Alto Saxophone

David Sanborn

(1945–)

Tampa, FL, United States

David Sanborn (b. 1945) — Alto Saxophone. Played on Jaco Pastorius. Worked with Jaco Pastorius, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter.

Born in Tampa, raised in St. Louis. Began playing saxophone as physical therapy after contracting polio as a child. Effectively replaced lead guitar on David Bowie's Young Americans (1975), and recorded with Stevie Wonder, James Brown, and The Rolling Stones. Won six Grammy Awards. Passed away May 2024.

David SanbornDavid Sanbornデイヴィッド・サンボーン played alto saxophone on David BowieDavid Bowieデヴィッド・ボウイ's Young Americans (1975), effectively replacing lead guitar — his sax is all over the record. In the same sessions, a then-unknown Luther Vandross sang backing vocals.

— David Sanborn's Adventures Beyond the Realm of Jazz

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David Bowie

David SanbornDavid Sanbornデイヴィッド・サンボーン's alto sax effectively replaced lead guitar on David Bowie's Young Americans (1975). The same sessions featured a then-unknown Luther Vandross on backing vocals — future superstars serving as sidemen, before anyone knew their names.

— Young Americans (album), Wikipedia, 2024

fact-checked