JazzTimes is honored to premiere the second episode of Sanborn Sessions, the digital music show from multiple Grammy Award-winning saxophonist David Sanborn, sponsored by pro audio retailer Sweetwater. In this episode, soul standouts from two generations—Doobie Brothers legend and Grammy-winning singer/songwriter/keyboardist Michael McDonald and celebrated singer Brian Owens—team up for a session brimming with St. Louis sound and conversation.
The episode appears just weeks before McDonald will regroup with the Doobie Brothers and embark on a nationwide 50th-anniversary tour. Backed by a stellar band featuring guitarist Jon Herington, keyboardist Andy Ezrin, bassist Ben Williams, drummer Billy Kilson, and vocalist Alice Soyer, Sanborn collaborates with McDonald and Owens on a number of songs, including the Doobie Brothers classic “Minute by Minute” and Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” (the latter track highlighted by some remarkable falsetto singing from Owens).
Filmed in Sanborn’s New York home studio, Sanborn Sessions explores the essence of music through candid conversations and free-flowing performances. The show’s first episode premiered in December of last year and featured Kandace Springs. Four more episodes are on the way, featuring five more stylistically diverse artists, including Cyrille Aimée, Charlie Hunter, Terrace Martin, and Bob James. Episodes can be viewed at sanbornsessions.com, as well as on the Sanborn Sessions YouTube channel.
