David Sanborn, known for his dynamic alto saxophone skills that led to six Grammy Awards, eight gold albums, and one platinum album, as well as his prominent role as a backup musician in rock music, passed away on Sunday, May 12, 2024. The statement did not mention the location of Mr. Sanborn’s death.
Mr. Sanborn recorded with jazz musicians such as George Benson, Mike Stern, John Scofield on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, and Gil Evans and Bob James as arrangers and bandleaders. Jazz has continuously taken in and converted its surrounding influences.
He can be heard singing in a friendly manner on “Tuesday Heartbreak,” from Wonder’s Talking Book album.
Who Was David Sanborn?
David William Sanborn was born in Tampa-Florida USA, on July 30, 1945, and raised in Kirkwood, Missouri. After a severe case of polio at the age of three, which affected his lungs, arm, and leg, the saxophone was developed as a therapeutic tool. He became enthralled with Crawford and other people, and by the time he was in his early teens, he was sitting in with blues great Albert King. After graduating from college and relocating to Los Angeles, he joined the Butterfield band.
The adaptability Sanborn displayed in his music career would also become a distinctive feature on network television. In the early 1980s, he briefly joined the Saturday Night Live band before becoming a frequent guest with Paul Shaffer’s band on Late Night with David Letterman.
| Birth Name | David William Sanborn |
| Born | July 30, 1945 |
| Died | May 12, 2024 |
| Age | 78 |
| Occupation | Musician |
Sanborn’s success was due to his harmonious sound, which had a tangy sweetness along with a refreshing sharpness, similar to the slice of lime on a cocktail glass with a salted rim. He had taken on that tone from his childhood idol, Hank Crawford, who was previously a music director for Ray Charles — however, he personalized it like his speaking voice and used it in various impressive situations.
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David Sanborn Career-
He gave a remarkable performance on “Young Americans” by Mr. Bowie in 1975, where his bright and seductive solo starts off the iconic title track. He informed DownBeat that since there was no lead guitar, he took on the responsibility of playing the lead guitar.
He also became a part of Mr. Bowie’s tour for the album, alongside Doug Rauch on bass and Greg Errico on drums. During the ‘Young Americans’ tour, he remembered how Bowie occasionally allowed the band to play for 20 minutes before joining them on stage.
Growing up in suburban St. Louis, Mr. Sanborn was impacted by the blues music from Chicago, and by the age of 14, he was already performing alongside Albert King and Little Milton. “The sound produced by ‘Sanborn’ is characterized by a more intense tone,” stated saxophonist and teacher Steve Neff on his blog in 2012.
Throughout his career, Sanborn consistently and irregularly stayed connected to the jazz tradition. In 2013, he collaborated with Bob James again to create Quartette Humaine, a traditional album that captured the essence of the iconic Dave Brubeck Quartet. In the next year, he launched Enjoy the View, a confident soul-jazz performance with Bobby Hutcherson playing vibraphone, Joey DeFrancesco on a Hammond B-3 organ, and Billy Hart on drums.
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