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Original release year: 2003
Label:
Warner Bros
Desc:
Performer
Guest
Artists: Kirk Whalum; Luis Conte; Jeff Lorber; Paul
Jackson Jr.; Gerald Albright; Norman Brown
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A native of
Allentown, Pennsylvania, trumpeter Rick Braun first
surfaced as a member of the jazz-fusion outfit Auracle,
formed while he was a student at the prestigious Eastman
School of Music. After two LPs the group disbanded, and Braun
turned to songwriting, scoring a hit with REO
Speedwagon's "Here with Me; " in time he
directed his focus to contemporary jazz, issuing his
solo debut Intimate Secrets in 1993. After touring with
Sade, he returned in 1994 with Night Walk as well as the
seasonal release Christmas Present. With 1995's Beat
Street, Braun's
popularity continued to snowball, with 1996's smash Body
and Soul launching the NAC chart-topper
"Notorious." A two-time winner of the Gavin
Report's smooth jazz artist of the year award, he
returned in 1998 with South of Midnight. He also
collaborated with Boney James on the 2000 release Shake
It Up see
discography.
Rick has
worked as a sideman, touring with such rock and pop
stars as Rickie Lee Jones, Sade, Rod Stewart, Tina
Turner, Glenn Frey, Natalie Cole, Tom Petty, Crowded
House, Phoebe Snow and of course, War. In addition to
recording and touring as a solo artist, Rick has
virtually become an in-house producer for record label
Mesa/Bluemoon. In the past few years, he's held the
creative reins on several critically acclaimed projects,
including two albums for acoustic guitarist Peppino
D'Agostino, two for guitar and violin duo Willie and
Lobo, and a radio chart-topping contemporary jazz album
by Avenue Blue.
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