Home » Jazz Musicians » Brian Culbertson

Brian Culbertson

It's On Tonight There is a well-known and anticipated moment during every Brian Culbertson concert when the keyboardist discreetly asks the members of his band to turn their backs to the crowd. The leader then bows his head at the electric piano and plays a seductive theme. He offers the audience this intimate moment to kindle romance, hoping to send them home in a state of blissful anticipation with the thought, “Baby, it's on tonight.” Culbertson has turned that fleeting concert highlight into a 12-song seduction suite that marks his eighth album and GRP Records debut, It's On Tonight . Culbertson has turned that fleeting concert highlight into a 12-song seduction suite that marks his eighth album and GRP Records debut, It's On Tonight . Dripping in sensuality, the album consists of all-original material, including three vocal pieces: the flirtatious title track (f/ Will Downing ), the spirited “Love Will Never Let You Down” (f/ Patti Austin ) and the bold “Wear it Out” (f/ Marc Nelson , lyricist of three numbers on the CD and a member of Babyface's protégé vocal group, Az Yet ). Culbertson also hand-picked three of smooth jazz's most sensitive horn players to lend their singular auras to the vibe at hand: saxophonists Boney James and Kirk Whalum , and trumpeter Chris Botti . As always, Culbertson produced the album, collaborating on seven of the songs with his frequent creative partner Stephen Lu . “I like conceptual albums,” Culbertson begins. “My last album, Come On Up , was primarily an up-tempo party record. But I've always done one or two slow jams on my albums and everyone seems to be taken by those songs. They'll tell me, ‘My wife and I (fill in the blank) to that song.' So I decided to do a whole album about just that - grooves designed to accompany every stage of romance. It's the reason most people buy instrumental music, really - to chill out, relax and do what they need to do.” That the man who - at 20 - wrote and recorded his very first album in the bedroom of his Chicago apartment would get around to crafting an album like this is as natural as lovers in a lip-lock. “Let me break it down for you,” the keyboardist suavely begins. “The album opens with ‘Let's Get Started' (f/ vocalist Ledisi), a song that feels like you're getting ready to go out on the town.

Read more

Tags

790
Interview

Brian Culbertson: Bringing Back the Funk

Read "Brian Culbertson: Bringing Back the Funk" reviewed by Katrina-Kasey Wheeler


Keyboardist extraordinaire Brian Culbertson has a style that is a mixture of inimitable funk and suave grooves. Growing up, Culbertson was heavily influenced by the work of Maynard Ferguson, Dave Sanborn, the Brecker Brothers, Blood Sweat & Tears, James Brown, and Earth Wind & Fire. Bringing Back the Funk (GRP Records, 2008) employs outstanding musicians to accompany him on the exploration of his funk music roots, many of whom were a part of the very acts that influenced him. The ...

Read more articles

Performance / Tour

Jazz this week: Donny McCaslin, Brian Culbertson, Brand X, James Carter, Sylvaine Hélary's Spring Roll Quartet, and more

Jazz this week: Donny McCaslin, Brian Culbertson, Brand X, James Carter, Sylvaine Hélary's Spring Roll Quartet, and more

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

It's one of the busiest weeks of the year for jazz and creative music in St. Louis, with enough activity and musical variety to test both the stamina and the financial resources of even the most devoted music lovers. There's so much going on that the week defies easy summary, so instead, let's go to the highlights.... Wednesday, October 19 Saxophonist Donny McCaslin makes his St. Louis debut as a bandleader in the first of four nights at Jazz at ...

3

Recording

Brian Culbertson Celebrates A Milestone Anniversary “live”

Brian Culbertson Celebrates A Milestone Anniversary “live”

Source: Great Scott P.R.oductions

The first live recording from the multi-genre multi-instrumentalist aims to get radio to “Think Free” Los Angeles, CA: Years ago, a young ambitious musician-songwriter-producer emerged from Chicago who went on to architect 27 No. 1 Billboard singles along with a half-dozen albums that debuted at No.1 that changed the status quo with a creative and fresh alchemy of astutely performed contemporary jazz, soulful R&B and horn-powered funk. Decades later, his ability to achieve and balance commercial success and the respect ...

1

Recording

Culbertson To Capture The Moment In Concert

Culbertson To Capture The Moment In Concert

Source: Great Scott P.R.oductions

The energetic keyboardist will record his first live album, releases the meditative “Breathe” Los Angeles, CA: Contemporary jazz luminary Brian Culbertson continues to commemorate his 20th anniversary as a recording artist in a prolific way with two vastly different projects: his first live album, which will be recorded during a four-night stand (September 11-14) at Yoshi’s Oakland, and the release of a 31-minute solo piano piece entitled “Breathe,” created as therapeutic accompaniment for relaxation, massage, yoga and meditation. Last February, ...

