“It’s incredible that a place like this exists, not just in St. Louis, but anywhere.”
-David Sanborn

Thanks to our sponsors, the David Sanborn Concert Event was a great success.  With their help in filling 24 tables—and with both nights sold out—we were able to raise over $30,000 that will go directly to our education and outreach programs, bringing more jazz to more students.  We could not have asked for a better start to our 15^th Anniversary Season. Thank you!

Furthermore, it was especially significant for us to welcome back a hometown musician; and all who participated in the event have directly underwritten Jazz St. Louis’ aim to educate and develop the next David Sanborn or Miles Davis.  Again, we thank all of you for helping us realize our mission to lead our community in advancing the uniquely American art of jazz through live performance, education, and outreach.

Sanborn In The Press

While in town, David Sanborn sat down with Art Holliday of Channel 5 News to talk about his performance at the Bistro.  He was also featured in a segment on KPLR 11 News with Dan Gray.

Additionally, Calvin Wilson of stltoday.com and Terry Perkins of JazzTimes.com have both reviewed the show at the Bistro. Check out their reviews here.

Debra Hollingsworth of AT&T, her husband Mark Stacye and Gene Dobbs Bradford with David Sanborn

Concert Event Sponsored By

Additional Sponsors:

Ameren

Jim and Cathy Berges

Dan Bishop and his son, Matthew

Centene Corporation

Cervantes & Associates

Jim Clanahan

Brad Currey and Julie Farrar

Sharon and Dale Fiehler

Flooring Systems, Inc.

Garden View Care Centers

Susan and Warren Gelman

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C.

Higley Law Group LLC

Michael Lazaroff of Jazz Cruises, producers of The Jazz Cruise and The Smooth Jazz Cruise

Moneta Group LLC

Senior Scripts

True Manufacturing

John and Cindy Wallach

Barbara and David Ware

Saint Louis Art Fair

September 10-12, 2010

In the heart of downtown Clayton.

Shift times are as follows:

Friday, Sept. 10:

4 p.m. – 6 p.m. (includes setup)
8 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. (includes tear down)

Saturday, Sept. 11:

9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (includes setup)
12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
8 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. (includes tear down)

Sunday, Sept. 12:

10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (includes setup)
12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (includes tear down)

Jazz has always been at the heart of David Sanborn’s sound. But in recent years, the alto saxophonist has downplayed the pop and funk influences that brought him commercial success, focusing instead on a blend of jazz and R&B that recalls the exuberant approach of his hero, the late Ray Charles. In the first of two sets at Jazz at the Bistro on Monday evening, Sanborn was at his glorious best.

Fronting a trio that included organist Joey DeFrancesco and drummer Byron Landham, that also made room for lyrical interludes. The set drew heavily from recent albums on which Sanborn paid tribute to Charles and his key sidemen on saxophone, Hank Crawford and David “Fathead” Newman.

Things got off to an engaging start with “Comin’ Home Baby,” an upbeat tune that found Sanborn playing loud, deep and strong as DeFrancesco matched him for sheer energy and imagination. That vibe persisted on “Brother Ray,” which also introduced a gospel tinge to the proceedings.

There was more than a hint of rock ‘n’ roll to Sanborn’s rendering of “The Peeper,” and “Let the Good Times Roll” benefited mightily from DeFrancesco’s unpretentious singing.

But the slower-paced material was just as effective. “Basin Street Blues” showed off Sanborn at his most rapturous, and his performance of “Only Everything” exemplified the art of ballad playing.

Throughout the set, Sanborn, DeFrancesco and Landham maintained a musical rapport that made whatever came next sound at once surprising and inevitable – a strategy that kept the crowd delighted from the first to the last note.

Sanborn, who has been called the most influential performer on alto sax since bebop legend Charlie Parker, doesn’t always receive his due from jazz critics and historians, who tend to equate mainstream popularity with compromised artistry. But Sanborn’s status as one of the great jazz saxophonists is undeniable, as this performance beautifully demonstrated.

