Sean Miller’s Jazz Pulse program is back and ContemporaryJazz.com Radio has it! Starting in early 2009, you’ll be able to hear it each week but the Jazz Pulse Christmas music program will be playing at times throughout this week. On the show: Brian Culbertson, David Sanborn, Al Jarreau, Jimmy Smith, Al Di Meola, Herb Alpert with Jeff Lorber, Steps Ahead, Spyro Gyra, Michael Franks, Special EFX, and Elgin Wells.

I’m putting together a show that spotlights new contemporary jazz holiday music as well as some of my favorites. You’ll hear the new seasonal sounds from Spyro Gyra, Bob James, David Sanborn, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Joyce Cooling, and Dan Baraszu & Joseph Patrick Moore. I’m pulling various cuts from a number of recordings from my collection for the show as well.

Both shows will run on Christmas Eve, beginning at 8 p.m. CST and again on Christmas Day at noon CST.

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(NEW YORK, NY) – Maverick saxophonist David Sanborn has performed alongside such heavyweights as James Brown, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, and innumerable others. Sanborn is stepping up in support of young musicians across the country, participating in two exclusive auctions to benefit the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, which repairs, purchases, and donates instruments for public school music programs.

Beginning on October 14th and closing on October 24th on eBay.com. The auction boasts two tickets to any one of Sanborn’s upcoming tour dates (listed below), a meet and greet with Sanborn, and an autographed copy of Sanborn’s acclaimed new CD Here and Gone (Decca).

A tribute to saxophonists Hank Crawford and David “Fathead” Newman, two musicians who helped define soul music as part of Ray Charles’ band, Here and Gone was released by Decca Records on August 12, 2008, and has already received a stream of illustrious reviews. The album features the rhythm section of Steve Gadd (drums) and Christian McBride (bass), special guests Eric Clapton, Joss Stone, Sam Moore, Derek Trucks, and Anthony Wilson, and was produced by the legendary Phil Ramone. One of the most identifiable sounds in popular music, Sanborn’s sax work is featured throughout, with Sanborn throwing down some of his rawest, most thrilling playing yet heard on record.

Now in its eleventh year, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation has restored, maintained, or donated $43 million worth of musical instruments for 1,600 public schools in over 100 cities around the country, enriching the lives of over 1.2 million public school students. For more information on the auctions go to universalmusicstore.com.

You’ve read the review – now it’s time to experience three bass masters collaborating on one recording. S.M.V. – Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, and Victor Wooten – together on Thunder. Read more about it.
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David Sanborn is back with an album that likely will serve as a highlight in his career. What upfront was to funk, Here and Gone might be to soul and blues. Sanborn pays homage to the music that inspired him, especially the music of Hank Crawford. “Hank was the great saxophonist and arranger for Ray Charles in the 1950s and early ’60s, and his arrangements and playing were central to me in forming my ideas about what music was and should be,” states Sanborn. “He had such a wonderful economy in what he did: He didn’t waste any notes, and there was nothing superfluous about his playing.” To help realize the vision he had for this recording, the saxman brought in some names: Christian McBride and Steve Gadd are the rhythm section and Eric Clapton sings and plays “I’m Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town.” Also contributing are Joss Stone, Sam Moore, Gil Goldstein, Russell Malone, and Wallace Roney. I didn’t receive an advance on Here and Gone but I did hear three cuts. I don’t know if it’s a word but I’m describing it as “rootsy.” I mean, it’s Sanborn playing the style that influenced him, and it doesn’t sound like it’s a slick, overly polished record. Rootsy.

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Sanborn talks about the recording and his influences:

Sanborn kicks it off in a feisty manner. His playing on the opening track “Tin Tin Deo” is as crisp and enthused as ever. The next song is a worthy rendition of Horace Silver’s “Senor Blues.” Singer Lizz Wright makes an overdue appearance on a cover of James Taylor’s “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight.” With that, the album gets into a more intimate and heartfelt tone. Except for the peppy Abdullah Ibrahim composition “Capetown Fringe,” you’ll hear a more introspective, romantic mood, notably on his two compositions “Another Time Another Place” and the tender “Sofia.”

Sanborn continues to amaze me. Like Joe Sample, he seems to get better with time. That’s saying something. Some of the sweet sounds coming out of his saxophone are unmatched in modern jazz.

Almost half a decade later, the answer is timeagain, a jazz record that establishes a different sound for the saxophonist. Instead of Marcus Miller, the CD is produced by Stewart Levine. The CD sounds like it was recorded live in the studio with no overdubs. As usual, Sanborn has the best musicians surrounding him. His band for timeagain consists of Christian McBride, Russell Malone, Steve Gadd, Gil Goldstein, Don Alias, and Mike Mainieri. Ricky Peterson adds keyboards for three of the album’s cuts as well as one of the CD’s only tracks that seems to have any programming – the cover of “Tequila”. Sanborn himself contributes the piano work for four tracks. This band sets a mood for the record that frequently reminds of you of a smoky jazz club late at night.

Sanborn covers seven songs including Stanley Turrentine’s “Sugar” and Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely”. The recording starts on an energetic note with Ben Tucker’s “Comin’ Home Baby” then goes into a more somber mode with tracks like the haunting and complex “Cristo Redentor” and Joni Mitchell’s “Man From Mars. The last three tracks were written by Sanborn (except “Spider B.” which was co-written with Ricky Peterson). His “Little Flower” is so damn beautiful that I would have had it played at my wedding. With the strings and perfect vibe touches by Mainieri, the song is an instant Sanborn classic.

As for Sanborn himself, he’s never sounded stronger or better in his playing. His desire to continue to try different things is rewarding for the listener. Sanborn’s sound is evident no matter what the atmosphere around him is. Summarizing his feelings on this release, he says, “I grew up listening to music with an open mind and drawing on different elements, which is what I’m continuing to do on this record. Whether I’m playing Joni Mitchell or Stanley Turrentine, timeagain reflects the attitude I’ve always had: if it’s good, it’s good.”