japanese jazz fusion band formed in 1976 by guitarist Issei Noro, bassist Tetsuo Sakurai, drummer Tohru "Rika" Suzuki, and keyboardist Hidehiko Koike. In 1977, keyboardist Minoru Mukaiya ...

Players Association The Players Association was a New York based studio group, put together by drummer/arranger Chris Hills and producer Danny Weiss in 1977 on Vanguard Records. Overview The Players Association recordings brought in leading jazz session musicians ...

Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, multimedia artist, sound engineer and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the band Ut ...

, Bruce Springsteen, Little Feat,

Tommy Bolin Thomas Richard Bolin (August 1, 1951 – December 4, 1976) was an American guitarist and songwriter who played with Zephyr (from 1969 to 1971), The James Gang (from 1973 to 1974), and Deep Purple (from 1975 to 1976), in addition to maintaining ...

, Bob James,

, Al Jarreau,

Pure Prairie League Pure Prairie League is an American country rock band whose origins go back to 1965 and Waverly, Ohio, with singer and guitarist Craig Fuller, drummer Tom McGrail, guitarist and drummer Jim Caughlan and steel guitarist John David Call. Fuller s ...

Kenny G Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born June 5, 1956), known professionally as Kenny G, is an American smooth jazz saxophonist, composer, and producer. His 1986 album ''Duotones'' brought him commercial success. Kenny G is one of the best-selling artis ...

Loudon Wainwright III Loudon Snowden Wainwright III (born September 5, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actor. He has released twenty-six studio albums, four live albums, and six compilations. Some of his best-known songs include "The Swimmin ...

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, play ...

Joe Beck Joe Beck (July 29, 1945 – July 22, 2008) was an American jazz guitarist who was active for over 30 years. Biography Born in Philadelphia, Beck moved to Manhattan in his teens, playing six nights a week in a trio setting, which gave him an opp ...

, Donny Hathaway, Elton John,

Gil Evans Ian Ernest Gilmore Evans (né Green; May 13, 1912 – March 20, 1988) was a Canadian–American jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest orchestrators in jazz, playing an important role i ...

, Carly Simon,

Guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverential ...

Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American ...

, Billy Joel,

Kenny Garrett Kenny Garrett (born October 9, 1960) is an American post-bop jazz musician and composer who gained recognition in his youth as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and for his time with Miles Davis's band. His primary instruments are alto and ...

, Roger Waters, Steely Dan,

Ween Ween is an American rock band from New Hope, Pennsylvania, formed in 1984 by Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo, better known by their respective stage names, Gene and Dean Ween. Generally categorized as an alternative rock band, the band a ...

, the

Eagles Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, jus ...

The Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, country, jazz, bluegrass, blues, rock and roll, gospel, reggae, world music, ...

Nena Gabriele Susanne Kerner (born 24 March 1960), better known as Nena, is a German singer and songwriter who rose to international fame in 1983 as the lead vocalist of the band Nena (band), Nena with the Neue Deutsche Welle song "99 Luftballons". I ...

, Hikaru Utada,

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...

, Ian Hunter, and Toto. Many of his solo recordings were collaborations with the 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 ''Lethal Weapon'' is a 1987 American buddy cop action comedy film directed and co-produced by Richard Donner, written by Shane Black, and co-produced by Joel Silver. It stars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover alongside Gary Busey, Tom Atkins, D ...

'' (and its sequels) and ''

Scrooged ''Scrooged'' is a 1988 American Christmas film, Christmas fantasy comedy film directed by Richard Donner and written by Mitch Glazer and Michael O'Donoghue. Based on the 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol'' by Charles Dickens, ''Scrooged'' is a mo ...

''. In 1991 Sanborn recorded '' Another Hand'', which the ''

All Music Guide to Jazz ''All Music Guide to Jazz'' is a non-fiction book that is an encyclopedic referencing of jazz music compiled under the direction of All Media Guide. The first edition, ''All Music Guide to Jazz: the Best CDs, Albums & Tapes'', appeared in 1994 an ...

'' 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. The album, produced by

Hal Willner Hal Willner (April 6, 1956 – April 7, 2020) was an American music producer working in recording, films, television, and live events. He was best known for assembling tribute albums and events featuring a wide variety of artists and musical sty ...

