Brian Culbertson Albums (10)
What The Critics Say
In the 14 years since the Illinois-born and bred composer, producer, and keyboard whiz released his debut Long Night Out at the age of 21, he's evolved from a shy kid writing cheerful pop songs in a bedroom studio to one of contemporary jazz's most electrifying A-list performers. His fan base is large enough that he would have made a killing even had chosen to simply follow the easy grooving candlelit approach of his last non-holiday CD It's on Tonight with something similarly low-key and seductive. Fortunately for everyone who had been complaining that smooth jazz artists had been getting way too predictable in the latter 2000s, he had the pull and the wherewithal to make his dreams come true and seriously bring back the groove with just about every heavy hitting funkateer from the '70s. The cover shot of "little Culby" sitting and listening on headphones says it all -- he was a tyke when his guest list was defining all that was cool and happening. The luminaries included one-time James Brown bassist Bootsy Collins and Phelps "Catfish" Collins plus members of the Rubber Band and the Horny Horns (all out of P-Funk); Larry Graham (the slap bass great of Sly & the Family Stone and his own Graham Central Station -- no laid-back "One in a Million You" happening here!); Larry Dunn and Sheldon Reynolds (Earth, Wind & Fire); Greg Adams (Tower of Power), Tony Maiden and Bobby Watson (Rufus), Michael Bland, Cora Dunham, and Rhonda Smith (from Prince's bands), solo stars Ray Parker, Jr., David T. Walker, Ronnie Laws, Gerald Albright, Tom Scott, Paul Jackson, Jr., Perri, etc. Modern neo-soul was well represented as well, with Ledisi swaying dreamily through horn accents and multiple keyboard flavors on Bill Withers' lightly obscure gem "The World Keeps Going Around" and Musiq (Soulchild) slammin' it with urban sax god Gerald Albright, a sea of crunching horns and Culbertson's bright chordings on "Hollywood Swinging." Culbertson's choice of covers, which includes Candy Dulfer and Prince vocalist Chance Howard's urgent command from TOP that "You Got to Funkifize" (featuring Adams on trumpet), is inspired, but he also co-wrote a batch of gems that stand proudly alongside the classics. Reynolds and Collins are among the co-writers of the bright, brass splashed "Funkin' Like My Father" that comes across like an invitation to the party with a series of vocalists connecting past to present. The EWF-inspired Culbertson-Reynolds co-write "Always Remember" shows that no matter how crazy he gets with the production, Culbertson is still a joyfully melodic jazz keyboardist at heart. Other original highlights include the simmering gospel-blues number "The House of Music" (Graham and Laws are the billed stars, but Ricky Peterson's Hammond B-3 carries the soul), and the buoyant piano and horn section dance dubbed "The Groove" Parker (who cut his teeth on R&B sessions a decade before "Ghostbusters") chimes in on the percussive, two-minute interlude throw down "Excuse Me...What's Your Name?" which features Culbertson on the trombone, trumpet and Mini-Moog. An even more powerful party all night affair than Dulfer's magnificent Candy Store was the previous year, Bringing Back the Funk is Culbertson's masterwork that took contemporary urban jazz to a whole new level in 2008. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
One of smooth jazz's funkiest and most popular artists, Brian Culbertson has engaged the genre's audiences for years with a perfect mix of lively funk, jazzy piano and keyboard energy, and a softer intimate side that earned him one critic's designation as "the Barry White of smooth jazz." Faced with trying to find new ways to skin the cat of holiday songs that have been done a million times, Culby exceeds all expectations, bringing every side of his charismatic magic touch to standards you won't mind hearing just one more time. He gets off to a rousing, big-production start, jamming wildly on an in-your-face bluesy, jazzy, gospel take on "Joy to the World" (complete with a gospel choir), then seeks Dave Koz's help in creating a sweet, subtle arrangement of "Deck the Halls." The vibe rides like a roller coaster from there, starting with a rousing, slightly stride-influenced "Jingle Bells" (which breaks into a fun, Ramsey Lewis-flavored traditional jazz verse and includes a big-band segment featuring Culbertson's other instrument, the trombone). It's incredible what happens when he enlists Jeff Lorber and Peter White to help him arrange two other classics -- Lorber helps Culby get even funkier and White brings out that intimate side. Amid the sizzle and cool are some unique and unexpected vocal treats -- Michael McDonald on the soaring, original power soul ballad "All Through the Christmas Night" and a stunning, crystalline pop classical vocal by wife Michelle Culbertson (who in 2006 released the inspirational album Be Still My Soul) on the lesser-heard "Some Children See Him." Culbertson also creates a trippy, off-meter percussion vibe on "Little Drummer Boy" that creates a fascinating impressionistic feeling. Calling this work A Soulful Christmas is a good marketing idea, but soul is only the beginning of a collection that truly captures the many emotions of the holidays -- and the artist at his most creative. