Vagabond Synth Nerd’s Journal Vol. 182 - A Special Feature on Memorable and Excellent Saxophone Solos!

In the previous article, I wrote a memorial article for David Sanborn, who is not an exaggeration to call a master alto saxophonist.
David Sanborn was the first musician to make me aware of the existence of horn players when I started listening to music. I don't know why, but at the time I thought he was cool... that was the extent of my recognition. Until my late teens, I listened mainly to rock music, but around my graduation from university I started to come into contact with a wide range of music. By listening to performances outside my own field, my capacity broadened and the joy of listening to music increased.
In particular, horn-based performances often involve jazz, and unlike straightforward rock, the harmonies become more complex, adding a certain refinement and depth to the performance.

The music of Michael Franks that I encountered was exactly that kind of music. Although it was a pop song, the musicians playing it had jazz skills. This was true of keyboardist Joe Sample and guitarist Larry Carlton. Michael Franks' music was pop music wearing a jazz mask. The same was true of Steely Dan. At the time, I was drawn to that kind of music.

David Sanborn was called in as a session player for Michael Franks' classic albums “Sleeping Gypsy” and “The Art of T”. However, he did not play on every track of the albums. There must have been a specific person in mind for each track, as decided by producer Tommy LiPuma and Michael Franks. Michael Brecker was also called in as an alto sax player for these albums.
Michael Brecker was also a top-class tenor player who made a name for himself in the Brecker Brothers band at the time.
This time, I would like to introduce not only the album by David Sanborn, but also some of the great albums and songs performed by Michael Brecker, who was called in as a tenor sax player.

■ Recommended album: Bill LaBounty “Bill LaBounty” (1982)

This is a great album by Bill LaBounty, released in 1982.
Bill LaBounty is an American composer who excels at pop song writing, and has written many hit songs. This fourth album in particular is highly regarded. The album features first-call musicians of the time, including Dean Parks (g), David Sanborn (sax), Chuck Rainey (b), Jeff Porcaro, and Steve Gadd (ds).
For some reason, the record jacket at the time was different from the original, and had a refreshing artwork of a man and a woman floating in a pool. Maybe the record company thought that sales would be poor if it was the original jacket (lol).

The record jacket is different from the original version released in Japan

Recommended track: “Livin' It Up” / Solo player: David Sanborn

This is a famous song by Bill LaBounty that has been covered by many musicians. When it was first released, I was knocked out by this song, which was the opening track on the album, and bought the record (at the time, you could listen to records in record shops).
David Sanborn participated in this song as a session member.
'Livin' It Up' opens with an impressive intro on the Fender Rhodes piano. Bill's songs, combined with his sorrowful voice, evoke a melancholic feeling in the listener. One of the characteristics of his songs is that the melodies themselves are sad melodies. This is probably what touches the listener's heartstrings. In a sense, he may be a musician who is a perfect fit for Japanese.
You can hear David Sanborn's alto sax solo at the end of the song. There are parts of Bill's music that are also reflected in Sanborn's playing. The emotional, wistful phrasing of the solo is indescribable, and this may be the reason for its popularity.
In the outro section of this song, Sanborn's performance makes more use of the “ma” (interval) than usual.
As Bill's vocals overlap Sanborn's solo, Sanborn plays as if swimming through the gaps between them.
It's interesting to speculate whether the vocal parts were recorded first and then Sanborn played them, or whether it was the other way around, or whether they were recorded at the same time as the vocals... You can hear Sanborn's performance making the most of his unique style.

■ Recommended album: Michael Franks’ “Sleeping Gypsy” (1977)

Michael Franks' masterpiece, released in 1977. Many critics consider it to be Michael Franks' greatest work. I would describe it as pop music with a jazz veneer, but the way it is played is a jazzy sound, and it is a highly refined piece of music. The bossa nova-derived songs, sung in a light tone that colors the whole album, are unique to Michael Franks. On this album, two horn players, David Sanborn and Michael Brecker, participated.

Recommended track: “The Lady Wants to Know” / Solo player: Michael Brecker

Compared to David Sanborn, Michael Brecker's solo playing is more elegant, and the phrasing itself feels more solidly constructed. I'm not a horn player, so I can't tell you the details, but I think Michael's playing is also of an extremely high quality, just like David's, and that he was offered the session musician role because of that. Just listening to this performance is enough to understand that at the time, David Sanborn or Michael Brecker were by far the first call saxophone players.

■ Recommended album: Paul Simon ‘Still Crazy After All These Years’ (1975)

Released in 1975, this was Paul Simon's fifth solo album. This album is highly regarded as Paul Simon's masterpiece. It won two Grammy Awards, including “Album of the Year”. The members, under the direction of producer Phil Ramone, included renowned studio musicians such as Steve Gadd (ds), Michael Brecker (sax), Bob James (key), and Richard Tee (p), and they created a finely-detailed sound.

Recommended track: “Still Crazy After All These Years” / Solo player: Michael Brecker

A magnificent tenor sax solo that follows a beautiful chord progression. This melodious solo performance, which is different from the sharp solo performances of the Brecker Brothers Band, is a must-listen that shows the depth of Michael Brecker's talent.

Musicians, albums, and recommendations featured in this issue

• Artists: David Sanborn, Michael Brecker, Bill LaBounty, Michael Franks, etc.
• Albums: ‘Bill LoBounty’, ‘Sleeping Gypsy’, ‘Still Crazy After All These Years’
• Recommended tracks: ‘Livin’ It Up”, “The Lady Wants to Know”, “Still Crazy After All These Years”

The “sound & person” column is made up of contributions from you.
For details about contributing, click here.