BRIAN CULBERTSON · XX

BRIAN CULBERTSON

XX

Label: BCM Entertainment

10 April 2020

Buy the album in all stores

En lugar de estar en el escenario en Pittsburgh este pasado viernes por la noche, en una semana en una gira de conciertos de costa a costa de más de 70 fechas programada para el lanzamiento número veinte del álbum, acertadamente titulado "XX", Brian Culbertson, multiinstrumentista de R & B/jazz/funk, estará en casa, marcando la ocasión pasando el rato con una copa de vino y entreteniendo a los fanáticos a través de su popular transmisión en vivo de Facebook "Friday Night Studio Hang" (8pm ET / 5pm PT).

Mientras que la gira XX que comenzaría el 1 de abril con shows reservados hasta el mes de  junio tuvo que ser postergada hasta 2021 debido a la pandemia de coronavirus, el primer sencillo del nuevo álbum, ”Get Up!" ya está en el top 6 de Billboard, a una distancia sorprendente que fácilmente le permitirá  convertirse en el single número 33 que llegue al número uno.

Publicado en el sello BCM Entertainment, Culbertson escribió y produjo "XX", adoptando un nuevo enfoque al incorporar un poco de todo lo que ha hecho a lo largo de su versátil carrera. “Este álbum fue sobre crear muchos estados de ánimo diferentes, lo cual es un poco diferente para mí en términos de lo que he hecho en los últimos álbumes que fueron más conceptuales y consistentes de principio a fin, ya sea el lado romántico de las cosas, un álbum funk, trío de jazz directo o no. Me propuse deliberadamente no tener en mente un género o un estilo; simplemente le doy a la gente una mezcla total de todo lo que hago: instrumentales funky, jazz, R&B slow jams, gospel, pop y funk directo ", dijo Culbertson, quien espera que la colección eleve a los oyentes durante este momento sin precedentes de distanciamiento social y económico.  

"El hecho de que salga a la luz durante este tiempo cuando todos están bajo órdenes de quedarse en casa, espero que levante a la gente". Eso es lo que hace la música. Esa es la belleza de la música. Te hace sentir mejor. Te saca de cualquier lugar en el que te encuentres en este momento. Te transporta Por eso me encanta hacer música.

Hacer música con Culbertson en "XX" es encontrar un surtido destacado de invitados destacados: Bootsy Collins, Ray Parker Jr., Avery * Sunshine, Jubu Smith de Maze, Everette Harp, Marcus Anderson, DW3, Byron "Mr. Talkbox ”Chambers, Noel Gourdin y Patches Stewart. Llenar las pistas con una gran variedad de músicos, incluidos Paul Jackson Jr., Nicholas Cole, Ricky Peterson, Alex Al, Michael Thompson, Khari Parker, Lenny Castro, Gerey Johnson, Eric Marienthal, Chance Howard, Ouiwey Collins, Candice Cheatham y Derek "DOA" Allen La vocalista Micaela Haley (también conocida como Michelle Culbertson, la esposa de Brian) y un coro de gospel agregan brillo celestial y del alma en un par de canciones. Además de tocar piano, teclados, Minimoog, Wurlitzer, órgano Hammond B3, Fender Rhodes, clavinet, bajo, bajo de sintetizador, programación de batería, voz, máquina de cuerdas y percusión, Culbertson recoge su trombón para formar una sección de trompeta con Marqueal Jordan y Michael Stever.

Algo diferente en "XX" es que dos canciones, "The Hangout" y "Keep Movin", fueron concebidas durante la prueba de sonido mientras Culbertson estaba de gira con su banda. Una de las pistas centrales del álbum es "More Than Thankful", una producción a gran escala en la que Sunshine brilla y el coro de gospel agracia. Otros números destacados son el sensual "It’s A Love Thing", que tiene un ambiente Zen fascinante; la amapola "El tiempo vuela" que vuela a través de su coro floreciente y los tonos angelicales de Haley; "Sexy Love" en el que Culbertson canta en el coro; y una reunión con el cantante de R&B Gourdin en la balada soul de la vieja escuela "The Truth" (Culbertson y Gourdin obtuvieron un éxito con "You’re My Music" del álbum "Dreams" de Culbertson). La colección se cierra con "Looking Back", que comienza con una conmovedora introducción de piano solo orientada al jazz con muchos cambios de acordes profundos antes de entrar en un ritmo neo-soul que ilumina la trompeta apagada de Stewart.

