David Sancious
Encyclopedia
David Sancious is an American musician
. He was an early member of Bruce Springsteen
's backing group, the E Street Band
, and contributed to the first three Springsteen albums, and again on the 1992 album Human Touch
. Sancious is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known as a keyboard
player and guitarist
. He left the E Street Band in 1974 to form his own band, Tone, and released several albums. He subsequently became a popular session
and touring musician, most notably for Stanley Clarke
, Narada Michael Walden
, Zucchero Fornaciari
, Peter Gabriel
, and Sting among many others.
at seven and by eleven he had taught himself guitar. He was only in his teens when he first became involved in the Asbury Park music scene. In the late 1960s and early 1970s he played in various bands that included Springsteen and future members of The E Street Band, as well as Southside Johnny
and Bill Chinnock
. These bands included Glory Road, Dr.Zoom & The Sonic Boom, The Bruce Springsteen Band and The Sundance Blues Band.
In January 1972, Sancious moved to Richmond, Virginia
, where he worked at Alpha Studios as a studio musician doing jingles and sessions. While there he met Ernest Carter. In June 1972 Springsteen asked him to play keyboards on his debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.
. However when Springsteen began touring with what is now considered the unofficial start of the E Street Band in October 1972, Sancious was not with them, having in July 1972 returned to Richmond and Alpha Studios and recorded some demos with Carter and Garry Tallent
. (Producer/songwriter Wes Farrell
owned the rights to these demos and in 1976 he released them as David Sancious without permission.)
Thus, it is debatable whether Sancious was a founding member of the E Street Band, since the band would not be officially known or billed as such until September 1974. In any case, Sancious was certainly a member of the early Springsteen musical entourage; indeed, legend has it that the band took its name from the street in Belmar, New Jersey
, where Sancious' mother lived, as she had allowed the band to rehearse in her home.
From June 1973 Sancious began to tour regularly with the E Street Band. He added an extra dimension to the band's early sound. Equally influenced by Mozart or Thelonious Monk
, he would frequently use classical music or jazz
during intros or instrumental breaks. Springsteen's second album, The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle, was a showcase for Sancious' talents. His most notable contributions include an organ
solo on "Kitty's Back" and an evocative piano intro on "New York City Serenade". He is also credited with the string arrangement on the latter song, and even played soprano saxophone
on "The E Street Shuffle".
In February 1974 drummer Vini Lopez left the E Street Band and Sancious recommended his friend, Ernest Carter, as a replacement. Later in the year Sancious and Carter helped record the title track
of Springsteen's third album Born to Run
.
, Gayle Moran
(from Return To Forever
and The Mahavishnu Orchestra
), and future Santana
vocalist Alex Ligertwood
. Springsteen encouraged Sancious in his solo career and made sure music executives heard his demos, leading to a contract with Epic Records
.
Tone's 1975 debut album Forest Of Feelings was produced by Billy Cobham
. Sancious' work with Tone was a radical departure from the music he played with Springsteen; Tone explored progressive rock and instrumental jazz fusion and had more in common with Yes
or early Genesis
than Sancious' former boss.
Another album, Transformation (The Speed Of Love), followed in 1976, and a third album, Dance Of The Age Of Enlightenment, was recorded. However a dispute between Epic and Sancious' new label, Arista Records
, over ownership rights meant it was shelved. It would not be released until 2004. One more Tone album, True Stories, came out in 1978 but the band subsequently broke up.
Sancious released two solo albums, Just As I Thought (1979) and The Bridge (1980), and then put his solo career on hold. On Sunday, December 14, 1980, during the ten minutes' silence organized in memory of the recently-murdered John Lennon
, Sancious performed an extended improvisation based upon Lennon's Across the Universe
. Commissioned by New York radio station WNEW-FM, the solo piano performance was broadcast live, with no audience present, from the empty stage of the Capitol Theatre (Passaic)
.
has referred to him as
the "musician's musician." Consequently he has never been out of work.
Even when trying to establish himself as a solo artist, his skills were sought after and in the 1970s he was popular among the jazz fusion circuit. He toured and recorded with Stanley Clarke
, playing guitar and keyboards in a band that included John McLaughlin
and Billy Cobham
.
