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
I became a musician because I love music, and that is what has sustained me; it's not because I thought it was a great way to make a living. Music saved my life.
But hey, look, I became a musician because I love music.
I do this because I love it, and at the end of the day, the fact that I can make a living at all doing this, I'm grateful for.
I love working with these guys. But I certainly don't begrudge them when they want to go off and do their own stuff.
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.