David Sanborn is the most imitated alto player in the Pop/Jazz-Funk-R&B style, Not an improviser on the level of harmonic sophistication of the recently mentioned alto players. However, in a funky setting he is the best. One hears a tone and general attitude that is clearly borrowing from Sanborn from countless alto saxophone players in genres that lean more to Rock and/or Smooth Jazz. Not a put down all all. He has tons of what pjw recently referred to as (great) “emotional improvisation”. Playing stuff that leans to bebop, that highly stylized, acerbic tone of his sounds a little out of place and unwieldy. But, man, playing a Pop ballad or funky back beat he is the greatest.