El lanzamiento de "XX" culmina catorce meses notablemente prolíficos para Culbertson, quien lanzó tres álbumes muy diferentes y un video de concierto de Blu-Ray durante el lapso. Aunque por el momento está en casa inesperadamente, está lejos de estar inactivo ya que la planificación continúa para los festivales anuales de música y estilo de vida Napa Valley Jazz Getaway y Chicago Jazz Getaway.

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Instead of being on stage in Pittsburgh this Friday night, one week into a planned 70+-date coast-to-coast concert tour set up to launch his milestone twentieth album release, the aptly titled “XX” (Roman numerals for twenty), R&B/jazz/funk multi-instrumentalist Brian Culbertson will be home, marking the occasion by hanging out with a glass of wine and entertaining fans via his popular Facebook Live broadcast “Friday Night Studio Hang” (8pm ET/5pm PT). 

 While The XX Tour that was to start April 1 with shows booked through June had to be pushed to 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic, the new album’s retro-charged first single, “Get Up!” is already in the Billboard top 6, easily within striking distance of becoming the hitmaker’s 33rd No. 1 single Culbertson went all in on the 1980s vibes, even creating a “Get Up!” ringtone that is available for iPhones.    

Issued on the BCM Entertainment label, Culbertson wrote and produced “XX,” taking a fresh approach

by incorporating a bit of everything he has done throughout his versatile career.  

“This album was about creating lots of different moods, which is a little different for me in terms of what I’ve done over the last several albums that were more conceptual and consistent from beginning to end – either the romantic side of things, a funk album, straight-ahead jazz trio or what not. I deliberately set out to have no one genre or one style in mind; just give people a total mix of everything that I do – funky instrumentals, jazz, R&B slow jams, gospel, pop, and straight-up funk” said Culbertson, who hopes the collection will uplift listeners during this unprecedented time of social distancing and economic uncertainty. 

“The fact that it’s coming out during this time when everyone is under stay at home orders, I hope it does lift people up. That’s what music does. That’s the beauty of music. It makes you feel better. It takes you out of whatever place you’re in at the moment. It transports you. That’s why I love making music.

Making music with Culbertson on “XX” is a prominent assortment of featured guests: Bootsy Collins, Ray Parker Jr., Avery*Sunshine, Maze’s Jubu Smith, Everette Harp, Marcus Anderson, DW3, Byron “Mr. Talkbox” Chambers, Noel Gourdin and Patches Stewart. Filling up the tracks is an accomplished array of musicians including Paul Jackson Jr., Nicholas Cole, Ricky Peterson, Alex Al, Michael Thompson, Khari Parker, Lenny Castro, Gerey Johnson, Eric Marienthal, Chance Howard, Ouiwey Collins, Candice Cheatham and Derek “D.O.A.” Allen. Vocalist Micaela Haley (aka Michelle Culbertson, Brian’s wife) and a gospel choir add celestial and soul luster to a couple tracks. In addition to playing piano, keyboards, Minimoog, Wurlitzer, Hammond B3 organ, Fender Rhodes, clavinet, bass, synth bass, drum programming, vocals, string machine, and percussion, Culbertson picks up his trombone to form a powerhouse horn section with Marqueal Jordan and Michael Stever.

“XX” taps into Parliament-Funkadelic influences on “Dance Like This.” Culbertson explained, “Bootsy (Collins) and I randomly do things together. He liked the track that Chance Howard and I started and two days later, he sent me his vocal parts.”

