American saxophonist David Sanborn died Sunday afternoon in Tarrytown, New York. He was 78 years old. A message posted on social media speaks of complications related to the prostate cancer from which he had been suffering since 2018. «Until recently he was in a position to perform regularly. He actually had concerts scheduled for 2025.”
Earlier this month, Sanborn had canceled some shows scheduled for May. “In the last few weeks, unspeakable pain in my spine has prevented me from walking, let alone playing,” he wrote. “I was then diagnosed with two micro fractures in my spine.” He underwent surgery with a prognosis of six or eight weeks. “I assure you that as soon as I feel better I will return.”
Sanborn has become one of the key names of the so-called smooth jazz, the soft and pop-oriented variant of jazz. He has released over 20 solo albums, the first being Taking Off in 1975 when he was already 30 years old and had some experience behind him. Nearly half of his albums have been awarded gold or platinum records. She has won six Grammys.
He was part of the Butterfield Blues Band, performing with them at Woodstock. He has collaborated with jazz musicians, songwriters of the caliber of James Taylor and Carly Simon, rockers of all kinds. You can find his sax for example in Talking Book by Stevie Wonder, Young Americans by David Bowie, Still Crazy After All These Years by Paul Simon, Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen (he plays the baritone sax in Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out), The Long Run of the Eagles, Gaucho by Steely Dan, Pirates by Rickie Lee Jones, An Innocent Man by Billy Joel, Undercover of the Rolling Stones, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking by Roger Waters, Boys and Girls by Bryan Ferry, Journeyman by Eric Clapton. The list is very long.
Author of soundtracks, presented Night MusicTV program broadcast in the United States between 1988 and 1990 produced by Lorne Michaels, the creator of Saturday Night Live. She had a radio show called The Jazz Showthe series on YouTube Sanborn Sessionsthe podcast As We Speak.
“I'm not interested in knowing what jazz is or isn't,” he once said to Downbeat. «Purists are combative, but what do they think they are protecting? Jazz has always absorbed influences from the surrounding environment, transforming them. Real musicians don't have time to think in terms of limiting categories.”