Horn From The Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story


An interesting documentary streaming on Amazon Prime.
mtbrider
Yes, very good.  Thanks!

One of the seldom mentioned factoids about Butterfield is that his band served as an important “training ground” for a saxophone player who would go on to become the most emulated Rock and Pop saxophone stylist of the last several decades.  A very young Dave Sanborn was in Butterfield’s band’s horn section for several years and developed a style that owes a whole lot to Butterfield’s own style on harp.  Easy to hear and understand once the connection is made.  Sanborn would go on to become a star and one the most emulated alto saxophone players in recent years.  Ironically, that gritty and soulful style of saxophone playing would be bastardized and became, in a caricaturish kind of way, one of the defining sounds of a lot of the dreck that is “Smooth Jazz”; but that’s another story.

https://youtu.be/B4GNci5koi8
Thanks for bringing up Mr. Sanborn, he's a great player.  Here's a link to a television music show that Sanborn hosted.  Check out the house band -- Marcus Miller, Robben Ford, etc.  Sanborn would frequently play with various guest artist.  I believe it was John Lurie who told a story about appearing on the show and being wary of Sanborn.  He only thought of Sanborn as the smooth jazz guy.  He immediately realized his mistake and characterized Sanborn as one the most open, friendly and generous musicians he had ever worked with.  Sanborn would play with anybody and his genius is that he could play with anybody.

Here's a clip from the show.  Notice how Sanborn knows when not to play.

Ah @onhwy61, when not to play. Related is the axiom of "The notes you don't play are as important as those you do." I've seen that quote attributed to Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Miles Davis. Whomever said it first, I'm sure they are concurred with the sentiment.

Sanborn had his own TV show for a while, one night having NRBQ as a guest. He introduced them as "The best Rock 'n' Roll band in the world", a sentiment shared by quite a few musicians I know. Drummer Tom Ardolino died a while back, bassist Joey Spampinato (Keith Richards' favorite, invited to replace the departing Bill Wyman in The Stones but electing to stay in NRBQ!) is quite sick and no longer playing, guitarist Al Anderson left the band to focus on songwriting, relocating to Nashville. That leaves only keyboardist Terry Adams, who now has three new members helping him keep the band alive.