"Night Music" with David Sanborn

One of the great music shows was David Sanborn's "Night Music" from the late 80s. (not on DVD or CD unfortunately).

The show always had an incredible lineup of eclectic guests.
I mean where else are you gonna see Sonny Rollins and Lenord Cohen playing together!........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-esq1ziScoU

Also featured an incrdedible house band with Sanborn, Hiram Bullock on Guitar, Marcus Miller on Bass, Omar Hakim on Drums, Bernie Worrell & George Duke on keys & Don Elias on percussion.

Anyone else have memories of "Night Music"?
Here's some other clips from the show which comes from the "All About Jazz" forum. (a few of these were removed from youtube)

The Pixies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEPi5EQjEpw

The Residents:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLVSn3LCJXk

Stevie Ray Vaughan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7CUuWgZdh4

Eric Clapton and Robert Cray:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpiEPg9-4zc

Ken Nordine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtdCx6OoYVY

Red Hot Chili Peppers (1):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mQyZZGVT-A

Red Hot Chili Peppers (2):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-we504H260

James Taylor and Milton Nascimento:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoOy1Bb2wgs

Milton Nascimento:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NCq2Rrnd9w

Djavan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOP5QrJasK4

Sonny Rollins:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZutZ_vrkmM

Dizzy Gillespie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdUB8dqf7zY

Bootsy Collins:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEnsuEJAwu4

 

I remember one with Maria McKee and Van Dyke Parks. Maria sang "Breathe". Van Dyke sang something from his Tokyo Rose album. They both sang Little Feat's "Sailin' Shoes" at the end.

 

I used to hang around the set and go to tapings when I was 14 (back in '88), since my uncle was one of the producers. What an amazing musical education for a kid, to be able to watch Omar Hakim and Marcus Miller play out (not to mention Sanborn). Some of my favorite moments that I watched in person were Phoebe Snow singing "You Send Me", Slim Gaillard singing "Flat Foot Floogie", watching Randy Newman, Miles Davis, Mark Knopfler, Paul Simon... It was just amazing. Ah, the memories.

 

This was a great show! I video taped them all, and then they got lost in a move.
I was so bummed out. I wish they would sell dvds of this show...

 

Wow, what a privilege to witness from the inside such a great show!

Here's a complete listing of all the shows from the 2 seasons that it ran.

Show 101
Ruth Brown
Ivan Neville
George Duke

Show 102
James Taylor
Milton Nascimento
Nana Vasconcelos
Don Grolnick
Lani Groves
Dennis Collins

Show 103
Eddie Palmieri
Nelson Gonzales
Phoebe Snow
Yomo Toro

Show 104
Dr. John
Mavis Staples
Jeff Healey

Show 105
Dizzy Gillespie
Diane Reeves
David Peaston
Onaje Allan Gumbs

Show 106
Slim Gaillard
Mark Knopfler
Randy Newman
Take Six

Show 107
Marianne Faithfull
John Zorn
Aaron Neville
Rob Wasserman
John Sebastian
NRBQ

Show 108
Jack Bruce
Joe Walsh
Al Green
Highway 101
Nat Hentoff

Show 109
Boz Scaggs
Anson Funderburgh
Betty Wright
The Trio Bulgarka
Dave Bargeron
Randy Brecker
Ronnie Cuber
Lou Marini

Show 110
Al Jarreau
Darlene Love
Bashiri Johnson
Johnny Clegg & Savuka
Brenda White
Lani Groves
Dennis Collins

Show 111
Earl Klugh
Patti Austin
Joe Sample
Donald Fagen
Sister Carol
Kasey Cisyk
Lani Groves
Vaneese Thomas
Vivian Cherry
Bashiri Johnson

Show 112
Judy Mowatt
Joe Cocker
David "Fathead" Newman
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Annicia Banks
Vaneese Thomas
Kasey Cisyk
Lani Groves

Show 113
Curtis Mayfield
Taylor Dayne
David Lindley
Jorge Cameron
Shinehead
George Duke

