David Sanborn, Grammy-winning saxophonist who played on hundreds of albums, dies at 78

NEW YORK — David Sanborn, the Grammy-winning saxophonist who played lively solos on such hits as David Bowie’s “Young Americans” and James Taylor’s “How Sweet It Is ” and enjoyed his own highly successful recording career as a performer of melodic, contemporary jazz, has died at age 78. “The news of the loss of David Sanborn to the music world has deeply saddened me,” pianist Bob James, who collaborated with Sanborn on the Grammy-winning “Double Vision” album, wrote on Facebook. He released eight gold albums and one platinum album; sat in frequently with the “Late Night With David Letterman” band led by Paul Shaffer; and even co-hosted a show, “Night Music,” that included appearances by Miles Davis, Eric Clapton, Lou Reed and many others. He was a session player for dozens of top artists, from Bowie and Taylor to the Rolling Stones and Stevie Wonder, and made more than 20 solo albums, including the Grammy winners “Straight to the Heart” and “Double Vision.” He continued to tour frequently even after his cancer diagnosis in 2018 and had already planned shows for next year.