Here's the story. It may come out kind of long because it's really two stories in one.

   I first heard David's incredible alto sax voice back in 1969, that's right,30 years ago on a Paul Butterfield Blues Band album which I'm sorry to say I don't remember the title of right now. I had already been studying sax for 3 or 4 years but it really made a big impression on me because I had never heard ANYONE play like David before. A few years later, in 1975 or so, David's solo project "Taking Off" came out and really threw the saxophone world into a frenzy, He was better than ever and sooo soulful. I began studying his solos note for note, his technique was incredible, but it was the "feeling" behind his notes that was really touching me in a deep place. I'm sure all Sanborn fans, whether they play an instrument or not, have experienced this to some degree. I formed a band in Virginia Beach, Va., where I was living at the time, called "Butterfat" in honor of the tune by the same name on the "Taking Off" LP. Naturally, I was imitating David a lot, as many sax players do for a certain period. In a way David was my teacher unbeknownst to him.

   During this period David was also gigging with the Brecker Brother's Band. For some reason, it turned out I was always working when they came to town so I never got to see David with them. Years passed, I was living and gigging successfully in Boston, still deeply involved with studying sax and David's music as well. I got a chance to play with Mike Brecker and later, at a party, we ended up talking about, you guessed it ... Mike was crazy about Dave's playing as well ! I spent the whole time talking with him about Dave!

    Years passed, and if you can believe it, I still had not heard Dave live! I was living in Rome (another story) and gigging well (thanks in part to all the years of "studying" David, and others). It turned out that Al Jareau was coming to town to do a TV show. He needed someone to fill in David's incredible sax fills on the duet of "So Good" for a TV taping . Someone thought of me and asked me if I could get it memorized in two days time. I said okay, transcribed the solo, memorized it in extreme detail and we did it. Al was very enthusiastic about Dave, too!

   I still had not met Dave or even heard him play live yet, I felt as though I knew him though, HERE, on the inside.
Finally, David Sanborn was coming to Rome, I was free and was able to see him.This was in 1988 or so. He was with Hiram Bullock on guitar, Dennis Chambers on drums. The bass and keyboards escape me. It wasn't Marcus Miller on bass yet. At least not live. Needless to say, the event was absolutely overwhelming. Seeing David on stage for the first time was like a dream come true to me after all those years of studying and listening to his soulful sax work. Together with Hiram on guitar was awesome to say the least. The place was jammed, about 3000 people, so I wasn't able to get through the security to meet him. I did get a couple of fuzzy telephoto shots though! I was totally satisfied anyway because I had been waiting literally YEARS to see him play live. It was worth the wait!

    Ten years passed. I'm still living in Rome gigging, (being a husband and father as well), teaching and turning my students on to David Sanborn as an example of one of the main influences on contemporary sax playing, and trying to get them on that wave length with David "behind" the notes. In fact, one of my students called to tell me Dave would be playing in town on the 22nd of July at a beautiful park venue near the Coloseum. We made arrangements to go together. I was really glad to be free that night and my student was psyched because we had been talking about Sanborn for a couple of lessons. (He wasn't familiar with David's playing yet)
   We came very early to get good seats "up front" and as we waited for the doors to open I could feel that feeling welling up inside of me. That feeing of going to see The Maestro. You see, David Sanborn means a lot me. I hope you understand. I've described all this past history to underline just how much I love David Sanborn and what he represents...Love,Communication from the Heart through Music.

   The open air concert was set in the beautiful atmosphere of a park on the grounds of an ancient roman villa. Seating capacity was about 1000 people and it was full. The all-star line-up (Ricky Peterson/keyboards, Dean Brown/guitar, Ric Patterson/bass,Sonny Emory/drums, and the legendary percussion master Don Alias) laid a rock solid foundation for David's soaring solo excursions and there was a joyfulness on stage which you don't often see anymore. I loved every minute of it and at the end the now standing ovation crowd called out for encores which Dave and friends graciously conceded to everyone's delight!

    Our seats were very close to the stage and as we waited for the crowd to thin out, I felt this was the time to finally MEET David. The atmosphere was very naturally beautiful and there was a sense of intimacy in that tree filled setting. With my student, who was still in shock from the concert, I approached the side entrance where I knew the musicians would eventually come out to get to the vehicle which would whisk them away to a restaurant, hotel, or whatever. We found Don and Ricky first and paid our compliments to them. I really wanted to meet David at this point because, when you think about it, I had been already waiting for 30 years! I spoke to Ricky first to see if David was tired or would mind if we stopped him before he got to the vehicle. He said everything would be cool and was nice enough to present us to Dave.

    I thanked David for all these years of beautiful music and the great concert we had just heard. It was as if we had always known each other!
   He was very relaxed and we had a couple of laughs talking about Hiram Bullock's wild personality on stage, the Butterfield Blues Band,Stevie Wonder's Talking Book album, and other concert in Rome ('88). When I asked if we were holding him up he said no and seemed to be enjoying himself,too. It was a very nice encounter. He posed for a picture with me and my student as well. Eventually, after about 20 minutes had past, I thanked him again and moved away. I said, "Thanks, Dave". He said, "Take it easy, Eric". We walked up the tree line pathway towards the exits. It was perfect and David Sanborn turned out to be exactly who I thought he was for a all these years! Thanks again, Dave. And thank you Miriam for letting me share my story with your visitors. (Drop by My Little Home in Rome again sometime)