Jazz, soul & blues
David Sanborn
David Sanborn (1945-2024) was the alto saxophonist with the most recognisable sound of his generation, at the crossroads of jazz, R&B and pop. A six-time Grammy winner, he was heard on countless records, from David Bowie’s “Young Americans” to James Taylor. He was a regular on the Montreux stages.
David Sanborn, the sound of an alto
An instrument that sings
Few saxophonists can be recognised in two notes. David Sanborn was one of them: a clear, slightly veiled cry that marked smooth jazz, R&B and the studio. At Montreux he returned several times, notably in 2000 and 2009, as a leader and as a guest, always that same alto song above the grooves.
He died on 12 May 2024, aged 78, leaving an immense mark on two generations of musicians.
The Montreux Legends
Montreux kept precious traces of David Sanborn, such as “Live at Montreux 1984” and his “I Told U So”. But the maddest memory is 1997: that night he shared the stage with an electric all-star band, Eric Clapton, bassist Marcus Miller, pianist Joe Sample and drummer Steve Gadd — the “Legends”, a gathering of heavyweights that existed only here.