In 1977 Sancious guested on the debut album by Narada Michael Walden
. This was the first of several collaborations with the producer/songwriter. In the 1980s Walden regularly used a group of session musicians that included Sancious, Randy Jackson
, and Corrado Rustici. These musicians recorded sessions with, among others, Aretha Franklin
, Patti Austin
, and E Streeter Clarence Clemons
, all produced by Walden. Rustici also established himself as a producer, most notably with fellow Italian, Zucchero Fornaciari. Sancious, Walden, and Jackson played on Zucchero's Rispetto, produced by Rustici. This was the first of several albums Sancious would record with Zucchero.
During the early 1980s he linked up again with Billy Cobham
as a member of Jack Bruce & Friends and played with the band on The Old Grey Whistle Test and Rockpalast
. He was then reunited with Alex Ligertwood
when both were members of Santana
.
In 1982, David recorded and toured with Jon Anderson
of YES
. Jon's, Animation album features David extensively. On Jon's Spring and Summer 1982 US Animation tour, David showcased his Piano and Synthesizer prowess on several YES
tunes as well as Jon Anderson
tunes. But Jon wanted Sancious to get some real exposure so he included one of David's solo works in the set. The Play and Display of the Heart, track 3 on David's, Transformation (The Speed of Love), album was a regular showstopper. You can hear an entire Animation concert at Wolfgang's Vault
http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/dt/jon-anderson-concert/20049562-3594.html
By 1988 Sancious was a member of Peter Gabriel's touring band and he played with the singer during the Amnesty International
Human Rights Now! Tour
. This led to a mini-reunion with Springsteen and the E Street Band, with Sancious sitting in on several occasions throughout the tour. He also recorded some new sessions with Springsteen which were later released on Human Touch
and Tracks.
He would also record and tour with two of that tour's other headliners, Sting and Youssou N'Dour
. He played keyboards on Sting's The Soul Cages
and Ten Summoner's Tales
albums and toured with Sting in support of both.
Other session and touring work Sancious has done includes Living Colour
, Seal
, Bryan Ferry
, Julia Fordham
, Robbie Dupree
, Natalie Merchant
, Eric Clapton
, Jon Anderson
of Yes
, and Hall & Oates
.
More recently Sancious has released two new solo recordings,
Nine Piano Improvisations (2000) and Cinema (2005). In 2006, Sancious teamed up with guitarist and singer /songwriter Francis Dunnery
to play keyboards and make a several live appearances for Dunnery's The Gulley Flats Boys.
In 2003 David recorded Robbie Dupree with David Sancious and received wide appeal for this very intimate recording. This 9 song CD was well received in jazz circles across the United States and Europe.
In 2005 Sancious would be interviewed for, and featured in, the Wings For Wheels documentary included on the Born to Run 30th Anniversary Edition re-release of the famed Springsteen song and album.
In 2007 David released LIVE in the now, a selection of recordings of live performances by Sancious featuring drummer Joe Bonadio on several tracks.
In 2007 and 2008 Sancious toured with Zucchero Fornaciari during the "Fly" and "All The Best" world tours.
In 2009, Sancious toured Australia, New Zealand, and Japan on keyboards with Jeff Beck
, who was accompanied by Vinnie Colaiuta
on drums and Tal Wilkenfeld
on bass.
In 2010, Sancious toured the UK with Francis Dunnery "Fearless Tour", Tony Beard on drums, Jamie Bishop on bass & Dorie Jackson vocals
01 | Carried Away
02 | Month of Sundays
03 | Walls Come Down
04 | This is Life
05 | Return to Her
06 | Wings
07 | Desperation
08 | In Real Life
09 | Sunny Day
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. He was an early member of Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
's backing group, the E Street Band
E Street Band
The E Street Band has been rock musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972.The band has also recorded with a wide range of other artists including Bob Dylan, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Nicks, Tom Morello, Sting, Ian...
, and contributed to the first three Springsteen albums, and again on the 1992 album Human Touch
Human Touch
Human Touch is the ninth studio album by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1992 . This album was co-released on the same day as Lucky Town...
. Sancious is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known as a keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
player and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
. He left the E Street Band in 1974 to form his own band, Tone, and released several albums. He subsequently became a popular session
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
and touring musician, most notably for Stanley Clarke
Stanley Clarke
Stanley Clarke is an American jazz musician and composer known for his innovative and influential work on double bass and electric bass guitar as well as for his numerous film and television scores...