Show 114
Squeeze
Sam Moore
Stanley Turrentine
Ashford and Simpson
Joseph Joubert
Steve Thornton
George Duke

Show 115
Youssou N'Dour
Theo Diarra
Mar Gueye
Habib Faye
Philip Bailey
Lani Groves
Marcus Roberts
Ambitious Lovers
George Duke

Show 116
Carlos Santana
Lyle Lovett
Chester Thompson
Armando Peraza
Chepito Area
Wayne Shorter
Fontella Bass
George Duke

Show 117
Betty Carter
Branford Marsalis
Willie Dixon
John Sebastian
George Duke

Show 118
Take Six
Rev. Claude Jeter
Rev. Shirley Caesar
Ann Caesar Price
Bernard Sterling
Michael Mathis
The Dixie Hummingbirds

Show 119
Sonny Rollins
Leonard Cohen
Ken Nordine
Perla Batalla
Was (Not Was)
Julie Christensen
George Duke

Show 120
Harry Connick, jr.
Lou Reed
Gladys Knight
John Cale
Hiram Bullock
Paul Shaffer

Show 121
Robert Cray
John Hiatt
Koko Taylor
World Saxophone Quartet

Show 122
John Lurie & The Lounge Lizards
The Roches
Little Milton Campbell
Marcus Miller

Compilation 1
Joe Cocker
Boz Scaggs
Dizzy Gillespie
Aaron Neville
Savuka
Slim Gaillard
Louis Jordan
Yomo Toro
Al Green

Compilation 2
Squeeze
Fontella Bass
Youssous N'Dour
Robert Cray & John Hiatt
David Lindley
Leonard Cohen
Sonny Rollins
Betty Carter
Branford Marsalis
Rev. Claude Jeter
Ambitious Lovers

Show 201
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Pharoah Sanders
Van Dyke Parks
Maria McKee

Show 202
Phillip Glass
Debby Harry
Loudon Wainwright III
Pere Ubu

Show 203
Nona Hendryx
Pops Staples
Ivo Papasov
Adrian Belew
Elliot Sharp

Show 204
Bootsy Collins
Pretty Fat
Carla Bley
Steve Swallow
Allen Toussaint
Karen Mantler & Band

Show 205
Todd Rundgren
Pat Metheny
Taj Mahal
Nanci Griffiths
Christian Marclay

Show 206
L.L. Cool J
Jean-Luc Ponty
Ray Manzarek
Elliot Sharp

Show 207
The Pixies
Sun Ra
Syd Straw
Arthur Baker
Al Green
Sister Carol

Show 208
Sting & Fareed Haque
Carla & Rufus Thomas
Bill Frisell & Band
Mary Margaret O'Hara

Show 209
Miles Davis
Hank Ballard & The Three Midnighters
Djavan
Marcus Miller
Zahar

Show 210
Sonic Youth
Indigo Girls
Daniel Lanois
Evan Lurie & His Tango Band
Diamanda Galas

Show 211
Eric Clapton
Robert Cray
Julee Cruise
Papa Wemba
Dan Hicks & The Acoustic Warriors

Show 212
Conway Twitty
The Residents
The Kronos Quartet
Aster Aweke

Show 213
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Toots Thielemans
Charlie Haden & his Liberation Orchestra
Nick Cave & Mick Harvey
Annabouboula
Sister Carol

Show 214
Graham Parker
NRBQ
Abbey Lincoln
Phil Woods
Shabazz and his D.J.
C.E. Just
Steve Turre and his Sea Shells

Show 215
Bob Weir
Rob Wasserman
Warren Zevon
Artis (Spoon Man)
John Lurie and
Nana Vasconcelos
Bongwater
Modern Jazz Quartet

Show 216
Richard Thompson
Tim Berne
Jo-el Sonnier
John Cale & B.J. Cole
Shawn Colvin
Howard Johnson
Sister Carol
Hank Crawford

Show 217
Miles Davis
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Hank Crawford
Abbey Lincoln
The Kronos Quartet

Show 218
Eric Clapton and Robert Cray
Warren Zevon
NRBQ
Modern Jazz Quartet
Charlie Haden & his Liberation Orchestra
Dan Hicks & The Acoustic Warriors
Sister Carol
Steve Turre and his
Sea Shells

Compilation 3
Eric Clapton and
Robert Cray
Debby Harry
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Al Green
The Pixies
Miles Davis

Compilation 4
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Mary Margaret O'Hara
Zahar
Abbey Lincoln
NRBQ
Ivo Papasov and his Wedding Band
Pharoah Sanders

 

Yessir, just your average TV musical variety show.