Something different on “XX” is that two songs – “The Hangout” and “Keep Movin’”- were conceived during soundcheck while Culbertson was on tour with his band. One of the album’s centerpiece tracks is “More Than Thankful,” a big-scale production on which Sunshine shines and the gospel choir

graces. Other standout numbers are the sensual “It’s A Love Thing,” which has a mesmerizing Zen vibe; the poppy “Time Flies” that takes flight via its blossoming chorus and Haley’s layered angelic ahhh’s; “Sexy Love” on which Culbertson sings on the chorus; and a reunion with R&B crooner Gourdin on the old-school soul ballad “The Truth” (Culbertson and Gourdin scored a hit with “You’re My Music” from Culbertson’s “Dreams” album). The collection closes with “Looking Back,” which starts out with a poignant jazz-oriented solo piano intro with lots of deep chord changes before breaking into a neo-soul groove that Stewart’s muted trumpet illumines.  

The release of “XX” caps a remarkably prolific fourteen months for Culbertson, who released three very different albums and a Blu-Ray concert video during the span. Although he’s home unexpectedly for the time being, he’s far from idle as planning continues for the annual Napa Valley Jazz Getaway and Chicago Jazz Getaway music and lifestyle festivals that he founded and curates. In the meantime, Culbertson will continue “Friday Night Studio Hang,” which he began broadcasting several years ago on the rare occasion he didn’t have a concert to play that evening. “It would be random that I’d actually be in the studio on a Friday night, but starting a few weeks ago, I’ve been going live every Friday night. Now that everyone is home, I’ve gotten more viewers and comments than ever before. I talk about recording techniques, songwriting and end up playing songs live along to TV (backing) tracks. I’m looking forward to celebrating my twentieth album release with fans this Friday night.”  

Brian Culbertson - Piano, Vocals, Keyboards, Minimoog Lead, Synth Bass, Trombone & Drum Programming

Byron "Mr. Talkbox" Chambers - Talkbox

Marcus Anderson - Lead Alto & Tenor Saxophones

Paul Jackson, Jr. - Guitar (on the right) plus Stereo 80's Guitar

Ray Parker Jr. - Guitar (on the left) plus Rhythm 80's Guitar

Michael Stever - Trumpet

Marqueal Jordan - Tenor & Baritone Saxophones

Alex Al - Bass

Khari Parker - Hi-Hat & Snare

Lenny Castro - Timbales & Congas

Bootsy Collins - Lead Vocals

Candice Cheatham – Vocals

Chance Howard - Vocals & Mu-Tron Bass

DW3 (Eric Mondragon, Billy Mondragon, Damon Reel) - Vocals

Ouiwey Collins - Dance Instruction Vocals

Gerey Johnson – Guitar

Derek "D.O.A." Allen - "Penny Fonk" Bass

Avery*Sunshine - Lead & Background Vocals

Nicholas Cole - Additional Keyboards, Lead Synth & Trap Hi-Hat Programming

Jubu Smith – Guitar

Micaela Haley - 'Choir' Vocals

Michael Thompson - Acoustic, Electric & Ebow Guitars

Jubu Smith - Lead Guitar

Everette Harp - Lead Tenor & Alto Saxophones

Noel Gourdin – Vocals

Ricky Peterson - Hammond B3 Organ

Eric Marienthal - Tenor & Baritone Saxophones
Patches Stewart - Muted Trumpet

1. “Get Up!” featuring Mr. Talkbox and Marcus Anderson

2. “Dance Like This” featuring Bootsy Collins

3. “The Hangout” featuring Ray Parker Jr.

4. Prelude to “More Than Thankful”

5. “More Than Thankful” featuring Avery Sunshine

6. “It’s A Love Thing”

7. “Time Flies”

8. “Sexy Love” featuring Jubu Smith

9. “Keep Movin’” featuring Everette Harp

10. “The Truth” featuring Noel Gourdin

11. Intro to “Looking Back”

12. “Looking Back” featuring Patches Stewart