David Sanborn - Upfront (1992)

Note: this release was originally purchased as a cassette tape, later replaced by a CD.

This album was rare for its time: a smooth jazz release with "real" instruments. A real drummer instead of a LinnDrum. Real horns instead of synths. And, most importantly in my book, some sweet Hammond B-3 playing from Ricky Peterson. Sanborn is here with his most important collaborator, Marcus Miller and they produce music that wouldn't be out of place on their '70s/'80s releases (and that's a good thing). Overall, the music here is more funky, loud, up-tempo, and in-your-face than Sanborn's usual fare, but still very enjoyable.

The album was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Contemporary Jazz Performance (Instrumental), eventually losing to Secret Story by Pat Metheny.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #107
• Billboard R&B: #60
• Billboard Contemporary Jazz: #1
• CashBox Jazz: #1

Tracks: By this time in my life, I had lost track of Sanborn, but was re-introduced to him when Bang Bang was released as a crossover single. Not typical Sanborn, but a fun party Latin-flavored track. It got some airplay on a Houston radio station, where I heard it, liked it, bought the cassette. The single reached #36 on the pop charts, not bad for a (mostly) instrumental crossover hit back then. In addition to Bang Bang, the better tracks here are Benny, Full House (with the obligatory celebrity walk-on solo from Eric Clapton), Hey, and Sanborn's take on the King Curtis classic, Soul Serenade. I'm not wild about the last two tracks.

Exclusive CD longbox photos courtesy of
Dirk Digglinator of the Hambonian Archives.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: This album was originally purchased upon its release when I was in my mid-20's. I had a beautiful wife, good job, a mortgage, a country club membership, credit card debt, etc. I was an official adult. I acted like I knew what I was doing. Society treated me like I knew what I was doing. At my teaching job, my colleagues, my students, and their parents all thought I knew what I was doing. I had no idea what I was doing.

Previously revisited for the blog:
The Best of (1994)
A Change of Heart (1987)
Backstreet (1983)
As We Speak (1982)
Voyeur (1981)