, Narada Michael Walden
Narada Michael Walden
Narada Michael Walden is an American producer, drummer, singer, and songwriter. He was given the name Narada by guru Sri Chinmoy in the early 1970s and his musical career spans three decades, in which he was awarded several gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards...
, Zucchero Fornaciari
Zucchero
Adelmo Fornaciari, Commander , more commonly known by his stage name Zucchero Fornaciari or simply Zucchero /ˈtsukkero/, is an Italian rock singer. His music is largely inspired by gospel, blues and rock music, and alternates between ballads and more rhythmic boogie-like pieces.Zucchero is the...
, Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, and Sting among many others.
Work with Bruce Springsteen
Sancious began to learn classical pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
at seven and by eleven he had taught himself guitar. He was only in his teens when he first became involved in the Asbury Park music scene. In the late 1960s and early 1970s he played in various bands that included Springsteen and future members of The E Street Band, as well as Southside Johnny
Southside Johnny
Southside Johnny is an American singer-songwriter, who usually fronts his band Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes.-Early days:...
and Bill Chinnock
Bill Chinnock
Bill Chinnock , also referred to as Billy Chinnock, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, he was a prominent member of the Jersey Shore music scene during the late 1960s, leading bands that included future members of the E Street Band...
. These bands included Glory Road, Dr.Zoom & The Sonic Boom, The Bruce Springsteen Band and The Sundance Blues Band.
In January 1972, Sancious moved to Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, where he worked at Alpha Studios as a studio musician doing jingles and sessions. While there he met Ernest Carter. In June 1972 Springsteen asked him to play keyboards on his debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.
Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.
Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. is the first studio album by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1973. It only sold about 25,000 copies in the first year of its release, but had significant critical impact...
. However when Springsteen began touring with what is now considered the unofficial start of the E Street Band in October 1972, Sancious was not with them, having in July 1972 returned to Richmond and Alpha Studios and recorded some demos with Carter and Garry Tallent
Garry Tallent
Garry Wayne Tallent , sometimes billed as Garry W. Tallent, is an American musician and record producer, best known for being the longtime bass player in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band....
. (Producer/songwriter Wes Farrell
Wes Farrell
Wes Farrell was an American musician, songwriter and record producer, who was most active in the 1960s and 1970s...
owned the rights to these demos and in 1976 he released them as David Sancious without permission.)
Thus, it is debatable whether Sancious was a founding member of the E Street Band, since the band would not be officially known or billed as such until September 1974. In any case, Sancious was certainly a member of the early Springsteen musical entourage; indeed, legend has it that the band took its name from the street in Belmar, New Jersey
Belmar, New Jersey
Belmar is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,794. The Borough of Belmar is governed under the Faulkner Act system of municipal government....
, where Sancious' mother lived, as she had allowed the band to rehearse in her home.
From June 1973 Sancious began to tour regularly with the E Street Band. He added an extra dimension to the band's early sound. Equally influenced by Mozart or Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
, he would frequently use classical music or jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
during intros or instrumental breaks. Springsteen's second album, The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle, was a showcase for Sancious' talents. His most notable contributions include an organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
solo on "Kitty's Back" and an evocative piano intro on "New York City Serenade". He is also credited with the string arrangement on the latter song, and even played soprano saxophone
Soprano saxophone
The soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in...
on "The E Street Shuffle".
In February 1974 drummer Vini Lopez left the E Street Band and Sancious recommended his friend, Ernest Carter, as a replacement. Later in the year Sancious and Carter helped record the title track
Born to Run (song)
"Born to Run" is a song by American singer songwriter Bruce Springsteen, and the title song of his album Born to Run.- Songwriting :Written at in Long Branch, New Jersey in early 1974, the song was Bruce Springsteen's last-ditch effort to make it big. The prior year, Springsteen had released two...
of Springsteen's third album Born to Run
Born to Run
The album's release was accompanied by a $250,000 promotional campaign by Columbia directed at both consumers and the music industry, making good use of Landau's "I saw rock 'n' roll's future—and its name is Bruce Springsteen" quote. With much publicity, Born to Run vaulted into the top 10 in its...
.
David Sancious & Tone
In August 1974 Sancious and Carter left the E Street Band and formed their own band Tone with Gerald Carboy (bass). At various times the band would feature Patti ScialfaPatti Scialfa
Vivienne Patricia "Patti" Scialfa is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She is married to Bruce Springsteen and they have three children.- Early life :...