, featured musicians from outside the smooth jazz scene, such as

Charlie Haden Charles Edward Haden (August 6, 1937 – July 11, 2014) was an American jazz double bass player, bandleader, composer and educator whose career spanned more than 50 years. In the late 1950s, he was an original member of the ground-breaking ...

, Jack DeJohnette,

Bill Frisell William Richard Frisell (born March 18, 1951) is an American jazz guitarist, composer and arranger. Frisell first came to prominence at ECM Records in the 1980s, as both a session player and a leader. He went on to work in a variety of contexts ...

, and

Marc Ribot Marc Ribot (; born May 21, 1954) is an American guitarist and composer. His work has touched on many styles, including no wave, free jazz, rock, and Cuban music. Ribot is also known for collaborating with other musicians, most notably Tom Wai ...

. In 1994 Sanborn appeared in '' A Celebration: The Music of Pete Townshend and The Who'', also known as ''Daltrey Sings Townshend''. This was a two-night concert at Carnegie Hall produced by

of English rock band

The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

in celebration of his fiftieth birthday. In 1994 a CD and a VHS video were issued, and in 1998 a DVD was released. In 1995 he performed in '' The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True'', a musical performance of the popular story at Lincoln Center to benefit the

Children's Defense Fund The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on child advocacy and research. It was founded in 1973 by Marian Wright Edelman. History The CDF was founded in 1973, citi ...

. The performance was broadcast on Turner Network Television (TNT) and issued on CD and video in 1996. In 2006, he was featured in

Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, or simply The Big Phat Band, is an 18-piece jazz orchestra that combines the big band swing of the 1930s and 1940s with contemporary music such as funk and jazz fusion. The band is led by Gordon Goodwin, who arra ...

's album ''The Phat Pack'' on the track "

Play That Funky Music "Play That Funky Music" is a song written by Rob Parissi and recorded by the band Wild Cherry. The single was the first released by the Cleveland-based Sweet City record label in April 1976 and distributed by Epic Records. The performers on the ...

", a remake of the Wild Cherry hit in a

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...

style. Sanborn often performs at Japan's

Blue Note In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical c ...

venues in

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most po ...

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...

, and Tokyo. He plays on the song "Your Party" on

's 2007 release ''

La Cucaracha La Cucaracha ("The Cockroach") is a popular Mexican folk song about a cockroach who cannot walk. The song's origins are unclear, but it dates back at least to the 1910s during the Mexican Revolution. The song belongs to the Mexican genre. The s ...

''. On April 8, 2007, Sanborn sat in with

the Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman (founder, slide guitar and lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards, songwriting), as well as Dickey Betts (lead guita ...

during their annual run at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. In 2010, Sanborn toured primarily with a trio featuring jazz organist

Joey DeFrancesco Joey DeFrancesco (April 10, 1971August 25, 2022) was an American jazz organist, trumpeter, saxophonist, and occasional singer. He released more than 30 albums under his own name, and recorded extensively as a sideman with such leading jazz perfo ...

and

Steve Gadd Stephen Kendall Gadd (born April 9, 1945) is an American drummer, percussionist, and session musician. Gadd is one of the best-known and highly regarded session and studio drummers in the industry, recognized by his induction into the '' Modern ...

where 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 Brian Culbertson (born January 12, 1973) is an American smooth jazz/ R&B/ funk musician and producer. His instruments include the synthesizer, piano and trombone. Early life and career Culbertson was born in Decatur, Illinois. As a child, he ...

on "The Dream Tour" celebrating the 25th anniversary of the song "The Dream". Besides playing alto saxophone as his main instrument, Sanborn plays also tenor, soprano and sopranino saxophone, saxello, flute & keyboards/piano on some recordings.

Broadcasting

Sanborn has performed and hosted radio, television, and web programs. He was a member of the

Saturday Night Live Band The Saturday Night Live Band (referred to in the closing credits as The Live Band) is the house band of the NBC television program '' Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''). Role on ''Saturday Night Live'' The band consists of mostly jazz, R&B, a ...

in 1980. From the late 1980s he was a regular guest member of

Paul Shaffer Paul Allen Wood Shaffer (born November 28, 1949) is a Canadian singer, composer, actor, author, comedian, and multi-instrumentalist who served as David Letterman's musical director, band leader, and sidekick on the entire run of both ''Late Ni ...

's band on '' Late Night with David Letterman''. He also appeared a few times on the ''Late Show with David Letterman'' in the 90s. From 1988 to 1989, he co-hosted '' Night Music'', a late-night music show on television with Jools Holland. Following producer

's eclectic approach, the show positioned Sanborn with many famed musicians, such as

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...

