David Sanborn -- Chicago Song

 

I had been meaning to cover this song in a ROY article sometime this year and now I get to do so this week, but unfortunately, it's under sadder circumstances since I only found out last night from a commenter that jazz saxophonist David Sanborn had passed away on May 12th at the age of 78. Although this is Sanborn's first article on KKP, he has already been represented on the blog right from the beginning because I noted his singularly splendid sax solo on Minako Yoshida's（吉田美奈子）1982 "Hoho ni Yoru no Akari"（頬に夜の灯）, one of City Pop's greatest ballads. It's also the article where I got last night's comment telling me about Sanborn's passing.

The Florida-born Sanborn became known to me first through his frequent appearances on "The Late Show with David Letterman" back in the 1980s, and he had this distinctive style that one critic has dubbed a crying sort of sound. His name was such that since then, whenever I encountered his name in liner notes for any song or heard it on television or radio, it was very tempting for me to take notice. In terms of looks, with his leather jacket and mullet, he reminded me a lot of another famous David in the pop music industry: David Foster.

One day though, my ears and eyes went on alert when I heard that Sanborn had released a number titled "Chicago Song" in 1987 as the opening track of his album "A Change of Heart". Composed by keyboardist and producer Marcus Miller (who was also performing in the song), the saxophonist was able to weave what sounded like a typical day living and working in the Windy City. There was very much of a "Let's get at it" vibe and the general message was work hard but also play just as hard. It's quite the funky strut that hit radios on heavy rotation, at least here in Toronto.

All my condolences to Sanborn's family, friends and fans. 

So to give out the usual songs that had come out in 1987, let's go to some of the Gold Prize winners of the Japan Record Awards for that year.

BOOWY -- Marionette

Hiroshi Itsuki -- Tsuioku（追憶）

Yoko Oginome -- Roppongi Junjouha （六本木純情派）