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Many smooth jazz artists are leading double lives. On-stage, they conduct themselves like real improvisers; they stretch out, they blow, and they savor the joys of interacting with real musicians in real time. But their studio recordings are another matter. In the studio, they go out of their way to avoid the slightest hints of spontaneity and carefully avoid doing anything that might jeopardize their exposure on NAC/smooth jazz radio stations. Clearly, the play-for-radio approach prevails on this 2005 release, which has "commercial NAC radio" written all over it. Pianist/keyboardist Brian Culbertson (who also plays trumpet, trombone, and percussion) is by no means a bad musician; he definitely has chops, and he has the potential to provide a killer soul-jazz album in the tradition of Gene Harris and Joe Sample (two of his influences). But It's On Tonight, like much of Culbertson's work, favors a very innocuous, totally predictable blend of jazz, R&B, and pop. The material is pleasant background music -- nothing horrible, but far from an adequate reflection of Culbertson's skills as an improviser. Singer Patti Austin has a likable spot on the urban/adult contemporary item "Love Will Never Let You Down" (one of the few vocal offerings on a mostly instrumental CD), and trumpeter Chris Botti's appearance on "Secret Affair" gives that track a bit of Miles Davis-influenced mystery. Botti, for all his commercialism, has more integrity than most people in the smooth jazz/NAC field (which isn't saying much given how appallingly low the genre's standards have generally been since the '80s -- at least when it comes to studio recordings). It's On Tonight does have its moments, but Culbertson is capable of much more. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
A bit of free-form studio doodling opens the album on a promising note: Players try out their licks, joke semi-audibly amongst themselves, and create a sense through their banter that we're in for some exceptional interactions in the give-and-take tradition of jazz. What follows, though, is a typical performance for the smooth genre, in which the musicians either play what's on their charts, solo within stylistic limits of almost Biblical rigidity (i.e., saxophone solos must adhere to the Gospel of David Sanborn), or play against the relentless backbeat rather than anything less predictable. Technically, every note here is crisp and every ensemble part is tight -- but given the idiom, it couldn't be otherwise, any more than a bluegrass band could feature a less-than-lightning-fingered banjo wizard. What's most revealing about the material on Come On Up is how it doesn't create any sense of destination: Songs breeze along without significant variations of intensity or dynamics; melodies tend to not end on the root note, which contributes to a sense of verses cycling endlessly, with no resolution; and everything fades at the end, like a wistful memory. There's not even any strong sense of personality: Though Culbertson is all over each track, there's little that brands his playing, in the sense that four bars is all you need to recognize any major jazz soloist. This, too, isn't surprising, since the point of this music isn't to draw attention to the star or, for that matter, to anything in particular, but rather to lay out a kind of tranquil, anonymous urban reverie. This being the mission, it has to be said that Come On Up qualifies as a success. ~ Robert L. Doerschuk, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The artists in smooth jazz whose success endures the longest are those who develop an identifying trademark in their style -- when you hear their song, you know it's them. A veteran of the genre at age 28, keyboardist Brian Culbertson has over the years made his particular imprint a very distinctive interaction with horns. On his latest, Nice & Slow, he's sometimes even the one playing them. On the throbbing, funky "Get It On," his high register piano musings take verses on their own, then blend on the chorus sections with Jim Reid's tenor and a snazzy trumpet and trombone section played by Culbertson; there's also a brief section where his horns do a call and response with the keys. Reid's tenor takes on a Steve Cole like "double tone" flavor on the mid-tempo groover "Without Your Love," which is given a bluesy effect with the Hammond B-3 of Ricky Peterson. Peterson's B-3 simmers coolly behind Culbertson's reflective melody -- which joins on the chorus with Kirk Whalum's lush tenor -- on "I Wanna Know." Culbertson wrote the moody, retro soul-flavored "Just Another Day" with Jeff Lorber, and duets on the chorus with the unmistakable breezy tones of Herb Alpert's trumpet. The soft-spoken "I Could Get Used to This" features Dave Koz's soprano in a more quiet harmonic role. Koz co-wrote one of the most memorable tracks, the ultra-hooky "All About You," but ironically doesn't play a note; thus we get to hear Culbertson adorned only with the balmy acoustic guitar caress of Michael Thompson. Culbertson has also become a happy member of the "soulful vocals are cool" brigade, providing the grooves behind an emotional Sheree & Trey Lorenz on the title track and the ultra-romantic "Someone," featuring Kenny Lattimore. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide
'Somethin' Bout Love'
Release Date 9/21/1999
Tracks 11
Label Atlantic
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
