Sunday Night

I purchased my first "hi-fi" VCR just to record this show. I watched every episode in amazement at the diversity and unexpected musical pairings that were presented. Some didn't work particularly well, some seemed a bit forced, if you know what I mean - but the unforgettable moments far outshone all the rest.

I hadn't heard of many of the artists when this show first aired, but that is precisely what I loved about it. Never knew what to expect. Jazz, reggae, blues, funk, avant-garde performance pieces - all on the same night! Famous musicians, up-and-coming bands, obscure and never- heard-from again acts. Sun-Ra! The Chili Peppers, with Flea resplendent in his teddy bear pants - what the hell?! Screamin' Jay Hawkins! Sonny Rollins and Leonard Cohen! Some people dressed in costumes wandering around the stage smashing cymbals... huh? Bootsy Collins - "Dave Got the Funk! He got the Funk - - Yah!" All presented with reverence, humour and a great laid-back style by David Sanborne, who often participated with the acts in some memorable collaborations.

See some clips - - here:

http://easydreamer.blogspot.com/2007/05/night-music.html

This is what TV COULD be. I would like to think that there is a place for quality Arts programming like this among all the lame sitcoms and insipid talk shows that make up the bulk of TV. A small (ratings) place, perhaps - - but a place. It must have been incredibly difficult to produce this show. I couldn't believe it was not renewed after two short seasons. I can't see how it could be released on DVD, so many record companies, publishers, such a varied palette of talent - many of whom are now deceased. A legal nightmare, I'm guessing.

More's the pity...

What I remember most about Night Music was the great pairings of performers that happened. The show was put together by Hal Wilner and featured such a great eclectic group of artists who, as a highlight, would often jam together for a song. The highlight had to be Sonic Youth, The Indigo Girls, Daniel Lanois and David Sanborn playing the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog." Other truly great (and surreal) moments include:

• Sonny Rollins sitting in with Leonard Cohen and Was (Not Was) doing "Who By Fire"

• Conway Twitty singing "It's Only Make Believe" with The Residents dancing behind him in eyeballs(!)

• Nick Cave, Charlie Haden, and Toots Thielemans getting together to play "Hey Joe."

• Todd Rundgren, Ellen Foley and Taj Mahal performing a scene from 'HMS Pinafore,' with Sanborn, Pat Metheny, Christian Marclay and the Night Music band all dressed as sailors behind them(!!)

Someone needs to pull Lorne Michaels (SNL, Broadway Video) ear and get him to release these on DVD... it's time has come.

Remarkable variety of great music, great jams & great house band..Youtube has many great performances from the show. Put "night music david sanborn" in youtube's search engine to bring them up. Put "Sunday Night (U.S. TV program)" into Wikipedia's search engine to find every guest from every episode then search youtube for the performances from the show you want to see.

A revelation for music lovers, this unequaled weekly show flew under most people's radar, and was all too quickly given the axe with nary the faintest trumpet-call. It was a fearless journey through every realm of music imaginable...accessible/mainstream rock/pop acts, experimental art-noise, traditional folk styles, pan-cultutral sounds, and everything beyond and in-between. Better, still, the artist featured would often merge their talents, giving rise to many highly unlikely and unexpected collaborations.

This astonishingly noncommercial experiment was obviously doomed to die young, but its smallish legion of devotees will remain eternally grateful that it ever got a "green light" in the first place. I hope someone out there will one day release these episodes to the public...there are some extremely rare and very special musical moments in urgent need of preservation from this important, if not iconic program.

10/10...absolute perfection. Television as it should be.

One of my favorite shows of all time- Sunday Night and later Night Music was a music performance program (not unlike the late, lamented Sessions at West 54th) which featured an incredibly diverse assortment of talent that has never been seen before or since on national television. With host David Sanborn and a backing band featuring Hiram Bullock, Omar Hakim, and Philippe Saisse, diversity and unusual combinations of artists was the rule. Where else could you see jazz legend Sonny Rollins backing up Leonard Cohen, or one show featuring the likes of Miles Davis, Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Kronos Quartet? How about Conway Twitty and the Residents? Philip Glass and Debbie Harry? Screamin' Jay Hawkins and Bongwater? I was crushed when the show was cancelled, and I dream that at least a compilation DVD of this show will someday be released, but until then I'll guard my homemade tapes with my life.