, Dizzy Gillespie, Pharoah Sanders, Eric Clapton,

Robert Cray Robert William Cray (born August 1, 1953) is an American blues guitarist and singer. He has led his own band and won five Grammy Awards. Early life Robert Cray was born on August 1, 1953, in Columbus, Georgia, while his father was statione ...

, Lou Reed,

Elliott Sharp Elliott Sharp (born March 1, 1951) is an American contemporary classical composer, multi-instrumentalist, and performer. A central figure in the avant-garde and experimental music scene in New York City since the late 1970s, Sharp has released ...

Jean-Luc Ponty Jean-Luc Ponty (born 29 September 1942) is a French jazz violinist and composer. Early life Ponty was born into a family of classical musicians in Avranches, France. His father taught violin, his mother taught piano. At sixteen, he was admitt ...

, Santana,

Youssou N'dour Youssou N'Dour (, wo, Yuusu Nduur; also known as Youssou Madjiguène Ndour; born 1 October 1959) is a Senegalese singer, songwriter, musician, composer, occasional actor, businessman, and politician. In 2004, ''Rolling Stone'' magazine describe ...

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, Screamin' Jay Hawkins,

Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted in ...

, Was (Not Was),

Anson Funderburgh Anson Funderburgh (born James Anson Funderburgh; November 14, 1954) is an American blues guitar player and bandleader of Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets since 1978. Their style incorporates both Chicago blues and Texas blues. Career Funderbu ...

, John Zorn, and

Curtis Mayfield Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer, and one of the most influential musicians behind soul and politically conscious African-American music.

. During the 1980s and 1990s, Sanborn hosted a syndicated radio program, ''The Jazz Show with David Sanborn''. Sanborn has recorded many shows' theme songs as well as several other songs for ''

The Late Late Show with Tom Snyder ''The Late Late Show'' is an American late-night television talk and variety comedy show on CBS. It first aired in January 1995, with host Tom Snyder, who was followed by Craig Kilborn, Craig Ferguson, and current host James Corden. The show ...

''. In 2021 as the coronavirus pandemic paused live music performances in public venues, Sanborn hosted a series master classes on

Zoom Zoom may refer to: Technology Computing * Zoom (software), videoconferencing application * Page zooming, the ability to magnify or shrink a portion of a page on a computer display * Zooming user interface, a graphical interface allowing for image ...

and also virtual productions of "Sanborn Sessions" with artists such as Marcus Miller,

Christian McBride Christian McBride (born May 31, 1972) is an American jazz bassist, composer and arranger. He has appeared on more than 300 recordings as a sideman, and is an eight-time Grammy Award winner. McBride has performed and recorded with a number of j ...

, Sting, Michael McDonald, which involved live performances and interviews from his home in Westchester, N.Y.

Equipment

Sanborn plays a Selmer Mark VI alto saxophone. In the early 1980s he was endorsed by

Yamaha Yamaha may refer to: * Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services, established in 1887. The company is the largest shareholder of Yamaha Motor Company (below). ** Yamaha Music Foundation, an organization estab ...

and played their saxophones on the albums As We Speak and Backstreet and can be seen playing a Yamaha saxophone at the

Montreux Jazz Festival The Montreux Jazz Festival (formerly Festival de Jazz Montreux and Festival International de Jazz Montreux) is a music festival in Switzerland, held annually in early July in Montreux on the Lake Geneva shoreline. It is the second-largest annual ...

in 1981. According to an April 1988 interview published in the jazz magazine DownBeat, he has a preference for Selmer Mark VI alto saxophones in the 140,000-150,000 serial number range, all produced in 1967. From the late 70s Sanborn played mouthpieces created by Bobby Dukoff. He is currently playing a mouthpiece designed by Aaron Drake.

Awards and honors

He has won six Grammy Awards and has had eight gold albums and one platinum album. Sanborn won Grammy Awards for ''

Voyeur Voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of watching other people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other actions of a private nature. The term comes from the French ''voir'' which means "to see". ...

'' (1981), ''

Double Vision Diplopia is the simultaneous perception of two images of a single object that may be displaced horizontally or vertically in relation to each other. Also called double vision, it is a loss of visual focus under regular conditions, and is often v ...

