‘Upfront’ Sanborn Returns to His Roots

Saxman David Sanborn doesn’t appreciate the way he has been labeled a “studio musician” over the years.

“I never was a big studio player. I have that reputation, and I don’t know why,” said Sanborn, 46, who played or recorded with David Bowie, James Taylor and James Brown while launching his solo career with the 1975 album “Taking Off.”

“I never made a living that way. I was always on the road with people. To me, a studio musician is a guy who does a couple of sessions a day.”

Though Sanborn has virtually given up studio work, he collaborated with Eric Clapton and composer Michael Kamen on the score for the new movie “Lethal Weapon 3.”

But the “studio” tag also connotes players who prefer a meticulously produced, thickly textured recorded sound, and Sanborn is one of them. On his new release, “Upfront,” his alto is seldom where the title implies. Even when he solos, his horn is but one of many instruments embedded in a dense musical mix. Sometimes it deserves much more room.

Sanborn, who plays shows at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Friday, has become exceedingly popular as a pop-jazz radio regular, but he has authentic blues roots.

He broke into music in his teens, playing around St. Louis with visiting bluesmen such as Albert King and Little Milton, and went on to join Paul Butterfield’s Blues Band during the late 1960s, even playing Woodstock with the group.

On “Upfront,” Sanborn returns to his roots with a collection of funky, percolating tunes. Sanborn and bassist Marcus Miller, who wrote or co-wrote most of the music, had been listening to lots of James Brown as they composed songs for “Upfront.” The prevalent use of Hammond B-3 organ is one obvious blues-soul influence.

“It’s a rawer R&B; sound,” explains Sanborn, whose squealing, screaming solos take sophisticated turns. “It’s very immediate, done live in the studio.”

Sanborn had some all-star help. Besides Miller, whose hopping, popping electric bass anchors most of the tunes, guests included Clapton and trumpeter Randy Brecker. Though “Upfront” borrows some mincing rhythmic patterns and tight horn arrangements from Brown, it seldom achieves the Godfather of Soul’s loose, sweaty abandon.

On his summer tour--he phoned in from Long Island for this article--Sanborn was tightening up his band last week after the mid-tour departure of guitarist Hiram Bullock because of personal problems. Bullock was replaced with Michael Siro, who has played with Sanborn before but never recorded with him. Percussionist Don Alias is the only musician from “Upfront” along for the tour in Sanborn’s six-piece group.

At Humphrey’s, they’ll be playing a lot of the new music, plus selections from Sanborn’s more-than-a-dozen previous solo releases. The shows are headed for a sellout, so buy tickets ASAP.

San Diego jazz guitarist Barney Kessel is recuperating at home after a May 26 stroke. Kessel was released from Sharp Rehabilitation Center last Thursday. His wife, Phyllis, said he is expected to fully recover, and has been undergoing physical therapy.

A late May tribute to Ella Fitzgerald at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, an early June tour of England and Spain and a late June appearance at the JVC Jazz Festival in New York were all canceled. Old jazz friends have been phoning from around the world to wish Kessel well, including Herb Ellis, Charlie Byrd, Jim Hall, Pete Candoli, and Concord Records’ President Carl Jefferson.

San Diego bassist Glen Fisher will unveil his new find tonight. She’s vocalist Amber Whitlock, best known to San Diegans for playing local clubs with the electric jazz band, Cutting Edge.

“They play fusion, but I want to get her playing straight-ahead jazz,” says Fisher, who met Whitlock six months ago and is impressed with her jazz vocal prowess.

Fisher and Whitlock share the spotlight at 8 p.m. today at San Diego City College’s “Jazz Live” concert, teaming on Latin, straight-ahead jazz and blues tunes.

Fisher, 27, is also a member of the local rock group Fish and the Seaweeds. He lived in Vienna from 1986 to 1989, and still keeps an apartment there. He met German saxophonist Sigi Finkel in Vienna and played on two of Finkel’s albums, including the 1989 “Live at Montreux” (not readily available in the United States). In November and December, Fisher and Finkel will tour Russia and Europe.

But tonight, Fisher and Whitlock will be joined by Whitlock’s husband, Rob, on bass, and Duncan Moore on drums, plus San Diego guitarist Jaime Valle for the second set. “Jazz Live” is held in the San Diego City College Theater on C Street and is broadcast live on KSDS-FM (88.3).

RIFFS: Jazz meets retailing at Fashion Valley, as the mall’s summer jazz series continues Sunday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. with a concert featuring saxophonist Nelson Rangell. The series opened June 21, when about 2,700 people turned up to hear Dan Siegel perform from a stage set up next to the Broadway. After their sets, the musicians usually stick around to autograph copies of their latest releases at the Wherehouse music store. The Sunday series continues with Grant Geissman (July 26), Gregg Karukas (Aug. 9) and Special EFX (Aug. 23). . . .

A broadcast on KSDS-FM (88.3) of the Chicago Six’s June 23 “Jazz Live” concert at San Diego City College was scuttled by a power outage at the station. Nonetheless, the concert was recorded and will finally be broadcast next Tuesday night, July 14, at 8 on KSDS. . . .

Doc Severinsen will play concerts this Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 at Embarcadero Marina Park South, behind the San Diego Convention Center downtown.

CRITIC’S CHOICE: NEW TUNES IN CARLSBAD

June was a good month for Del Mar guitarist Peter Sprague.

“I went on a real writing streak,” reports Sprague, who penned five new songs. He plans to unveil three of them Friday evening from 6 to 8 when he plays Magee Park in Carlsbad (at Carlsbad Boulevard and Beech Street) as part of the city’s summer Jazz in the Parks series. “Simon” is an “Afro-jazz/juju” number dedicated to Paul Simon. “Cajun” has what Sprague describes as a “swamp jazz groove.” “New Samba” is exactly what it sounds like.

For this date, Sprague’s band, the Sonic Wizards, will appear in slightly altered form. Sprague’s brother Tripp, the flutist, won’t be on hand with the other two Wizards, drummer Duncan Moore and bassist Kevin Hennessy. Instead, two special guests will give the music a new twist: percussionist Tommy Aros and keyboard player John Opferkuch.

Told that guitarist Pat Metheny’s music had been heard, Muzak-like, in a San Diego supermarket, Sprague said his own song, “Rounded Corners,” has been licensed by Muzak, too. He received a royalty check last week. Muzak will probably never be much of an outlet for jazz, but its tastes are improving. Friday evening’s concert in Carlsbad is free.