1982 · Album
Sleepwalk
Recorded 1982 · Warner Bros. Records · Produced by Larry Carlton, Nick Davis
David Sanborn's Horn Cuts Through the Smoothness
Sanborn's rough, soulful saxophone pushes back against the album's polished production, refusing to blend in.
Sleepwalk is a slick, radio-friendly record, but it lives in the tension between smoothness and grit—and David Sanborn is the reason. His alto sax cuts through Larry Carlton's electric guitar work and the Rhodes pianos with an almost combative warmth, the kind of tone that sounds like it's arguing with the arrangement rather than serving it. On a record built for late-night FM rotation, Sanborn keeps things honest, reminding you this is still jazz underneath the production sheen.
Carlton had already found commercial success by 1982, and Sleepwalk doubles down on that formula: tight grooves, session-player precision, keyboards and guitars layered for maximum polish. The rhythm section—Steve Gadd and Jeff Porcaro on drums, Abraham Laboriel and Robert Popwell on bass—is essentially flawless, almost mechanically so. But Sanborn's presence means the album never fully disappears into background music. His solos grab attention; they have an edge that keeps you listening rather than letting the album drift into pure ambience.
This is a mid-career record for Carlton, solidly crafted and commercially aimed, not a peak or a departure. It's the sound of a guitarist working comfortably within the contemporary jazz-fusion crossover lane. AllMusic reviewer gave it three stars—accurate, because it delivers exactly what it promises: professional, accessible, well-played. Sanborn's involvement elevates it beyond being just another session album, though the album's fundamental purpose remains smooth enough to soundtrack a hotel lobby.
Who's playing
Abraham Laborielbass guitar
Robert Popwellbass guitar
Terry TrotterRhodes piano
Don FreemanWurlitzer electric piano
Greg MathiesonRhodes piano
Larry Carltonelectric guitar
Carlos Rioselectric guitar
David Sanbornsaxophone
Brian Mannsynthesizer
Steve Gadddrums
Jeff Porcarodrums
John Ferrarodrums
Paulinho da Costapercussion
Where next?
More by Larry Carlton
All 35 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
