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| 3.324 Ft
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| 1. | Feelin' It
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| 2. | Another Love
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| 3. | It's Time
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| 4. | Out on the Floor
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| 5. | Waiting for You
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| 6. | Stay wit It
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| 7. | Skies Wide Open
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| 8. | Forever
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| 9. | Don't U Know Me by Now
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| 10. | That's Life
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| 11. | I Wanna Love You
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| 12. | I Don't Know
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Jazz / Jazz-Funk, Contemporary Jazz, Crossover Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Jazz Instrument
Given the widespread critical acclaim and commercial success Brian Culbertson garnered from 2008's retro Bringing Back the Funk, it would be understandably tempting for him -- or any musician -- to revisit it wholesale. However, Culbertson throws a changeup on XII and comes up with a set of collaborative originals with stellar guests that relies more on modern adult R&B than funk, and more on sophisticated pop than it does on contemporary jazz. He's got real star power on this set; it's a groover that includes everything from club to go-go funk, up- and midtempo R&B, and polished bedroom ballads, and it all holds together seamlessly. The set opens with "Feelin' It," which features some comedy from Sinbad in the intro and outro, but more importantly, Chuck Brown's vocals are the centerpiece -- Culbertson's piano line quotes liberally from Brown's classic "Bustin' Loose" (he gets a co-write). Ray Parker, Jr.'s guitar and Alex Al's bassline turn it into a monster. Next up is a soulful stepper in "Another Love," with vocals by Kenny Lattimore. Club makes another appearance in "Out on the Floor," with Brian McKnight laying down his brand of smooth groove above a killer string arrangement and a lockstep funky backbeat. Nu-soul balladeer Avant sings on the hit single "Skies Wide Open"; with Randy Bowland's guitar playing an excellent counterpoint to his vocal, it is among the standout cuts here. Faith Evans fronts Culbertson's band on "Don't U Know Me by Now," a midtempo attitude strutter. Parker makes a fine yet minimal vocal appearance on the simmering babymaker "I Wanna Love You," compensated for by killer guitar work and the spoken word bit from Floetry's Natalie Stewart on set closer "I Don't Know." Of the four instrumental tracks, the most notable are "It's Time" and the transcendently joyful contemporary jazz number "That's Life," co-written by Culbertson, Parker, and Earl Klugh, who also plays on it. While nothing on XII breaks new ground, one suspects that this wasn't Culbertson's intention: he was looking to write and record an album that had "quality" stamped all over it. For its diversity, imagination, and execution, he gets high marks: XII stands among his best. ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi
Credits
Name Credits
Alex Al Bass
Alyssa Pittaluga Assistant Engineer
Andrew Duckles Viola
Avant Vocals, Composer
Bob Horn Mixing, Engineer
Brad Clements Trumpet
Brad Todd Engineer
Brian Culbertson String Arrangements, Producer, Composer, Bass, Mixing, Executive Producer, Keyboards, Piano, Wurlitzer, Fender Rhodes, Clavinet, Arranger, Guitar (Acoustic), Hammond B3, Drum Programming, Engineer, Euphonium, Percussion, Synthesizer Bass, Cowbell, Vocals, Trombone, Wardrobe
Brian McKnight Composer, Vocals (Background), Vocals
Bruce Watson Guitar (Acoustic)
Bryan Mills Sax (Tenor)
C. Brown Composer
Charlie Bisharat Violin
Chris Geringer Mastering
Chuck Brown Guitar, Wah Wah Guitar, Vocals, Soloist
Dahlia Ambach-Caplin Executive Producer
Dan Fornero Trumpet
Daniel Ray Photography
Darrin McCann Viola
David Britz Executive Producer
David Low Cello
Earl Klugh Guitar (Acoustic), Composer
Eddie King Engineer
Eric Marienthal Sax (Tenor), Sax (Baritone)
Faith Evans Vocals, Guest Appearance
Greg Boyer Trombone, Horn Arrangements
Jeanne Townsend Make-Up
JoAnn Tominaga Project Coordinator
John Scholz Project Coordinator
Jon Tehel Assistant Engineer
Jorge Evans Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
Julian Hallmark Violin
Kenny Lattimore Composer, Vocals
Kevin Connolly Violin
Kevin Reagan Design, Artwork
Kurt Weiss Photo Assistance
Lena Lundal Digital Technician
Lenny Castro Percussion, Conga
Marc Nelson Vocals (Background)
Marcus Young Engineer
Marilyn Reynolds Vocals
Merrilee McLain Hair Stylist
Micahel Thompson Soloist, Guitar
Michael Stever Horn Arrangements
Michael Thompson Engineer
Natalie Stewart Spoken Word, Composer
Nathan Watts Bass
Nick Lane Orchestration, String Arrangements, Conductor, Horn Arrangements
