David Sanborn
David Sanborn
David Sanbornis an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental 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. Sanborn has also worked extensively as a session musician, notably on David Bowie's Young Americans...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionSaxophonist
Date of Birth30 July 1945
CityTampa, FL
CountryUnited States of America
Well, if I'm really playing, I'm hopefully not thinking.
I didn't try to think what my audience wanted and then make the music accordingly. I made the music and hoped that as many people liked it as possible.
I hope this doesn't sound like false humility, because I don't mean it to, but I'm just a member of the band.
I started out, obviously, as a sideman, and I had some really good gigs as a sideman.
I was playing with James Taylor at the time. James agreed to let me open for him, if I played with him also. So I got to be the opening act and I got a lot of exposure that way.
Mostly because I don't really feel that I have a methodology.
Well, I really enjoyed the process of making the last album so much that it's like kind of not wanting the party to end in a way.
Well, I had been doing albums that were a little more pop/commercial and it was really only reflecting one side of my playing and I felt the need to express another side of myself.
I'm somebody that pretty much operates by instinct, and I kind of have to follow my instincts.
The problem often times with trying to recreate some moment is that you kind of try to do part two or a sequel.
Usually there's some kind of clue, whether it's a rhythmic foundation or sometimes its very abstract - just an emotional kind of landscape - and then you just kind of start someplace.
But certainly the idea of making records that had a mainstream appeal instrumentally was nothing that we invented.
I didn't go on the road until right after my second album.
I did the first album, and it did much better than anyone expected.