Best Of David Sanborn CD

Personnel includes: David Sanborn (soprano, alto & tenor saxophones, keyboards, background vocals); Michael Ruff (vocals); Mike Mainieri (vibraphone, marimba); Don Grolnick (piano, Fender Rhodes, clavinet); James "Sugar Bear" Skelton (Hammond B-3 organ); Marcus Miller (keyboards, synthesizer, guitar, bass, drums, programming, background vocals); Don Freeman (keyboards); Michael Sembello (synthesizer, guitar, programming, background vocals); Bernard Wright (synthesizer); Hiram Bullock, Nile Rodgers (guitar); Steve Ferrone, Steve Jordan, Omar Hakim (drums); James Taylor, Valerie Simpson, Luther Vandross, Bill Jones, Wayman Tisdale, Kasey Cisyk, Lani Groves (background vocals); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion).
Producers: Marcus Miller, Michael Colina, Ray Bardani, Robert Margouleff, John Simon.
Compilation producer: Matt Pierson.
Engineers include: Marti Robertson, Michael Hutchinson, Hilary Bercovici.
Personnel: David Sanborn (vocals, saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, electric piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Marcus Miller (vocals, keyboards, drum programming, percussion programming, background vocals); Bill Jones , Bibi Green, Cliff Braithwaite, Adam Dorn, Michael Ruff, Ava Gardner, Wayman Tisdale (vocals); Hiram Bullock (guitar, electric guitar); Michael Sembello (guitar, synthesizer, programming, background vocals); Steve Jordan , Stanley Jordan (guitar); David Spinozza, Howard "Buzz" Feiten (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Jeff Mironov (acoustic guitar); Hugh McCracken (electric guitar); Michael Colina (strings, synthesizer); Bill Evans (saxophone); Don Grolnick (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet); Ricky Peterson (electric piano); Don Freeman (keyboards, synthesizer); Randy Waldman (keyboards); Casey Young, Jason Miles (synthesizer, programming); Lance Ong, Bernard Wright (synthesizer); Michael Mainieri, Jr. (vibraphone); Andy Newmark (drums, drum programming); Steve Ferone, Omar Hakim, Rick Marotta, Steve Gadd , Steve Ferrone, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Jody Linscott (congas, cowbells); Ralph MacDonald (congas, cymbals, triangle, percussion); Lenny Castro (congas, timbales, percussion); Ray Bardani (cowbells, tambourine, hand claps, percussion); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); David Lasley, Mark Stevens, James Taylor , Kacey Cisyk, Lani Groves, Luther Vandross, Mark Stevens, Patti Austin, Arnold McCuller, Tawatha Agee, Valerie Simpson, Yvonne Lewis (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Howard Siegel; Josh Abbey; Ray Bardani.
Audio Remixer: Paul Brown .
Recording information: 1975-1987.
Photographer: Lynn Goldsmith.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Fred Maher; Hans Neleman.
Arrangers: Marcus Miller; Michael Sembello.
One of the most well known figures in pop/R&B-leaning jazz, saxophonist David Sanborn had a highly successful stint with the Warner Bros. label from the mid-1970s to the mid-'80s. This collection draws 16 tracks from that period in Sanborn's career, with songs ranging from the funky "Chicago Song" to the smooth "Lesley Ann" to the spare, delicate "Lotus Blossom." For listeners whose only connection to jazz is via Kenny G, this Sanborn sampler is the next logical step.
During the 13 years he spent recording for Warner Bros., David Sanborn had more than his share of artistic triumphs, but at times wasted his considerable talents on radio-friendly schlock. Containing more pluses than minuses, The Best of David Sanborn paints an honest picture of his jazz/R&B/pop work for that label. Sanborn's distinctive alto is a joy on both rugged, gritty jazz/R&B like "Slam" and "Anything You Want" and such lyrical and heartfelt ballads as "Rain on Christmas," "A Tear for Crystal," and "Lisa." Meanwhile, a mindless, note-for-note cover of Gladys Knight & the Pips' "Neither One of Us" exemplifies Sanborn at his radio-friendly worst. But despite the inclusion of a few stinkers, this 16-song CD isn't a bad introduction to his Warner Bros. output. ~ Alex Henderson