'' (1986), and the instrumental album ''Close Up'' (1988). In 2004, Sanborn was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame.

Discography

As leader

* '' Taking Off'' (Warner Bros., 1975) * ''David Sanborn (album), David Sanborn'' (Warner Bros., 1976) * ''Promise Me the Moon'' (Warner Bros., 1977) * ''Heart to Heart'' (Warner Bros., 1978) * ''Hideaway (David Sanborn album), Hideaway'' (Warner Bros., 1979 [1980]) – #2 jazz hit; #33 R&B hit * ''

'' (Warner Bros., 1981) – #1 jazz hit * '' As We Speak'' (Warner Bros., 1982) – #1 jazz hit * ''Backstreet (David Sanborn album), Backstreet'' (Warner Bros., 1983) – #1 jazz hit * ''Straight to the Heart (David Sanborn album), Straight to the Heart'' (Warner Bros., 1984) – live; #1 jazz hit * ''

'' with Bob James (Warner Bros., 1986) – #1 jazz hit; #16 R&B hit * ''A Change of Heart (album), A Change of Heart'' (Warner Bros., 1987) * ''Close-Up'' (Reprise, 1988) * '' Another Hand'' (Elektra Musician, 1991) * ''Upfront (David Sanborn album), Upfront'' (Elektra, 1992) * ''Hearsay'' (Elektra, 1994) * ''Pearls'' (Elektra, 1995) * ''Songs from the Night Before'' (Elektra, 1996) * ''Inside (David Sanborn album), Inside'' (Elektra, 1999) * ''Time Again (David Sanborn album), 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) * ''This Masquerade'' (Warner, 2018) Compilations * ''The Best of David Sanborn'' (Warner Bros., 1994) * ''Love Songs (David Sanborn album), Love Songs'' (Warner Bros., 1995) * ''Dreaming Girl'' (WEA, 2008) * ''Then Again: The Anthology'' (Rhino, 2012) [2-CD] * ''Anything You Want'' (Cherry Red, 2020) [3-CD] As guest * Arif Mardin, ''All My Friends Are Here'' (NuNoise, 2010) – on "So Blue" * :sv:Anders Wihk, Anders Wihk, ''Same Tree Different Fruit'' - on ”Thank You For The Music” (Capitol Music Group AB, 2012)

As sideman

With

* 1975: ''Good King Bad'' (CTI, 1976) * 1975 ''Pacific Fire'' (CTI, 1983) * 1983: ''In Your Eyes (George Benson album), In Your Eyes'' (Warner Bros., 1983) With James Brown * ''Hell (James Brown album), Hell'' (Polydor, 1974) * ''Reality (James Brown album), Reality'' (Polydor, 1974) With the Brecker Brothers * ''The Brecker Bros.'' (Arista Records, Arista, 1975) * ''Back to Back (Brecker Brothers album), Back to Back'' (Arista, 1976) * ''Return of the Brecker Brothers'' (GRP Records, GRP, 1992) With Randy Brecker * ''The Brecker Brothers Band Reunion'' (Piloo, 2013) * ''Rocks'' (Piloo, 2019) With

* ''The Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw'' (Elektra, 1967) * ''In My Own Dream'' (Elektra, 1968) * ''Keep On Moving (The Butterfield Blues Band album), Keep on Moving'' (Elektra, 1969) * ''Sometimes I Just Feel Like Smilin'' (Elektra, 1971) * ''Better Days'' (Bearsville, 1973) * ''Put It in Your Ear'' (Bearsville, 1976) * ''Live: New York, 1970'' (RockBeat, 2015)[2CD] – live rec. 1970 * ''The Paul Butterfield Blues Band Live At Woodstock'' (Run Out Groove, 2020)[2LP] – live rec. 1969 With Ron Carter * ''Anything Goes (Ron Carter album), Anything Goes'' (Kudu, 1975) * ''Yellow & Green (Ron Carter album), Yellow & Green'' (CTI, 1987) – in bonus tracks With

