As We Speak with David Sanborn

David Sanborn spent five decades as one of the most distinctive and commercially successful saxophonists in American music. Before he passed away in May 2024, he recorded this podcast for WBGO Studios — 22 episodes of conversations with musicians and creative people about how they make art and what drives them. The show is, in part, a document of Sanborn's final years as an active creative force. His conversation partners included James McBride, Christian McBride, and other prominent figures from jazz and beyond. Sanborn was a natural interviewer — curious, direct, and willing to share his own perspective rather than deferring to the guest in the way that some interviewers do. The conversations feel genuine rather than promotional. Produced by WBGO, New York's premier jazz radio station, the show has strong production values and a clear sense of purpose. With a 4.8-star rating from 30 reviews across 22 episodes, the listener response was enthusiastic, though the show ended with Sanborn's passing. The existing archive has taken on a different kind of weight since then — listening now, you hear a master musician in late career reflecting on creativity, collaboration, and what lasts. For jazz listeners, this is both a great interview podcast and a piece of music history. Sanborn's saxophone sound shaped R&B, pop, and jazz recording for decades, and getting to hear him in extended conversation about music and art is something the archive preserves permanently. It is a small catalog, but a meaningful one.