David Sanaborn - Straight to the Heart

Recorded by the "dean" of contemporary sax even before the term "smooth jazz" was in existence, this is the only "live" recording in David Sanborn's extensive solo catalog, "live" being that it was recorded before a studio audience in NYC in 1984 (and probably not without some "overdubs" with Sanborn being the studio perfectionist that he is). Sanborn was playing with the hottest NY studio musicians (being one of them himself at the time), Hiram Bullock and Marcus Miller, friendships forged on the NYC recording scene and no doubt while playing together in the Saturday Night Live Band and sit-ins with the Late Night With David Letterman bands. Marcus Miller was just a couple of years into the scene, with his signature tone and funky slap-bass solos on "Hideaway" and "Run For Cover" turning heads. The album features rearrangements of both of those tunes, earlier recorded on Sanborn's studio albums. A soulful rendition of Paul Simon's "Smile", originally recorded on Sanborn's sophomore effort back in 1977, climaxes into a frenzied trading of fours between Bullock and Sanborn. If you can find it, a black and white film of some alternate takes of this recording, titled, "Love and Happiness", is a real treat and shows the interaction between these top shelf musicians. I've recently bought this as a gift after having listened to hit endlessly in the late 80's. Listening to top selling smooth jazz saxophonists such as Kenny G., Dave Koz, Mindy Abair, and Candy Dulfer, this album is evidence of where they all get it from.

My first exposure to Sanborn was this album - a tape I played in my car 15 years ago. I'm glad. I saw him in concert at Pier 6 in Baltimore - I apologized to my date for the show. He said he was tired from the road - and I feel for him - it showed. I have other albums by David - and I just don't enjoy them. This one is pure gold though. If you like his joint effort with Bob James - Double Vision - you'll like this. I also recently got Secret - by Brian Culbertson - whose does another take on the song, Straight to the Heart, that is superb. If I had to choose one CD to have if I were trapped on a desert island - it would be this one or Double Vision. When he's good, he's very, very good...