* ''Svengali (Gil Evans album), Svengali'' (Atlantic, 1973) * ''The Gil Evans Orchestra Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix'' (RCA Victor, 1974) * ''Montreux Jazz Festival '74'' (Philips, 1975) * ''There Comes a Time (album), There Comes a Time'' (RCA, 1976) * ''Gil Evans Live at the Royal Festival Hall London 1978'' (RCA Victor, 1979) * ''Priestess (album), Priestess'' (Antilles, 1983) – live rec. 1977 With Maynard Ferguson * ''Primal Scream (Maynard Ferguson album), Primal Scream'' (Columbia, 1976) * ''Maynard (album), Maynard'' (Columbia, 1981) – compilation * ''Hollywood'' (Columbia, 1982) With Michael Franks * ''The Art of Tea'' (Warner Bros., 1976) * ''Sleeping Gypsy (album), Sleeping Gypsy'' (Warner Bros., 1977) * ''Tiger in the Rain'' (Warner Bros., 1979) * ''Objects of Desire'' (Warner Bros., 1982) * ''Skin Dive'' (Warner Bros., 1985) * ''Abandoned Garden'' (Warner Bros., 1995) With Bob James * ''Heads (Bob James album), Heads'' (Tappan Zee/Columbia, 1977) * ''Touchdown (Bob James album), Touchdown'' (Tappan Zee/Columbia, 1978) * ''Lucky Seven (Bob James album), Lucky Seven'' (Tappan Zee/Columbia, 1979) * ''Foxie'' (Tappan Zee/Columbia, 1983) With Al Jarreau * ''Heart's Horizon'' (Reprise, 1988) * ''Tenderness (Al Jarreau album), Tenderness'' (Reprise, 1994) – live With Steve Khan * ''Tightrope (Steve Khan album), Tightrope'' (Tappan Zee/Columbia, 1977) * ''The Blue Man'' (Columbia, 1978) * ''Arrows'' (Columbia, 1979) With Lisa Lauren * ''What Comes Around'' (Planet Jazz, 1998) * ''My Own Twist'' (Planet Jazz, 2001) * ''It Is What It Is'' (Planet Jazz, 2004) * ''Lisa Lauren Loves the Beatles'' (Planet Jazz, 2006) With The Manhattan Transfer * ''The Manhattan Transfer (album), The Manhattan Transfer'' (Atlantic, 1975) * ''Brasil (The Manhattan Transfer album), Brasil'' (Atlantic, 1987) – 1 track With

* ''Can't Hold Back (Pure Prairie League album), Can't Hold Back'' (RCA, 1979) * ''Firin' Up'' (Casablanca, 1980) * ''Something in the Night'' (Casablanca, 1981) With

* ''High Adventure'' (Columbia, 1982) * ''Vox Humana (Kenny Loggins album), Vox Humana'' (Columbia, 1985) With Carly Simon * ''Boys in the Trees'' (Elektra, 1978) * ''Spy (Carly Simon album), Spy'' (Elektra, 1979) * ''Torch (Carly Simon album), Torch'' (Warner Bros., 1981) * ''Hello Big Man'' (Warner Bros., 1983) With Mike Stern * ''Neesh'' (Trio, 1985) * ''Upside Downside'' (Atlantic, 1986) * ''Give and Take (Mike Stern album), Give and Take'' (Atlantic, 1997) With

* ''

'' (Warner Bros., 1975) * ''JT (album), JT'' (Columbia, 1977) * ''Flag (James Taylor album), Flag'' (Columbia, 1979) * ''That's Why I'm Here'' (Columbia, 1985) With John Tropea * ''Tropea'' (Marlin, 1975) * ''To Touch You Again'' (Marlin, 1979) With others * B.B. King, ''Guess Who (B.B. King album), Guess Who'' (ABC, 1972) *

, ''Album III'' (Columbia, 1972) * Idris Muhammad, ''House of the Rising Sun (Idris Muhammad album), House of the Rising Sun'' (Kudu, 1972) * Stevie Wonder, ''

'' (Tamla, 1972) *

, ''Friends and Legends'' (MCA, 1973) *

, ''A Wizard, a True Star'' (Bearsville, 1973) * O'Donel Levy, ''Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky'' (Groove Merchant, 1974) *

, ''David Live'' (RCA, 1974) *

, ''Beck (album), Beck'' (Kudu, 1975) * Joe Bataan, ''Afrofilipino'' (Salsoul, 1975) *

, ''

