Sanborn Sessions

A modern reimagining of the cult-classic music show “Night Music” — described by Nashville Scene as “the greatest music show you never watched” — Sanborn Sessions is a gathering of the preeminent musicians of our time to explore the essence of music and being a musician through song and conversation.

Hosted from his home studio in New York, Sanborn invites a new artist to jam with him and his band each episode.

“We do it from my home studio,” he says. “I have a couple different artists on, and we talk about music and the creative process. We rehearse and work out a tune. It’s very relaxed, fly-on-the-wall stuff.”

Viewers of Sanborn Sessions are privy not only to the phenomenal music produced when a handful of world class musicians gather in a room together to jam - but also to the authentic conversation that arises in between playing, which teases out the various perspectives and experiences of Sanborn, the band, and their esteemed guests.

Lacking a script or predetermined structure, Sanborn Sessions allows viewers to become voyeurs - flies on the wall - as renowned artists from all genres show up, hang out, and play music.

Sanborn Sessions is the brain child of its executive producers—Dave’s nephew, Noah, brother-in-law, Steve, and Dave himself—who understood the unique spirit of Night Music and wanted to revive it for the digital age.

After the conceptualization phase and an initial pilot shoot, the team partnered with the iconic music retailer, Sweetwater to bring season one of Sanborn Sessions to life. Sanborn Sessions was introduced to the world in Fall of 2019.

/ Dave Sanborn

Saxophone

One of the most commercially successful American saxophonists for six decades and counting, Sanborn is described by critic Scott Yannow as "the most influential saxophonist on pop, R&B, and crossover players of the past 20 years." Although a jazz musician at heart, Sanborn has transcended genres and musiccal boundaries throughout his entire career. 

Dave has released 24 albums, won six Grammy Awards and has had eight gold albums and one platinum. He continues to be one of the most active musicians of his genre.

/ Ben Williams

Bass

Ben Williams of New York City is an acclaimed bassist, bandleader, performer, music educator, and composer who has performed with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, George Benson, Pat Metheny, David Sanborn, Chaka Kahn, Pharrell, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Terence Blanchard, Roy Hargrove, Benny Golson, and Stefon Harris just to name a few. He recently completed his film debut with Don Cheadle in Miles Davis biopic, “Miles Ahead”. Williams won his first Grammy Award in 2013 with the Pat Metheny Unity Band for Best Jazz Instrumental Album. In 2013 he recorded with Metheny on Kin; and in 2014 he performed 157 concerts in over 30 cities throughout the world.

/ Jon Herington

Guitar

Jon Herington is a longtime New York city based guitarist, singer/songwriter, producer, and bandleader. He is the leader of the Jon Herington Band and has been the guitarist of choice with the iconic band Steely Dan for both recording and touring since 1999. With the launch of Adult Entertainment, Jon now has five solo releases in his discography. His previous release, Time On My Hands, was nominated for Vintage Guitar Hall Of Fame Album of the Year.

/ Alice Soyer

Vocals

Paris. For Alice Soyer this is where it all started: with classical piano lessons and at home listening to her father’s voice as he sang Yves Montand, Jean Ferrat, Maxime Le Forestier, Bourvil… One day Alice’s piano teacher, who was passionate about jazz and pop music, introduced her to Rickie Lee Jones. Then and there she knew that she had to sing. After ten years, Alice finally quit formal musical training, pushed by the desire to sing and create her own work. Alice’s first album Persona was recorded at the Studio of Meudon, followed up by a second album solo, Motus et Bouche Cousue.

/ Billy Kilson

Drums

Billy is known as a drummer of the highest caliber; known as such for his revelational improvisation and timing, and an undeniable stage presence reminiscent of the great jazz drummers before him. With diverse backgrounds, his project are a summation of his collective life and musical experiences. As the drummer for the Dave Holland Quintet, he brought an element of funk to the band, creating a new sound for them and helped to catapult them into a premiere group in jazz. Critics frequently lauded his performances, particularly his expertise with odd meters. He received Grammy Awards for his work with Dave Holland as well as several nominations.

/ Nate Smith

Drums

For nearly two decades, Nate Smith has been a key piece in reinvigorating the international music scene with his visceral, instinctive, and deep-rooted style of drumming. He holds a diverse and ample résumé — which includes work with esteemed jazz leading lights such as Pat Metheny, Dave Holland, Chris Potter, José James, John Patitucci, Ravi Coltrane, and Somi among many others. His 2x GRAMMY-nominated debut album, KINFOLK: Postcards from Everywhere, sees Smith fusing his original modern jazz compositions with R&B, pop, and hip-hop. In September of 2018, he released his first ever solo drumset album Pocket Change.