, Gayle Moran
Gayle Moran
Gayle Moran is a vocalist, keyboard player , and songwriter. She was a member of the Mahavishnu Orchestra during the middle 70s, appearing on Apocalypse and Visions of the Emerald Beyond . She later appeared on recordings by Return to Forever, e.g. Musicmagic , and Chick Corea, e.g...
(from Return To Forever
Chick Corea
Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer.Many of his compositions are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis' band in the 1960s, he participated in the birth of the electric jazz fusion movement. In the 1970s he formed Return to Forever...
and The Mahavishnu Orchestra
The Mahavishnu Orchestra
The Mahavishnu Orchestra was a jazz fusion group, led by John McLaughlin, that debuted in 1971, dissolved in 1976 and reunited from 1984 to 1987.-First Mahavishnu Orchestra:...
), and future Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
vocalist Alex Ligertwood
Alex Ligertwood
Alex Ligertwood is a Scottish singer, guitarist and drummer, best known as the lead vocalist of Santana...
. Springsteen encouraged Sancious in his solo career and made sure music executives heard his demos, leading to a contract with Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
.
Tone's 1975 debut album Forest Of Feelings was produced by Billy Cobham
Billy Cobham
William C. Cobham is a Panamanian American jazz drummer, composer and bandleader, who has called Switzerland home since the late 1970s....
. Sancious' work with Tone was a radical departure from the music he played with Springsteen; Tone explored progressive rock and instrumental jazz fusion and had more in common with Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
or early Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
than Sancious' former boss.
Another album, Transformation (The Speed Of Love), followed in 1976, and a third album, Dance Of The Age Of Enlightenment, was recorded. However a dispute between Epic and Sancious' new label, Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
, over ownership rights meant it was shelved. It would not be released until 2004. One more Tone album, True Stories, came out in 1978 but the band subsequently broke up.
Sancious released two solo albums, Just As I Thought (1979) and The Bridge (1980), and then put his solo career on hold. On Sunday, December 14, 1980, during the ten minutes' silence organized in memory of the recently-murdered John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Sancious performed an extended improvisation based upon Lennon's Across the Universe
Across the Universe
"Across the Universe" is a song by the English group The Beatles. It was written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song first appeared on the various artists charity compilation album No One's Gonna Change Our World in December 1969, and later, in different form, on Let It Be,...
. Commissioned by New York radio station WNEW-FM, the solo piano performance was broadcast live, with no audience present, from the empty stage of the Capitol Theatre (Passaic)
Capitol Theatre (Passaic)
The Capitol Theatre was an entertainment venue located at the intersection of Monroe Street and Central Avenue in Passaic, New Jersey. Built in 1926 as a vaudeville house, the Capitol later served as a movie theater and a venue for rock concerts.Throughout the 1970s and into the mid 1980s, the...
.
Session and touring musician
Sancious has worked on everything from classical to rock, jazz, blues, and funk. While this has, perhaps, hindered his solo career, it has won him the respect of his peers; Peter GabrielPeter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
has referred to him as
the "musician's musician." Consequently he has never been out of work.
Even when trying to establish himself as a solo artist, his skills were sought after and in the 1970s he was popular among the jazz fusion circuit. He toured and recorded with Stanley Clarke
Stanley Clarke
Stanley Clarke is an American jazz musician and composer known for his innovative and influential work on double bass and electric bass guitar as well as for his numerous film and television scores...
, playing guitar and keyboards in a band that included John McLaughlin
John McLaughlin (musician)
John McLaughlin , also known as Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, is an English guitarist, bandleader and composer...
and Billy Cobham
Billy Cobham
William C. Cobham is a Panamanian American jazz drummer, composer and bandleader, who has called Switzerland home since the late 1970s....
.
In 1977 Sancious guested on the debut album by Narada Michael Walden
Narada Michael Walden
Narada Michael Walden is an American producer, drummer, singer, and songwriter. He was given the name Narada by guru Sri Chinmoy in the early 1970s and his musical career spans three decades, in which he was awarded several gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards...
. This was the first of several collaborations with the producer/songwriter. In the 1980s Walden regularly used a group of session musicians that included Sancious, Randy Jackson
Randy Jackson
Randall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
, and Corrado Rustici. These musicians recorded sessions with, among others, Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, Patti Austin
Patti Austin
-Life and career:Austin was born in Harlem, New York. She made her debut at the Apollo Theater at age four and had a contract with RCA Records when she was only five. Quincy Jones and Dinah Washington have proclaimed themselves as her godparents....