 

Check out this rare appearance by Mary Margaret O'Hara!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIhu2CcH7tw

 

If that ain't screaming for a DVD release, I don't know what is.

Of course, the licensing would stop it dead in the water, unless all the artists signed away those rights.

One of my favorite episodes. I think I have this on VHS somewhere...

 

I wonder who owns the rights to the show now? Be worth a few letters and phone calls. The show really had some of the best musical performances ever to appear on the Tube.


Tone

 

The show was sponsored by Michelob, wasn't it? So wouldn't Anheuser-Busch own the show?

 

I believe it's Lorne Michaels' company Broadway Video that owns it.

 

Also, remember that the show was called "Sunday Night" during its first season (when Jools Holland was the co-host).

 

At one point, a bunch of folks at another music forum were writing Trio channel to see if they would show them. I believe Trio is gone now...

 

Sonic Youth's performances from the show were released on their "Screaming Fields Of Sonic Love" video. Must see stuff for a SY fan.

 

The Sun Ra segment was unbelievable, to say the least.... Wild, wild stuff!

 

Boy, they sure don't make 'em like this anymore - what an incredible show! I think I watched every episode, and idiot that I was, didn't tape each episode in full. I would sit there with a blank in the machine and "cherry-pick" the stuff I liked. I have a bunch of this stuff on vhs, I should transfer it to dvd ,along with my other 600 or so vhs tapes!

IIRC, this show was on Friday nights then switched to Sundays? Anyway, just incredible television.

 

I have a DVD of these 2 episodes, if anyone's interested drop me a PM.

Show 201
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Pharoah Sanders
Van Dyke Parks
Maria McKee

Show 202
Phillip Glass
Debby Harry
Loudon Wainwright III
Pere Ubu

 

Easily the best music show on TV, ever. And the musical mixings-Leonard Cohen with Sonny Rollins and Was (Not Was) all seemed to work beautifully and not seemed forced like on other TV shows -Frank and Elvis sing each other's hits, or hey let's bring the whole cast out for a big finale.

 

I taped a bunch of shows from the second season,which I've burned to DVD-R...mine are'nt stereo though...tv station out of Columbus,O. didn't broadcast in stereo yet. Hi-fi mono I guess. I had to stay up till 1:00 in the morning Sunday to watch and tape.

First season was never shown around here in the boonies. I knew about the show and even called local NBC affiliate to complain about their not broadcasting it...but, they didn't care.

Anybody remember LL Cool J doin' "Big Ole Butt"? NICE dancers!

 

Could it have been Christian Marclay (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Marclay)? I didn't catch that episode, but it's an educated guess -- he was the premiere NYC art scene turntabilist of that era, and Hal Wilner was certainly hip enough to book him.....

 

it was a wonderful show.

would never go nowadays.

renny

 

The best music program ever on TV by far - a crime that it's not all available on DVD. Have particularly fond memories of shows 202 (Phillip Glass, Debby Harry, Loudon Wainwright III, Pere Ubu) and 207 (The Pixies, Sun Ra, Syd Straw, Arthur Baker, Al Green, Sister Carol). Especially cool was how the performers on each show would often team up for special segments, and the between-performance film clips were fantastic too (still remember a very cool clip of Patsy Cline performing "I've Loved and Lost Again" live).

Those were the days...

 

I have the Was not Was and Hiatt episodes, courtesy of a friend of mine.
Just amazing stuff.

Hiatt and Cray do a great sam and Dave song at the end of the show.

Supposedly Fagen was part of the house band on one segment (he didn't sing), when he was starting to come out of his exile.