Festival

Brian Culbertson To Getaway In A Lexus

Brian Culbertson To Getaway In A Lexus

Source: Great Scott P.R.oductions

The contemporary jazz hitmaker’s third annual Napa Valley Jazz Getaway bolstered by a presenting sponsorship from the luxury automaker Napa, CA: Brian Culbertson’s pursuit of perfection has nabbed a getaway car. The contemporary jazz star’s Napa Valley Jazz Getaway adds luxury automobile manufacturer Lexus as presenting sponsor for the third annual wine and jazz festival luring thousands of enthusiasts from all over the world to idyllic Napa Valley this week (June 11-15) to celebrate the good life. The event features ...

Music Industry

Brian Culbertson And Kompoz.com Collaborate On "Another Long Night Out" Contest

Brian Culbertson And Kompoz.com Collaborate On "Another Long Night Out" Contest

Source: Great Scott P.R.oductions

Kompoz artists to borrow elements from the hitmaker’s “Beautiful Liar” to create a brand new song Miami, FL: Jazz is collaborative by definition and contemporary jazz chart-topper Brian Culbertson is opening the door for users of the Kompoz site to utilize original tracks from his song “Beautiful Liar” as source material to create an entirely new song in a competition to be judged by the award-winning keyboardist, producer and songwriter behind 27 No.1 Billboard singles. The contest that started May ...

Event

Culbertson Is Going Back To School

Culbertson Is Going Back To School

Source: Great Scott P.R.oductions

Contemporary jazz star will return for “Another Long Night Out” at DePaul University School of Music 20 years after the release of the debut album that he recorded while a student of the university. Los Angeles, CA: An accomplished alum currently possessing the No. 1 Billboard contemporary jazz album and single for two weeks and counting, multi-instrumentalist Brian Culbertson is heading back to the DePaul University School of Music in Chicago on Saturday, April 5 to perform an intimate show ...

1

Recording

Brian Culbertson’s "Another Long Night Out" Debuts At No. 1

Brian Culbertson’s "Another Long Night Out" Debuts At No. 1

Source: Great Scott P.R.oductions

Hitmaker revisits his contemporary jazz roots joined by an all-star cast to reinterpret his debut album 20 years later. Los Angeles, Calif. (7 March 2014): Twenty years after the release of his debut album, “Long Night Out,” award-winning contemporary jazz/R&B multi-instrumentalist Brian Culbertson completely reimagined the collection as “Another Long Night Out,” his 14th album and first on his BCM Entertainment label, which debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. The set spotlighting a stellar collective ...

Music Industry

Culbertson Tunes Up The Pinot

Culbertson Tunes Up The Pinot

Source: Great Scott P.R.oductions

Contemporary jazz hitmaker releases his own wine that he blended in partnership with Reata Wines and Jamieson Ranch Vineyards. Los Angeles, Calif. (27 February 2014): Chart-topping musician, producer, songwriter, wine and jazz festival founder and artistic director Brian Culbertson can add vintner to his burgeoning resume. The recording artist behind 26 No. 1 hits and the star-studded Napa Valley Jazz Getaway is now pouring his new custom-crafted wine, “Culbertson” Pinot Noir by Reata Wines, which he personally blended with Jamieson ...

1

Recording

Brian Culbertson Gears Up For “Another Long Night Out”

Brian Culbertson Gears Up For “Another Long Night Out”

Source: Great Scott P.R.oductions

Album pre-orders underway as the first single, “Fullerton Ave.” featuring Chuck Loeb, earns the highest debut on the Billboard chart and the music video premieres. Los Angeles, Calif: Twenty years in the making, the album multi-instrumentalist hitmaker Brian Culbertson wanted to record ever since he was a 20-year-old music student at DePaul University recording demos in the bedroom of the crowded Chicago apartment on Fullerton Avenue above a costume shop that he shared with three roommates is finally ready for ...

Recording

An Intimate "Christmas Song" From Brian Culbertson

An Intimate "Christmas Song" From Brian Culbertson

Source: Great Scott P.R.oductions

Los Angeles, Calif.: With the holiday season on his mind, contemporary jazz-R&B star Brian Culbertson recently took a break from recording his forthcoming “Another Long Night Out” album, sat down at the Mason & Hamlin grand piano in his studio and played a stark, emotionally stirring rendition of “The Christmas Song.” Enjoying his newfound freedoms as an independent recording artist, Culbertson recorded the seasonal classic and put it on iTunes, Amazon and other major digital outlets. “It is a solo ...

Don Pope
woodwinds
Ronald Wayne
multi-instrumentalist

Photos

Concerts

Apr 28 Sun

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Another Long Night Out

Zebra Records
2014

buy

Dreams

Zebra Records
2012

buy

XII

Skylight Music
2010

buy

Bringing Back The Funk

Zebra Records
2008

buy

Soulful Christmas

GRP Records
2006

buy

It's On Tonight

Zebra Records
2005

buy

Similar

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.