, and E Streeter Clarence Clemons
Clarence Clemons
Clarence Anicholas Clemons, Jr. , also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death, he was a prominent member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, playing the tenor saxophone. He released several solo albums and in 1985, had a hit single with "You're a...
, all produced by Walden. Rustici also established himself as a producer, most notably with fellow Italian, Zucchero Fornaciari. Sancious, Walden, and Jackson played on Zucchero's Rispetto, produced by Rustici. This was the first of several albums Sancious would record with Zucchero.
During the early 1980s he linked up again with Billy Cobham
Billy Cobham
William C. Cobham is a Panamanian American jazz drummer, composer and bandleader, who has called Switzerland home since the late 1970s....
as a member of Jack Bruce & Friends and played with the band on The Old Grey Whistle Test and Rockpalast
Rockpalast
Rockpalast is a German music television show that broadcasts live on German television station Westdeutscher Rundfunk . Rockpalast started in 1974 and continues to this day. Hundreds of rock and jazz bands have performed on Rockpalast...
. He was then reunited with Alex Ligertwood
Alex Ligertwood
Alex Ligertwood is a Scottish singer, guitarist and drummer, best known as the lead vocalist of Santana...
when both were members of Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
.
In 1982, David recorded and toured with Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
of YES
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
. Jon's, Animation album features David extensively. On Jon's Spring and Summer 1982 US Animation tour, David showcased his Piano and Synthesizer prowess on several YES
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
tunes as well as Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
tunes. But Jon wanted Sancious to get some real exposure so he included one of David's solo works in the set. The Play and Display of the Heart, track 3 on David's, Transformation (The Speed of Love), album was a regular showstopper. You can hear an entire Animation concert at Wolfgang's Vault
Wolfgang's Vault
Wolfgang's Vault is a private music-focused company established in 2003 dedicated to the restoration and archiving of live concert recordings in audio and video format and the sale of music memorabilia. It began with the collection of the late promoter Bill Graham, and added multiple other music...
http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/dt/jon-anderson-concert/20049562-3594.html
By 1988 Sancious was a member of Peter Gabriel's touring band and he played with the singer during the Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
Human Rights Now! Tour
Human Rights Now! Tour
Human Rights Now! was a worldwide tour of twenty benefit concerts on behalf of Amnesty International that took place over six weeks in 1988. Held not to raise funds but to increase awareness of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on its 40th anniversary and the work of Amnesty...
. This led to a mini-reunion with Springsteen and the E Street Band, with Sancious sitting in on several occasions throughout the tour. He also recorded some new sessions with Springsteen which were later released on Human Touch
Human Touch
Human Touch is the ninth studio album by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1992 . This album was co-released on the same day as Lucky Town...
and Tracks.
He would also record and tour with two of that tour's other headliners, Sting and Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
. He played keyboards on Sting's The Soul Cages
The Soul Cages
The Soul Cages is the third full length studio album released by Sting. Released in 1991, it became his second No. 1 album in the United Kingdom. It spawned four singles: "All This Time", "Mad About You", "Why Should I Cry For You" and "The Soul Cages"...
and Ten Summoner's Tales
Ten Summoner's Tales
Ten Summoner's Tales is the fourth solo studio album by the rock musician Sting. The title is a combined pun of his given name, Gordon Sumner, and a character in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, the summoner...
albums and toured with Sting in support of both.
Other session and touring work Sancious has done includes Living Colour
Living Colour
Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. Stylistically, the band's music is a creative fusion influenced by free jazz, funk, neo-psychedelia, hard rock, and heavy metal...
, Seal
Seal (musician)
Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel , known simply as Seal, is a British soul and R&B singer-songwriter, of Nigerian and Brazilian background. Seal has won numerous music awards throughout his career, including three Brit Awards—winning Best British Male in 1992, four Grammy Awards, and an...
, Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
, Julia Fordham
Julia Fordham
Julia Fordham is a British singer-songwriter based in California. Her professional career started in the early 1980s, under the name "Jules Fordham", as a backing singer for Mari Wilson and Kim Wilde.-Career:...
, Robbie Dupree
Robbie Dupree
Robert Dupuis , better known by his stage name Robbie Dupree, is an American singer-songwriter best known for his 1980 top ten pop hit, "Steal Away"....
