P age B4
J une 1, 1994 • T he P ortland O bserver
Black Music Month
Sanborn Music Shaped
By Ray Charles
From Paul B utterfield, to
S te v ie W o n d er and D avid
Bowie, to James Taylor, the
saxophone on your favorite
classic song is probably David
Sanborn’s.
T he fiv e -tim e G ram m y
w inner, a back-up for some of
the biggest music stars, has a
new album out called Hearsay.
The musical selections join his
14 other solo album s, includ
ing six gold and one platinum
disc.
Sanborn returns with a com
plex, impressionistic sound that’s
no less compelling for its mutat
ing, intricate nature, bringing the
percolating, improvisatory funk of
the 1992 Up Front album to a new
plateau.
“ I just try to find the things
that I connect to, that m ake me
feel good,” Sanborn says, “like
what got me into music in the
first place, listening to Ray
Charles. I justconnected to that
Music.
Sanborn was 11 at the time.
By age 15, h e ’d m anaged to
endear h im self to local St.
Louis favorite Little M ilton;
soon, he was sitting in with
R&B players and jazzm en in
G aslight Square.
After graduating from high
school be became an established
local session player. A stint at
Northwestern University was cut
short in 1967 when he joined the
Butterfield Blues Band, still con
sidered one of the major influ
ences of the 60s.
Sanborn made his E lectra
records debut in 1991, with the
heavily jazz-influenced Another
Hand and 1992’s gold Upfront,
featuring a rollicking, spontane
ous take on traditional funk.
“ D avid S an b o rn ...ex p an d s
vocabularies by weaving together
the disparate threads of great
American night m usic,” praised
Entertainm ent W eekly, calling
Upfront “a funkified, ear-tw ist
ing musical mix in which hip-hop
m anners meet Booker T. and
James Brown.”
Hearsay took a sim ilar ap
proach, but with a focus on songs
rather than virtuoso jams.
“We found things evolved dif
ferently -- I thought it was going
to be straightforw ard, but we
found in the studio that a lot of
the material didn’t lend itself to
th at,” Sanborn said. “We found
some king of continuity after the
fact, where the last record evolved
from a central point.
Jazz Musician David Sanborn’s new album is Hearsay.
Norman Brown Launches
New MoJazz Label
Motown Records, in launching
its new MoJazz label, took great care
in picking the perfect artists to feature
on their initial release. Guitarist
Norman Brown, whose creative yet
accessible style mixes together jazz
with r & b, got the company off to a
strong start with his impressive debut
“Just Between Us.” In fact, the CD
was #4 on the Billboard Contempo
rary Jazz Chart. #1 on the MAC
Report Jazz Chart #2 on the R & R
NAC chart and #2 on the GAVIN
Report Alternative Chart. It sold over
131,000 copies - a very successful
sales figure for a jazz album.
Due to the worldwide success of
Just Between Us, Norman appeared
in concerts in Germany, England and
Japan. Among those he toured with
are Grover Washington, Jr., Michael
Franks, David Benoit, Fourplay, The
Pip-pingtons. George Howard, The Brown found his when he was just
Yellowjackets, etc. In Kansas City,'«*, eight.
he played to a total audience of over
“My brother has a guitar and I
100,000 people.
used to play a lot when he wasn’t
“The second record, 'After the around. Finally, one day he heard me
Storm,’ actually shows off more sides and told me that I did not have to
of my music in terms of grooves and sneak around anymore! I knew right
styles,” said the guitarist, “and it also then that I was going to be a profes
features a bit of my singing. I pro sional musician someday: I knew that
duced the CD myself and I was able to from the start. When I picked up the
get sidemen who gave the music sym guitar for the first time it just touched
pathetic interpretations.”
me, it felt like part of me. That feeling
This multi-faceted set that per has continued to grow with time,”
fectly fuses r & b and pop rooted in Brown said.
jazz begins with “Take Me There,”
Brown started playing in clubs in
one of 9 original compositions by his native Kansas City when he was
Brown.
10 and although he spent some time
“This fits into the groovin’ side playing drums, sax and upright bass,
of jazz and is a sort of tribute to Wes the guitar was always his main ax.
Montgomery,” he added.
Brown’s affection for the music
Most people take a long time to he has chosen to play is part of what
discover theirpurpose in life. Norman makes After the Storm very special.
..
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Outdoor Party Friday, June 1 7 ,4:30pm - Midnight
Featuring
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Mary Wilson of The Supremes - 9:30pm
At Main Stage, comer of Evergreen & Washington
Advance tickets: $15.00 • At The Gate: $18.00
Tickets available at Fred Meyer FASTiXX outlets, Paradise Cafe, Columbia Arts Center
Saturday, June 18„ 9:00am 11:00pm
Free Admission
9:00am
1:00pm
FRIDAY, (UNEP, 1994 •
PORTLAND CENTfR FOR THE PERFORMING ARVs
INTERMEDIATE THEATER • ADMISSION: $15.00
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SPONSOR! D IN PART BY METROPOLITAN ARTS C O M M ISSIO N ,
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Kids Parade with Alvin & The
Chipmunks
C Street & E. 13th
Brain Waves
Improvisational Group
Comic Humor
Visual Arts Stage
4:00pm
Tom Grant
Main Stage
6:00pm
Swing Line Cubs
Main Stage
8:00pm
KWJJ Country Night
Main Stage
Sunday June 19„ 10:00am 6:00pm
Free Admission
3:00pm
Curtis Salgado & The Stilettos
Main Stage
5:00pm '
Crazy 8 ’s
Main Stage
Other events appear on four stages
throughout the weekend. For a complete
list of events, consult the official
Vancouver Festival Program Guide.
Other events include:
Art Avenue - Fine artists on display on
various street comers around town.
Kids hands-on activities
Beer & wine garden
Food vendors
Presented by the Vancouver Festival Association (206)693-2978