/ Andy Ezrin

Keyboard

Andy Ezrin was born on March 7, 1964 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He is a composer, known for Courage the Cowardly Dog (1999), All the Wrong Places (2000) and Catch of the Day (2000).

/ Kandace Springs

For Kandace Springs it boils down to a question that connects past to present: “What would Nina Simone do if she had the technology of today? You could never put Nina in a box—she would do a blues followed a classical piece, a jazz standard and then a Beatles cover.” Kandace grew up the bi-racial daughter of a soul singer in a country-western town. Her dad Scat Springs had his own band but also sang backup for an incredible array of musicians: Brian McKnight, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Michael McDonald, Donna Summer. He instilled in Kandace a love of the greats—Nina of course, but also Ella Fitzgerald, Eva Cassidy, and Luther Vandross.

/ Michael McDonald

Michael McDonald is an American singer-songwriter, keyboardist, and record producer known for his distinctive, soulful voice and as a member of the bands The Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan. McDonald wrote and sang several hit singles with The Doobie Brothers, including “What a Fool Believes,” “Minute By Minute,” and “Takin' It to the Streets.” McDonald's solo career consists of nine studio albums and a number of singles, including the 1982 hit "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)." McDonald is the recipient of five Grammy Awards.

/ Brian Owens

Sitting across the table from Brian Owens, one might get the feeling of conversing with — as some say — an old soul. There is a calmness and self-assuredness that suggests he’s been here before, even though he is only on the verge of becoming the new voice of American soul. Brian has been featured with his band on The Ellen Degeneres Show, Entertainment Tonight, and Fox and Friends. Brian attributes much of his style of interpretation to the consistency of human nature. “I’ve found that there is nothing new to write about – just new ways to write about the traditional, but exciting cycles of life. Music that reaches and touches people is about human nature. That doesn’t change. What makes us vulnerable, what makes us scared, what makes us happy — it never changes.”

/ Cyrille Aimée

Improvisation is not just a technique for Cyrille Aimée, it’s a way of life. The acclaimed vocalist ventured from singing on street corners in Europe to dazzling audiences at the world’s most prestigious jazz festivals; from sneaking out to sing in gypsy encampments in her native France to acting on Broadway; from braving the notoriously tough audiences at New York’s Apollo Theatre to being called a “rising star in the galaxy of jazz singers” by the New York Times. Among countless accolades, Aimée won the Montreux Jazz Festival Vocal Competition and the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition.

/ Terrace Martin

Terrace Martin is an American musician, rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor from Los Angeles, California. He is perhaps best known for producing records for several prominent artists in the music industry, including Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, The Game, Busta Rhymes, Stevie Wonder, Charlie Wilson, Raphael Saadiq and YG among others. Martin is a multi-instrumentalist, whose music production embodies everything from funk and jazz to classical and soul. Martin recently released his sixth studio album Velvet Portraits on his newly formed label, Sounds of Crenshaw Records, through Ropeadope Records.

/ Jonatha Brooke

Jonatha Brooke is an American folk rock singer-songwriter and guitarist from Massachusetts. Her music merges elements of folk, rock and pop, often with poignant lyrics and complex harmonies. She has been a performer, writer, and artist since the late 1980s, and her songs have been used in television shows and movies.

/ Charlie Hunter

With a career spanning 16 years and almost 20 albums, Charlie Hunter consistently ups his game as an innovative writer and bandleader. He has worked with the likes of Norah Jones , Mos Def, John Mayer, D’Angelo and countless others. He is widely considered the authority on the seven and eight - string guitar, and continues to stun audiences with his ability to simultaneously bust out tasty bass parts, melodic leads and swinging rhythms. Hunter has previously recorded for the venerable Blue Note label, Concord, Ropeadope, GroundUP and others. Critics have touted his genius technique, but it's his profound artistic sensibility that propels his original music. Hunter's signature style of writing and performing has secured his place as one of today's great guitarists.

Sweetwater Pro Audio

Executive Producers

Dave Sanborn

Steve Friedman

Noah SANBORN Friedman

Cinematography

Digital

Jason Boit