, Natalie Merchant
Natalie Merchant
Natalie Anne Merchant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She joined the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and left it to begin her solo career in 1993.-Early life:...
, Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
of Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
, and Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates are an American musical duo composed of Daryl Hall and John Oates. They achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s. Both sing and play instruments. They specialized in a fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues styles, which they dubbed "rock and soul."...
.
More recently Sancious has released two new solo recordings,
Nine Piano Improvisations (2000) and Cinema (2005). In 2006, Sancious teamed up with guitarist and singer /songwriter Francis Dunnery
Francis Dunnery
Francis Dunnery is an English musician, singer-songwriter, record producer and record label owner. He is best known as a solo performer , and for fronting the original lineup of the band It Bites between 1982 and 1990 .Dunnery served as a sideman and...
to play keyboards and make a several live appearances for Dunnery's The Gulley Flats Boys.
In 2003 David recorded Robbie Dupree with David Sancious and received wide appeal for this very intimate recording. This 9 song CD was well received in jazz circles across the United States and Europe.
In 2005 Sancious would be interviewed for, and featured in, the Wings For Wheels documentary included on the Born to Run 30th Anniversary Edition re-release of the famed Springsteen song and album.
In 2007 David released LIVE in the now, a selection of recordings of live performances by Sancious featuring drummer Joe Bonadio on several tracks.
In 2007 and 2008 Sancious toured with Zucchero Fornaciari during the "Fly" and "All The Best" world tours.
In 2009, Sancious toured Australia, New Zealand, and Japan on keyboards with Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
, who was accompanied by Vinnie Colaiuta
Vinnie Colaiuta
Vincent Colaiuta is an American drummer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Republic, Pennsylvania, he began playing drums as a child and received his first full drum kit from his parents at the age of 14...
on drums and Tal Wilkenfeld
Tal Wilkenfeld
Tal Wilkenfeld is a bass guitarist who has gained worldwide attention performing alongside some of rock and jazz music's most notable artists...
on bass.
In 2010, Sancious toured the UK with Francis Dunnery "Fearless Tour", Tony Beard on drums, Jamie Bishop on bass & Dorie Jackson vocals
With Bruce Springsteen
- Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. (1973)
- The Wild, The Innocent & The E-Street Shuffle (1973)
- Born to Run (1975)
- Human Touch (1992)
- Greatest Hits (1995)
- Tracks (1998)
- 18 Tracks (1998)
- The Essential Bruce Springsteen (2003)
David Sancious & Tone
- Forest of Feelings (1975)
- Transformation (The Speed of Love) (1976)
- Dance of the Age of Enlightenment (1977)
- True Stories (1978)
David Sancious
- David Sancious - The Chelsea Demos (1977) (unauthorized bootleg)
- Just As I Thought (1979)
- The Bridge (1980) (1981, according to davidsancious.com)
- Nine Piano Improvisations (2000)
- Cinema (2005)
- LIVE in the now (2007)
With Stanley Clarke
- Journey To Love (1975)
- Schooldays (1976)
- Live 1975-76 (1976)
- Hideaway (1988)
- The Bass-ic CollectionThe Bass-ic CollectionThe Bass-ic Collection is a Stanley Clarke album released in 1997. -Track listing:All tracks composed by Stanley Clarke, except where indicated.# "School Days" – 7:49# "Wild Dog" - 3:31...
(1997) - Guitar & Bass (2004)
- Trios (2004)
With Zucchero Fornaciari
- Rispetto (1986)
- Blue's (1987)
- Oro Incenso & Birra (1989)
- Zucchero (1990)
- Live At The Kremlin (1991)
- Miserere (1992)
- Diamante (1994)
- Spirto DiVino (1995)
- The Best Of Zucchero (1996)
- Shake (2001)
- Zucchero & Co (2004)
With Peter Gabriel
- Passion (1989)
- Us (1992)
- Up (2002)
- Long Walk Home (2002)
- Hit (2003)
With Sting
- The Soul Cages (1991)
- Ten Summoner's Tales (1993)
- Demolition Man live EP (1993)
With Robbie Dupree
SONGS:01 | Carried Away
02 | Month of Sundays
03 | Walls Come Down
04 | This is Life
05 | Return to Her
06 | Wings
07 | Desperation
08 | In Real Life
09 | Sunny Day