Customer Reviews

Only Everything

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It is true that David Sanborn has a unique and instantly recognizable sound. He is without doubt the most influential alto saxophonist of the last three decades. His 25th studio release is much anticipated-yet it doesn't break any new ground for Sanborn. Here and Gone, Sanborn's 24th release (released in 2008) and "Only Everything" are dedicated to Ray Charles and his band of the 50s and 60s. Both releases have tribute songs (and remakes of) David Fathead Newman (tenor sax of Ray Charles' fame), Hank Crawford (alto Sax of Ray Charles fame), and Ray Charles music. Both CDs are heavily influenced by the jazz and blues side of the spectrum. Both CDs feature some of the same artists (Joss Stone and Phil Ramone for two examples). While this will please many jazz saxophonists, much of Sanborn's influence has been when he has stepped outside of the traditional blues and jazz end of the spectrum, and worked with such greats as Eric Clapton, Marcus Miller, Stevie Wonder etc. who have been more on the R&B/rock side of the spectrum. While many jazz enthusiasts were pleased with Sanborn returning to the roots of Jazz with his 2008 release "Here and Gone", others who enjoyed the more contemporary end of Sanborn's playing, missed his more modern ideas in his music.

If you are a jazz enthusiast at heart, you will enjoy this CD. If you enjoyed "Here and Gone", you would enjoy this CD too, as stylistically and musically, they are the same. If you have followed Sanborn throughout his long career, since his "Beck and Sanborn" and "Taking Off" releases of 1975, you will know that typically each Sanborn release is different from previous ones. For example, "A Change of Heart" (80s fusion) is different from "Another Hand" (Free Jazz). While I still enjoy the CD, and I do recommend it, I do miss some of the stylistic versatility of Sanborn, and wish this release was not a rehash of the same ideas and styles of his previous release.

Great concept--great song selection--great band. So why not more stars? Mr Sanborn plays with as much passion as ever, but I'm afraid not quite with his customary technical mastery. Maybe it's age, but his articulation is not what it was and there are a few too many glitches in his solos--especially when he double times. Having said that, this is a fine album and one has to give Sanborn credit for taking chances.. I'd have liked a guitar in the mix--oh for Eric Gale if he were still with us. His unique jazz/blues style would have been perfect for this.

I've been groovin' to the new Davisanborn CD in the car this week as I've been driving around. I like it a lot. So many things about Dave's playing are fantastic -- the great dynamic variation, the inventiveness in improvisation, the fire and power in the notes. I preferred the instrumental tracks to those with vocals. Both singers did pretty well with their songs, it's just not what I was looking for here. (Despite being a JT fan, I came to this album wanting to hear David Sanborn, and the singing by Mr Taylor and Joss Stone detracted from that.) Those instrumental cuts are full of goodness, though, especially the organ solos by Joey DeFrancesco. I kept thinking that anybody who had Mr Sanborn pegged as just a Smooth Jazz guy back in the '80s ought to hear his current music. This is some hot straight-ahead horn blowing! I did have just a bit of a problem with the overuse of the backing horn section, though. Occasionally the horns were so prevalent I started thinking I was listening to a Big Band record, and I'm not a Big Band kind of person. (This was also a problem on his last CD, Here and Gone.)

Joey D - Perfect
Bad Steve Gadd - Excellent
Horn Charts - Very Good
The Leader - Good (Very Good if you like vibrato)
James Taylor - (Guest Vocalist on one number) Fair
Joss Stone - (Guest Vocalist on one number) Abysmal

This CD is DULL. Sanborn and Marcus Miller have both made mediocre music for the past decade since they stopped collaborating on complete albums. Those two need each other and they just don't sound good apart. When the two of them did "What Is Hip" on a recent Miller album, it was far and away the best track of the album. But I bought it because that is what I do; I get everything he makes. It's been a habit since I heard "Backstreet."

I'm a sax player, and Sanborn is my favorite. Nice effort, but not a 5 star recording.

I am enjoying the recent CD I purchased. James Taylor, David Sanborn and Michael McDonald have been my favorites for many years and I try to keep up with all of their music.