David Sanborn: Anything You Want - The Warner-Reprise-Elektra Years (1975-1999), 3CD

Over an astounding career that began as a blues sideman at age14 then evolving into one of the most in-demand and imitated musicians across genres, saxophonist David Sanborn is a living legend. Distinguished by a biting, ear-bending tone and a penchant for soulfully explosive runs, Sanborn’s sound has graced great recordings by artists that include David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Donny Hathaway, Chaka Khan, The Temptations, Jaco Pastorius, Kenny Loggins, Todd Rundgren, Esther Phillips and Bob James. As an artist, Sanborn earned 8 gold records, a platinum-seller, won six Grammys, and topped international critics and readers polls.

• On July 30, David Sanborn turns 75-years-old while 2020 additionally marks the 45th anniversary of his debut LP as a leader. In honor of these milestones, SoulMusic Records proudly presents this 3-disc “audio travelogue” that covers the arc of his artistry like no other. “David Sanborn - Anything You Want: The Warner-Reprise-Elektra Years (1975-1999)” salutes Sanborn by taking a deep dive into the 17 albums he recorded as a solo artist within the highly impressionable 25-year period he was earning a reputation for world alto saxophone dominance. From Taking Off (Warner - 1975) to Close-Up (Reprise - 1988) through Inside (Elektra - 1999).

• Produced by Los Angeles-based musicologist A. Scott Galloway with co-production by SoulMusic.com founder David Nathan, this deluxe package explores David Sanborn’s catalogue in an artful approach - an immersive 45-song experience, filled with cherry-picked radio edits, rare mixes, live versions and overlooked album cut gems that present Sanborn at his eclectic, emotive finest. Each of the three discs covers a specific aspect of Sanborn’s vibe, offering a variety of palate-pleasing styles that plays out like three 15-song feasts in one.

• Disc 1, New York Dave & The Cali-Crossover Express, primarily explores the Florida-native’s early experimental years. This disc moves from the thrilling opener ‘Flight’ (Dave dueling with strings over a hotbed of percussion) into anomalies such as the only song he ever sang lead on, his first solo compositions, a co-write with Michael McDonald and a song arranged by mentor Gil Evans to hits such as Michael Sembello’s ‘The Dream’, ‘Lesley Anne’, ‘As We Speak’, Leon Russell, James Taylor, Paul Simon and Carly Simon covers, and an orchestral rendition of the folk song ‘The Water is Wide’ featuring Linda Ronstadt.

• Disc 2, Sanborn: Soul Man showcases David at his soulful, funky best on jams such as ‘Chicago Song’, ‘Snakes’, ‘I Told U So’, a slammin’ live cover of Al Green’s ‘Love and Happiness’ featuring singer Hamish Stuart, his sumptuous take on Gladys Knight & The Pips’ ‘Neither One of Us’ featuring Luther Vandross as a background singer, a rare hip hop remix of his version of Marvin Gaye’s ‘Got to Give it Up’, the digital debut of the dance mix of ‘Believer’, plus two notoriously quirky classics: ‘Wake Me When It’s Over’… and ‘Duck Ankles!’.

• Disc 3, Evening Ember Essence, is a musical massage of Sanborn’s blues, jazz, quiet storm and avant-garde’ leanings blended into a butter-smooth brandy snifter of navel-gazing groove. This moody masterpiece moves from atmospheric pieces such as ‘It’s You’, ‘Naked Moon’, ‘Lotus Blossom’ and the standards ‘Come Rain or Come Shine’ and ‘For All We Know’ to brilliant top shelf interpretations of songs by Lou Reed, Aretha Franklin, Randy Newman, Sade and Wayne Shorter.

• Anything You Want comes complete with tasteful artwork by Roger Williams, exquisite mastering by Nick Robbins, track-by-track credits detailing all the A-list musicians and singers, and an in-depth essay by A. Scott Galloway abundant in exclusive, richly illuminating new commentary by Mr. David Sanborn, primary collaborator Marcus Miller, producers Hal Willner and Robert Margouleff, plus peers Randy Brecker, Steve Khan, Hamish Stuart and Ronnie Foster.

TRACK LISTING

DISC ONE
NEW YORK DAVE & THE CALI-CROSSOVER EXPRESS
1. FLIGHT
2. IT TOOK A LONG TIME
3. HEBA
4. SHORT VISIT
5. STRANGER’S ARMS
6. ANYTHING YOU WANT
7. AS WE SPEAK
8. THIS MASQUERADE
9. BENJAMIN
10. CARLY’S SONG
11. NOBODY DOES IT BETTER
12. LESLEY ANN (RADIO EDIT)
13. THE DREAM (SINGLE EDIT)
14. THE WATER IS WIDE
15. I DO IT FOR YOUR LOVE
16. SMILE (Live)

DISC TWO
SANBORN: SOUL MAN
1. HIGH ROLLER
2. DUCK ANKLES!
3. WAKE ME WHEN IT’S OVER
4. LOVE & HAPPINESS (LIVE)
5. I TOLD U SO
6. SNAKES
7. GOT TO GIVE IT UP (REMIX EDIT)
8. BELIEVER (12” DANCE MUSIC MIX)
9. SLAM (7” VERSION)
10. CHICAGO SONG (EDIT)
11. ALL I NEED IS YOU (EDIT)
12. NEITHER ONE OF US (WANTS TO BE THE FIRST TO SAY GOODBYE)
13. LET’S JUST SAY GOODBYE
14. BANG! BANG! (SINGLE EDIT)
15. SUMMER

DISC THREE
EVENING EMBER EVOCATIONS
1. BENNY
2. IT’S YOU
3. JESUS
4. NAKED MOON
5. INFANT EYES
6. BROTHER RAY
7. COME RAIN OR COME SHINE
8. LISA (LIVE)
9. DAYDREAMING
10. IMOGENE
11. SAME GIRL
12. PEARLS
13. COME TO ME, NINA
14. FOR ALL WE KNOW
15. LOTUS BLOSSOM (LIVE)