'' (RCA, 1975) – rec. 1974-75 * Hubert Laws, ''The Chicago Theme'' (CTI, 1975) *

, ''Teaser (Tommy Bolin album), Teaser'' (Nemperor, 1975) *

, ''Initiation (Todd Rundgren album), Initiation'' (Bearsville, 1975) * Michael Bolton, ''Michael Bolotin (album), Michael Bolotin'' (RCA Victor, 1975) * Paul Simon, ''Still Crazy After All These Years'' (Columbia, 1975) * Cat Stevens, ''Numbers (Cat Stevens album), Numbers'' (Island, 1975) * Mark Murphy (singer), Mark Murphy, ''Mark Murphy Sings'' (Muse, 1975) * Bruce Springsteen, ''Born to Run'' (Columbia, 1975) *

, ''Jaco Pastorius (album), Jaco Pastorius'' (Epic, 1976) – rec. 1975 * Phoebe Snow, ''Second Childhood'' (Columbia, 1976) *

, ''Ladies' Choice'' (Epic, 1976) * Larry Coryell, ''Aspects (The Eleventh House album), Aspects'' (Arista, 1976) * Ian Hunter, ''All American Alien Boy'' (Columbia, 1976) * Elton John, ''Blue Moves'' (MCA, 1976) * Mose Allison, ''Your Mind Is on Vacation'' (Atlantic, 1976) * Burt Bacharach, ''Futures'' (A&M, 1977) * Mike Mainieri, ''Love Play'' (Arista, 1977) * Garland Jeffreys, ''Ghost Writer (album), Ghost Writer'' (A&M, 1977) * Don McLean, ''Prime Time (Don McLean album), Prime Time'' (Arista, 1977) *

, ''Living in the USA'' (Asylum, 1978) * Steve Forbert, ''Alive on Arrival'' (Nemperor, 1978) * David Clayton-Thomas, ''Clayton'' (ABC, 1978) * Garland Jeffreys, ''One-Eyed Jack (album), One-Eyed Jack'' (A&M, 1978) * Chaka Khan, ''Chaka (album), Chaka'' (Warner Bros., 1978) – rec. 1977–78 * Dr. John, ''City Lights (Dr. John album), City Lights'' (Horizon, 1978) * Melanie (singer), Melanie, ''Phonogenic Not Just Another Pretty Face'' (MCA, 1978) * Flora Purim, ''Everyday Everynight'' (Warner Bros., 1978) * Tony Williams (drummer), Tony Williams, ''The Joy of Flying'' (Columbia, 1978) * The Eagles, ''The Long Run (album), The Long Run'' (Asylum, 1979) * Tim Curry, ''Fearless (Tim Curry album), Fearless'' (A&M, 1979) * John McLaughlin (musician), John McLaughlin, ''Electric Dreams (John McLaughlin album), Electric Dreams'' (Columbia, 1979) – rec. 1978 * Bonnie Raitt, ''The Glow (Bonnie Raitt album), The Glow'' (Warner Bros., 1979) * J.D. Souther, ''You're Only Lonely'' (Columbia, 1979) *

, ''The Long Run (album), The Long Run'' (Asylum, 1979) – rec. 1978–79 * Steely Dan, ''Gaucho (album), Gaucho'' (MCA, 1980) – rec. 1978–80 * Aretha Franklin, ''Aretha (1980 album), Aretha'' (Arista, 1980) * James Last, ''The Seduction'' (Polydor, 1980) * Rickie Lee Jones, ''Pirates (Rickie Lee Jones album), Pirates'' (Warner Bros., 1981) – rec. 1980–81 * Larry Carlton, ''Sleepwalk'' (Warner Bros., 1982) * Garland Jeffreys, ''Guts for Love'' (Epic, 1982) * Gloria Gaynor, ''Gloria Gaynor (album), Gloria Gaynor'' (Warner Bros., 1982) * Randy Crawford, ''Windsong'' (Warner Bros., 1982) * Karla Bonoff, ''Wild Heart of the Young'' (Columbia, 1982) * Billy Joel, ''An Innocent Man'' (Columbia, 1983) * Bob Mintzer, ''Papa Lips'' (Eastworld, 1983) *

, ''Undercover (Rolling Stones album), Undercover'' (Rolling Stones, 1983) – rec. 1982–83 * Earl Klugh, ''Wishful Thinking (Earl Klugh album), Wishful Thinking'' (EMI, 1984) – rec. 1983 * Dave Grusin, ''Night Lines (album), Night-Lines'' (GRP, 1984) – rec. 1983 * Roger Waters, ''The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking'' (Columbia, 1984) – rec. 1983 * John Scofield, ''Electric Outlet'' (Gramavision, 1984) *