Oscar Seaton Jr. Hi Hat, Drums
Patrick Hewlitt Assistant Engineer
Paul Jackson, Jr. Guitar
Ray Parker, Jr. Vocals, Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Guest Appearance, Guitar (Acoustic), Composer
Rex Rideout Engineer, String Arrangements, Composer, Synthesizer Bass, Producer, Fender Rhodes, Arranger, Drum Programming, Keyboards
Ron Tuttle Piano Technician
Sara Perkins Violin
Scott Steiner Producer, Piano Engineer, Euphonium, Engineer
Sheldon Reynolds Engineer, Vocals, Composer
Steve Lu Composer
Steven Miller Engineer
Teena Collins Wardrobe
Uno Vocals (Background), Composer
Vartan Art Direction
Brian Culbertson commemorates his twelfth release with 12 new songs that continue to reflect his broad-ranging musicality and mastery of intimate moods. The titles swing from the rapturous metaphorically rich love ballad "Skies Wide Open" (featuring R&B singing star Avant), the sexy bedroom baby-maker "I Wanna Love You" (featuring singer/guitarist Ray Parker Jr.), the strings-kissed dance jam "Another Love" (featuring 21st century soul man Kenny Lattimore) and the cool club persuader "Out On the Floor" (featuring balladeer supreme Brian McKnight) to the slammin' attitude jam "Don't U Know Me By Now" (featuring powerhouse Faith Evans), a journey through the many moods of being entitled "That's Life" (featuring Earl Klugh who co-penned it along with fellow Detroit native Parker and Culbertson), a think piece on the meaning of it all titled "I Don't Know" (featuring spoken word enchantress Natalie Stewart of Floetry), and an all-out Go-Go party jam titled "Feelin' It" (featuring the man who put Washington, D.C. Go-Go Music on the map, Chuck Brown in addition to a comedic appearance by Sinbad). Four more instrumentals round out the album, including the lovely dreamscape "Waiting for You" and the incredibly funky "Stay Wit It" on which he takes a rippin' Moog solo.
Brian Culbertson
Active Decades: '90s and '00s
Born: Jan 12, 1973 in Decatur, IL
Genre: Jazz
Styles: Contemporary Jazz, Crossover Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Even though Brian Culbertson might be categorized as jazz lite, his music has enough "oomph" to keep you interested. The talented composer/arranger/keyboardist/trombonist's music has maturity that is, at times, beyond his years, and Culbertson credits his dad with helping him develop an ear for the type of music he makes. His father, Jim Culbertson, a respected high school jazz band director and trumpeter, cultivated a love of sanguine sounds for a young Brian, who eagerly listened to anything his dad listened to. Their Decatur, IL, home would be alive with the recorded sounds of Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, the Brecker Brothers, and David Sanborn. Growing up, Culbertson also listened to '70s R&Bpopfunk bands like Blood, Sweat & Tears, Tower of Power, and Earth, Wind & Fire. Culbertson began his musical training at the age of eight with piano lessons; at nine he moved to drums, at ten trombone, and at 12 bass. Bored with classical recital pieces, he began composing in junior high. By his freshman year in high school, he was experimenting with the then-new Yamaha DX-7 synthesizer and an old four-track recorder in the basement of his parents' home. His dedication earned him six individual and five group Down Beat student awards.
During his high-school years, he started getting into MIDI sequencing and synthesizers. He couldn't find players who were able to play his songs on the level he wanted as most of his peers were into heavy metal. So Culbertson, who cites pop producer/songwriter David Foster (Earth, Wind & Fire's "After the Love Is Gone") as one of his strongest influences, learned how to play all the parts himself. After graduation, Culbertson headed to Chicago to begin studies in the music program at DePaul University. On campus, he began to run into high-level musicians and started playing in a band. A family friend helped Culbertson get a deal with MesaBlue Moon in 1994. In the bedroom of the apartment he shared with three college buddies, Culbertson single-handedly recorded his debut album, Long Night Out. The album spent ten consecutive weeks in the Top Five of the adult contemporary charts. On his follow-up album, Modern Life, Culbertson eschewed the one-man band approach in favor of a live band made up of some of the best musicians in Chicago, plus stellar saxophonist Gerald Albright. He's since put out several other albums, including After Hours (1995), Secrets (1997), and Somethin' Bout Love (1999). Culbertson's productions include albums by Bob Mamet and Steve Cole. Having gotten into composing advertising jingles, Culbertson has set his sights on soundtracks. In 2001 the pianist (who also could play the trombone, trumpet, and percussion as well) released Nice & Slow, followed by Come on Up in 2003. Two years later he issued It's on Tonight, and in 2006 Soulful Christmas, a collection of holiday favorites as well as an original.
---Ed Hogan, All Music Guide |
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