Customer Reviews

Backstreet

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

David Sandborn is my all time favourite saxophonist. His 1980 release, 'Voyeur', initially exposed me to him and this genre of music. After that first taste, I began to obtain his back catalogue, which included the fine 'As We Speak' LP. However, it was not until I heard this LP, which I believe is his best recording to date, I realised that this was an artist in the true sense of the word. Every track is full of emotion. At times his sax sounds like it IS a human voice. Remarkable! The use of drum machines, which was a reflection of the times, did not hinder but enchanced the recordings, as guided but the deft hand of Marcus Miller. I could go on and on, but, however I will close with this - whenever I hear a track from this album, I am in Germany, I'm 22 and it is 1984 all over again!! It is truly a MUST HAVE for your cd collection:-)

It's 1982 and David Sanborn is back playing HOT funk-jazz on
his saxaphone!His Hank Crawford-inspired playing is set to
ultra funky numbers like the smooth "Told U So",the electrofied
"Believer" and the smoldering title track.Even at it's mellowist
it's cool,loose and underproduced;just the way this kind of music should be.Smooth jazz?No nothing smooth here-there's a BIG difference between smooth and cool and THIS falls into the
latter!

Sanborn's '83 release brought a new meaning to late night or midnight music listening ! By no means is this elevator muzak, either ! In fact, Sanborn was on the cutting edge in using drum machines and synthesizer arrangements without stifling his sax playing or throwing the whole project out of whack. Sanborn's playing is very upfront and sharp ! While the recording may sound dated, it is only in a very good positive way to demonstrate what is lacking in some of today's so-called pop-jazz or r & b instrumentalists. Substance! With well renowned and brilliant guest artists, such as Luther Vandross and Marcus Miller, Sanborn could not have been in better company. This is a project solidly chock full of warm r & b, sensible adult pop-jazz and clever melodic hooks.Backstreet is a blue print for later pop-jazz instrumentalists like Kenny G. and Candy Dulfer. Kenny G. only wishes he could sound as good as this guy (ouch !)...

This album marked a major change in album sound for David Sanborn. Several pieces feature his signature alto sax sound double-tracked, the second track being one octave lower than the first. This makes for a much thicker sound, and perhaps accounts for some of Mr. Arvidson's perception of a pleasing sound in the low-frequency range. The album also was David's first to rely heavily on programmed electronic drum sounds.

Marcus Miller's bass work and production skills are in fine form in this album -- much matured from 1981's "Voyeur." Guitarist Hiram Bullock is responsible for much of the performing and production work in the opener, "I Told U So." "When You Smile at Me" and "A Tear for Crystal" both feature beautiful, lyrical melodies. "Believer" has some happening bass work by Marcus Miller, as well as some cool vocoder sounds. The title tune is worth repeated listenings, especially because of its interesting use of percussion. Drummer Steve Gadd displays some very fine brushwork -- in tandem with Marcus Miller's drum machine parts. I've heard very few tunes that integrate "live" and programmed percussion so well. The remaining tunes are also good. I could take or leave the vocal arrangement of "Neither One of Us," although David's improvised responses to the vocalists are very hip.

If you are down on Sanborn's playing, you won't find anything here to change your mind; but if you like it, you will enjoy this album. If you have the ears to pick up on some hip subtleties, you will dig it even more. I've enjoyed listening to this album since it came out.

I'm afraid I disagree with Miss A. Meniru. I think the two best produced Sanborn albums are "Backstreet" and "As We Speak". Not only are they well produced and mixed with an abundance of pleasing lower end frequency range, but Sanborn is stretching himself to the limit of expressiveness. I think these two albums are milestones and should be grabbed up before they go out of production!

This CD, compared to Daivd's other ones, is very funky and nice. It keeps you moving, with special rythme in certain songs. Excellant as part of his collection.

Somehow 1983 wound up being a very interesting year in jazz-funk production. There were basically two ways to go;you could maintain a late 70's style of that music that was purely rhythm centered and only used electronics decoratively or you could embrace the machine powered electro funk ethic to the degree that Herbie Hancock did on his Future Shock that year. Aside from musicians such as maintains Hiram Bullock and Steve Gadd,on a few songs anyway Marcus Miller plays all of the instruments and heavily textures the music with his synthesizer/bass line combinations. The result is one of a few albums from this era in jazz-funk that finds the best possible balance between contemporary electronics and an organic instrumental flavor and the way in which Miller produced both his rhythmic backdrops and Sanborn's typically passionate playing is a big part of the reason for this.

As with most David Sanborn albums the sound is consistant but the actual musical pallet is quite diverse. The album starts off with "I Told U So" which marries Sanborns sax to some very glossy bass synth type grooves. "When You Smile At Me" andthe elaborate "A Tear For Crystal" both explore slower,late night urban pop-jazz flavors with some ghostly,echoey electronics that were not too uncommon for the era but were well balanced with Sanborns expressive playing. There's also three funk numbers of great variety. "Believer",which showcases the vocals of Marcus has a very new wavey feel to it and even a small ammount of vocorder use towards the beginning. "Backstreet",one of the songs that do feature Gadd on drums has an early 80's Miles Davis slow shuffle to it and a very bluesy harmony to it mixed in with the synth soloing. "Bums Cathedral" is a great fast paced percussion based groove that has the strongest sophistifunk flavor on the album.

There are also a couple surprises in the jazz/reggae hybrid of "Blue Beach",which has a similar flavor to the title track of Passport's Blue Tattoo album and gospel/soul inflected interpretation of the early 70's Motown classic "Neither One Of Us". In a time when many contemporary jazz players were finding ways to sound more and more the same,even with excellent results despite that tendency,Sanborn was still finding ways to sound contemporary and individual at the same time. The result is an album that's very jazzy,soulful and funky and holds up extremely well even up to this day. You might round it out to the fact that from production to instrumentation it balaces technology so well with excellent playing and that is something that really makes the best music of any sort what it is. And considering that Marcus Miller and Sanborn are both artists possessed of a great deal of musical integrity and talent they were just the right people to pull this off.

This CD was "typical" David Sanborn. It was outstanding. "Blue Beach" has been one of my all time favorites -- I decided I must have it!!

Perhaps the greatest modern jazz saxophonist ever, David Sanborn runs the gamut here from warm, sensuous mellowness to tight, horn-drenched instrumental funk, and is a consummate master at both. Though not one of his more well-remembered songs, I think that the best song from this album is the horn-heavy, tropical-flavored "Bums Cathedral". If you don't have this album or don't remember what the song sounds like, I do suggest giving it a listen.