, ''? (Nena album)'' (CBS, 1984) – rec. 1983 *

, ''Boys and Girls (album), Boys and Girls'' (E.G., 1985) – 1 track * Kazumi Watanabe, ''Mobo Splash'' (Domo, 1985) *Harvie S, Urban Earth (Grama-Vision, 1985) * Glenn Monroig, ''Glenn Monroig Con David Sanborn'' (Mamoku, 1985) * Toto, ''Fahrenheit (Toto album), Fahrenheit'' (Columbia, 1986) * Hiram Bullock, ''From All Sides'' (Atlantic, 1986) * Ronnie Cuber, ''Pin Point'' (Electric Bird, 1986) * Patty Smyth, ''Never Enough (Patty Smyth album), Never Enough'' (Columbia, 1987) – rec. 1986 * Mick Jagger, ''Primitive Cool'' (Columbia, 1987) – rec. 1986–87 * Janis Siegel, ''At Home'' (Atlantic, 1987) * Hiram Bullock, ''Give It What U Got'' (Atlantic, 1987) * Brenda Russell, ''Get Here (Brenda Russell album), Get Here'' (A&M, 1988) – rec. 1985–87 *

, ''Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (album), Don't Be Afraid of the Dark'' (Mercury, 1988) * Roberta Flack, ''Oasis (Roberta Flack album), Oasis'' (Atlantic, 1988) * Eric Clapton, ''Journeyman (album), Journeyman'' (Reprise, 1989) * Shawn Colvin, ''Steady On (Shawn Colvin album), Steady On'' (Columbia, 1989) * Eddie Palmieri, ''Sueño'' (Intuition, 1989) *

, '' Diminutive Mysteries'' (JMT, 1993) – rec. 1992 *

, ''The World's Most Dangerous Party'' (Capitol, 1993) * Oleta Adams, ''Evolution (Oleta Adams album), Evolution'' (Fontana, 1993) * John McLaughlin (musician), John McLaughlin, ''The Promise (John McLaughlin album), The Promise'' (Verve, 1995) * Larry Goldings, ''Whatever It Takes'' (Warner Bros., 1995) * Candy Dulfer, ''Big Girl (Candy Dulfer album), Big Girl'' (RCA, 1996) * Ricky Peterson, ''Souvenir'' (Windham Hill Jazz, 1999) * Jason Miles, ''Celebrating the Music of Weather Report'' (Telarc, 2000) * Take 6, ''Beautiful World'' (Warner Bros., 2002) * Randy Brecker, ''34th N Lex'' (ESC, 2003) – rec. 2002 * Chris Botti, ''To Love Again: The Duets'' (Columbia, 2005) *

, ''The Phat Pack'' (Immergent, 2006) * Livingston Taylor, ''There You Are Again'' (Whistling Dog Music, 2006) * Bobby Hutcherson, ''Enjoy the View'' (Blue Note, 2014) * Jimmy Chamberlin and Frank Catalano, ''Bye Bye Blackbird'' (Ropeadope, 2016)

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 * ''

'' (1988)
Played a street musician * ''Sunday Night (American TV program), 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)

Himself

* ''Saturday Night Live'' (March 15, 1980) * ''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

'' (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)

Musician

* ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975) * ''Murphy's Romance'' (1985) * ''Psycho III'' (1986) * ''

'' (1987) * ''Tequila Sunrise (film), Tequila Sunrise'' (1988) * ''Lethal Weapon 2'' (1989) * ''Lethal Weapon 3'' (1992) * ''Forget Paris'' (1995) * ''Lethal Weapon 4'' (1998)

References

External links

* *
Interview by Pete Lewis
''Blues & Soul'', September 2008
Interview
, RundgrenRadio.com
The Greatest Ears in Town: The Arif Mardin Story (EPK)
on YouTube
Chaka Khan - So Blue
on YouTube {{DEFAULTSORT:Sanborn, David 1945 births 21st-century American saxophonists American jazz alto saxophonists American jazz soprano saxophonists American male saxophonists American jazz pianists American session musicians American television hosts Bienen School of Music alumni Grammy Award winners Jazz radio presenters Jazz soprano saxophonists Living people Music of St. Louis Musicians from Tampa, Florida Paul Butterfield Blues Band members Musicians from St. Louis County, Missouri Warner Records artists Verve Records artists American musicians with disabilities Saturday Night Live Band members Smooth jazz saxophonists Jazz musicians from Missouri 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians