RICK BRAUN

If Allentown, Pennsylvania native Rick Braun had his way, he would be a drummer today. Rick got started playing in several bands such as Avenue Blue, which was led by guitarist Jeff Golub. Braun has a trumpet solo in the band's remake of "Pick Up the Pieces," which had been a hit by the Average White Band during the 1970s. Braun went on to have a successful solo career, but his most famous work is a collaboration with saxophonist Boney James, as they did a duet off the remake of the Hugh Masekela classic "Grazin' in the Grass." In addition to his solo career, Braun also plays in the band BWB, with saxophonist Kirk Whalum and guitarist Norman Brown. In 2005, he and saxophonist Richard Elliot co-founded a new label, ARTizen Music Group. It seems that music was always going to be Braun's career choice, even when he was a student at Trexler Middle School and Dieruff High. "I really couldn't do anything else. Mine was a career by default. I always had this love of music, and it always came fairly easily to me. It hasn't been a real struggle for me. From an early age, I was playing along with all the Herb Alpert records." Rick's move to Contemporary Jazz came about by accident. He traveled to Toronto to shop several demo tapes. One music publisher who listened to Rick's instrumentals suggested that he contact Mesa/Bluemoon, whose main offices, ironically, were about two miles from Rick's Studio City home. In '93, Rick released his first solo album on Mesa Bluemoon, Intimate Secrets. In '94, the composer and producer released Night Walk. Rick was the touring trumpeter for Sade on the "Love Deluxe" tour and that influence resulted in a huge leap for him in style and content from his first to second album. Listening to Night Walk is almost like listening to Sade instrumentally. Night Walk grabbed Adult Alternative's top Most Added honors. In that same year, '94, Rick also released Christmas Present. Rick's 1995 album Beat Street, led the pack again. His influence for this he says is thinking back on his days in War's touring band in the mid '80's. After the fact, those memories had a major musical impact on his writing and on our ears. "This is definitely a more spontaneous recording than anything I've done before. Instead of sitting in a room by myself, composing the music before going into the studio, I just took my inspiration from a bunch of guys getting together and playing, with no idea of what we were going to come up with". His next release, Full Stride, topped the charts for 20 weeks, and his numerous collaborations with artists Richard Elliot, Brian Bromberg, Chris Standring, Jeff Golub, Peter White and 3rd Force have led to multiple No. 1 records. As a producer, he has delivered No. 1 hits for keyboardist David Benoit, guitarist Marc Antoine, Avenue Blue and saxophonist Bryan Savage, and was honored in February of 2000, as "Best Producer" and "Best Brass Player" at the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards. Admired were especially his collaborations with Boney James (Shake It Up) in 2000, tagged as Smooth Jazz event of the year and with Richard Elliot (RnR). Both created with their manager Steve Chapman and industry veteran Al Evers the label ARTizen Music, which is now acquired by Mack Avenue Records. Besides Peter White is Rick Braun certainly one of the busiest musicians in the Smooth Jazz genre. Currently, he is touring with the project Jazz Attack featuring Rick Braun, Richard Elliot and Jonathan Butler. Rick Braun's new album was produced by Richard Elliot and Philippe Saisse. “What I've always loved about Philippe's music is the continental, European melodic sense he brings to everything he does,” says Braun, who counts 1997's Que Paso, the Saisse-produced Gato Barbieri album, as one of his all-time favorite recordings. Herb Alpert is Rick Braun's great idol. "When I was about 10 and learning to play trumpet, I spent hours playing along with Herb Alpert," Braun says. "Songs like 'The Lonely Bull' and 'Tijuana Taxi.' Herb made Trumpet playing fun, and I think his song-writing style was a big influence." In consequence, the starting song Tijuana Dance? (the title was suggested by Dave Koz) is Rick's musical tribute to this stellar trumpet player he adores since his youth. Rick's sonorous trumpet rises on the stomping beat and a fulminate horn arrangement. Puerto Allegre Jam features Marc Antoine on guitar, Saisse on piano and Vanessa Falabella on vocals. "It's a little bit of a departure for me, but its roots are still in R&B," says Braun, adding that Puerto Allegre Jam is his favorite track on the CD. "I visited Puerto Allegre while on tour with Rod Stewart in the early '90s. I guess I owe Rod a debt of gratitude." A modern dance floor hit Rick owes the change of time. Christiane, a collaboration between Rick and Jeff Lorber, is named after Rick's German born wife. The melody is performed by Rick on flugelhorn, the adds on muted trumpet. All It Takes has that melancholic moody flair which can only grow in the city of Paris. It was the first tune that Philippe Saisse presented Rick in his studio. She's the One co-wrote Rick Braun with Tim Gant and is dedicated to the late Freddie Hubbard. Tim Gant co-produced Brian Culbertson's album Secrets, performed on Michael Manson's album Up Front and also on Terisa Griffin's CD My Naked Soul. Philipee Saisse's Melancholy encompassed in Rick's muted trumpet shines through I Got Your Back. Ever Changing World displays Rick's stately Flugelhorn interpretation in contrast to the restless electronica soundscape performed by Philippe Saisse. Sleeveless in Seattle, a title for a song, a title for a take of life. Catch the sun, good locations and the terrific music of Rick Braun. Enjoy your life. Berlin, main capital of Germany, is a city with a great range of nightlife and entertainment. Rick captures the pulsing spirit of this modern exuberant munificent megacity in a dynamic song. Freddie Was Here is Rick's second reminiscence to the late Freddie Hubbard, Rick's major influence. "There was no player who was ever as confident, creative or innovative. He took improvisation to a whole new level and I have always considered his album First Light with George Benson and Hubert Laws to be the original Urban Jazz album."