There is a strange but beautiful irony that occurs when an artist writes a great song upon the death of a loved one. Doubtful that Brian Culbertson was aiming for one of Somethin' Bout Love's (Atlantic) most emotionally rich tunes when he wrote the powerful gospel of "I'm Gonna Miss You" for his late manager Howard Lowe II, but he and co-writer/vocalist Lori Perry achieve just that. Unlike similar tunes in American culture that come across as generic, the poignant lyrics are specific to the artist-manager relationship, adding to the tune's uniqueness. The previous ten tracks are typically engaging Culbertson: irresistibly bubbly piano melodies over easy funk grooves, and engaging guest shots by genre artists like saxman Steve Cole (whose alto jams alongside the piano on the hook as Ricky Peterson's Hammond B-3 simmers like a finger on the trigger in the background), Paul Jackson, Jr., Wayman Tisdale, and Dave Koz. Part of the Culbertson lore has him becoming a smooth jazz star while pursuing his love of film scoring. "The Rise and Fall (Of Loving You)," a powerful duet with Koz, soars like the climactic scene in a romantic movie. Culbertson should also further cultivate his love for brassy R&B/blues funk, as the jammin' "Back in the Day" -- featuring the keyboardist playing trumpet and trombone -- which rings like a classic Earth, Wind & Fire type tune. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
One of smooth jazz's brightest young keyboardists seems to be caught in the same marketing trap as his contemporaries -- aiming to please radio programmers first, and waiting till very late in the running order of the disc to challenge himself -- and listeners who have many other new and similarly likeable keyboard releases to choose from. When he finally blows his lid on Secrets and goes for broke, it's a joyous affair, as the eight-minute closing track "At the Backroom" finds Brian Culbertson jamming hardcore blues/funk and bouncing off the inspirations of older cats like Jeff Golub (guitar) and Ricky Peterson (wicked on the Hammond B-3). The tune sounds like an outtake from Golub's more adventurous solo efforts. Surprises abound -- Culbertson seems to close the piece, then after a short bit of silence, comes back playing smokin' trombone, giving the whole affair an authentic New Orleans club flavor. On the eight previous tracks, Culbertson once again shows a mastery of cool groovin', easygoing melodies, and some tight ensemble action -- and yet beyond the bouncy opening cut "So Good" and the Paul Brown-produced soul-inflected "Backstreet," he's just cruising in the middle of the road with pals like Gerald Albright and Dwight Sills. As a balladeer, oddly he has never matched the compelling emotion of the home recorded "Beautiful Liar" from his 1994 debut. That song had an urgency, just as "At the Backroom" does. Much of Culbertson's middle ground between those peaks has found him a bit too complacent. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The jazz world keeps so busy talking about the young lions on the straight-ahead side, it's easy to overlook the enormous potential of contemporary wunderkinds like keyboard whiz Brian Culbertson. The Chicago native's Long Night Out was one of last year's radio smashes, but he reaches even deeper into his vast melodic artistry for a unique perspective on Modern Life. While his success hinges on a sprightly solo synth touch and remarkably spry compositions, Culbertson's true evolution this time is in the area of subtle production textures and breeding with ace ensemble players like saxmen Mark Colby and Gerald Albright, trumpeter Jim Culbertson, bassist Steve Rodby, and the nylon graces of Fareed Haque. He perfectly balances energetic R&B tempos with a rich sense of atmospheric moods, pausing his sense of invention only briefly for a fairly by-the-book (though still beautiful) reading of "Save the Best for Last." Establishing himself as somewhat of a lighthearted visionary in addition to his skills as purveyor of the radio gem, Culbertson makes an art form out of merging fun fluff with vibrant swings which almost defy commercial expectations. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Brian Culbertson's major label debut Long Night Out is a one-man band tour de force. All those years of sequestering himself away in his bedroom/recording studio have paid off. Except for a few other musicians, Culbertson writes and performs all the music himself. Instead of a vapid "look ma, no band" effort, the tracks sparkle with creativity. On the laid-back opener "City Lights," Culbertson lays down a swaying groove punctuated by muted trumpet, elegant piano, and lazy, lower register electric guitar runs. It's great for a midnight drive. "Heroes of the Dawn" conveys optimism through its use of syncopated percussion and interwoven horn lines. The lilting "Beautiful Liar" has solid acoustic piano and tasteful fuzz guitar by Harry Hmora. The double time-tempoed "Double Exposure" smoothly glides along atop a sinewy melody. The strutting "Horizon" has a unison lead line that consist of Culbertson's piano and the muted trumpet of Scott Hall-Harmon. Amid a bell-like synth pad Culbertson's piano weaves a romantic motif on "Alone With You." Don't listen to this one alone. Based around a telegraphic-like riff, the title track brassily chugs along on with the lead duties handled by saxophonist Mark Colley. The languid, ethereal "Changing Tides" has intermittent vocal riffing by Damian Smith and soft cello by Michelle Akin. Culbertson dedicates a track to a popular Chicago fairway, "Fullerton Ave." The closer, "Twilight," showcases a jaunty clarinet that somehow manages to keep a solemn tone amid the dynamic double stops. ~ Ed Hogan, All Music Guide