Joey DeFrancesco and David Sanborn in performance at Jazz at the Bistro

Sanborn usually tours and performs at major theaters and festival events these days—often in the company of a full band complete with horn section. But starting in Europe in July, Sanborn has been on the road in a trio setting with organ player Joey DeFrancesco and a drummer. Steve Gadd played drums on Sanborn’s European dates, and Byron Landham is handling the percussion for the current American tour performances—including the sets at Jazz at the Bistro.

Although Sanborn and the group opened the first Bistro set on the 17th with “Comin’ Home Baby” from his 2003 album, TimeAgain, the emphasis throughout was primarily on Sanborn’s last two recordings: 2008’s Here & Gone, and Only Everything, released early this year.

From the opening notes and throughout the 90-minute set, it was clear that Sanborn relished the opportunity to work in the smaller club setting. His distinctive gritty, soulful sax sound synched easily with the rich B-3 organ sound of DeFrancesco. And the Philadelphia area keyboard powerhouse added deft bass lines that meshed well with longtime compatriot Landham on percussion. Throughout the set, the duo of DeFrancesco and Landham were there to support every twist and turn of Sanborn’s driving energetic solos on tunes such as Hank Crawford’s “The Peeper” and the funky tribute to the legendary Ray Charles—“Brother Ray.”

Sanborn’s grew up in the St. Louis suburb of Kirkwood, honing his sax sound by sitting in with the likes of the late blues guitarist Albert King, vocalist/guitarist Little Milton and a host of other R&B and blues musicians from the metro area. Sanborn then moved to Chicago to attend Northwestern University, where he became a regular on the Windy City music scene, eventually joining the Butterfield Blues Band before beginning his career as a leader several years later.

So it was no surprise that Sanborn’s most recent recordings have highlighted his R&B and blues roots, with a special focus on the major influence on his sound by both Crawford and David “Fathead” Newman, key linchpins in the shaping of Ray Charles’ soulful groove.

In the organ trio setting, Sanborn had plenty of room to solo, and he took full advantage of the opportunity to dig in and fully explore the full range of sounds in his repertoire. But Sanborn always seemed to find the right balance in terms of improvisation and concise statement – never playing too much, and leaving the audience hungry for the next solo.

Sanborn was also generous with solo turns for DeFrancesco, letting him shine on numerous keyboard solos throughout the set. The multi-talented DeFrancesco switched to trumpet during “Only Everything” (which Sanborn wrote and dedicated to his first grandchild), and added appropriately gruff vocals to classic blues standards like “Let the Good Times Roll” and “Baby, I’ve Got News for You.”

It was clear that all three musicians were enjoying themselves enormously throughout the evening, and the energy they created on stage was certainly appreciated by the capacity crowd.

It was a rare opportunity to hear Sanborn in such an intimate setting, and the homecoming atmosphere that included family and friends in the audience (including Sanborn’s 91-year-old mother on opening night) clearly added an extra layer of meaning to the music.

For a list of upcoming performances by Sanborn, DeFrancesco and Landham, check out Sanborn’s web site.

Highlights of the lineup include the piano duo of Kenny Barron and Mulgrew Miller, Joshua Redman’s return with an acoustic trio, a duo show with bass legend Stanley Clarke and Japanese pianist Hiromi, and the return of the Ray Brown Tribute Band with Christian McBride, Benny Green and Gregory Hutchinson.

We are working to reschedule the performance and look forward to presenting this legendary group in St. Louis in the near future.

On Friday, February 11, 2011, Jazz St. Louis will present the incredible Al Jarreau at the Touhill.  Tickets for this engagement are priced at $150 (Gold-Circle w/post concert reception which Mr. Jarreau will attend), $50 and $40.

Tickets for the show go on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 at 10 a.m. via the Touhill’s Ticket Office at 314.516.4949 or online at www.touhill.org.

Because this show is being presented at a venue with their own ticketing system, tickets WILL NOT be available through the Jazz St. Louis box office or any Metrotix location.