BIOGRAPHY
Brian plays Mason & Hamlin pianos and Dexibell keyboards.
AWARDS
2022 Hang Club Fan Adoration Award
2020 Artist Of The Year - Smooth Jazz Network
2012 Soul Train Award nomination for Best Jazz Artist
2012 NAACP Image Award nomination for Best Jazz Album (Dreams)
2011 Keyboardist of the Year at the American Smooth Jazz Awards
2011 Entertainer of the Year at the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards
2011 Keyboardist of the Year at the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards
2011 Male Artist of the Year at the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards
2011 Song of the Year "That's Life" at the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards
2011 Album of the Year (XII) at the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards
2011 Collaboration of the Year (Earl Klugh) at the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards
2010 International Artist of the Year at the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards
2004 All That Jazz Award at the ASYM Awards
2001 Keyboardist of the Year at the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards
Over the course of crafting a 27-album catalog and architecting 40 Billboard No. 1 singles as a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer, Brian Culbertson has charted his own unique course in music. Label him jazz and he makes a funk record. Call him an R&B artist and he drops an acoustic jazz trio collection. Brand him pop and he creates a 32-minute New Age opus. And you'd be hard pressed to name another instrumentalist of his ilk who can mount an elaborately designed concert production that will keep him on the road for months at a time.
Culbertson burst onto the scene in 1994 with a chart-topping album that he recorded in his college apartment featuring keyboard-led contemporary jazz tracks. "Long Night Out" landed him a lengthy record deal and signaled that a star was born.
Flash forward to 2022, Culbertson composed thirty songs that populate the three albums in "The Trilogy" that describes the three-part arc of a long-term relationship: the hot and steamy "falling in love" phase, the rocky middle when perhaps they even break up for a bit, and the couple reunites to live "happily ever after" phase.
"Hearing the three albums in a row provides the context. All the songs on 'Red' (October 2021) were clearly about passion and love. 'Blue' (January 2022) is melancholy and sad songs, breakup songs and 'losing people' songs. Once you get to part three, 'White' (May 2022) is all about songs that have an uplifting feel to them. Emotionally, they all feel similar even though they are stylistically broad" said Culbertson.
Possessing style, panache and a savvy business mind capable of moving the needle in music and beyond, Culbertson co-founded with his wife Michelle the annual Napa Valley, Chicago, and New Orleans Jazz Getaways, which have attracted guests from all over the globe to experience these premier events.
Whether you're listening to music from "The Trilogy" on record or live in concert on THE TRILOGY TOUR, you're hearing an eclectic, entertaining and engaging set from an artist at the peak of his power.
Performed and recorded with...
Stevie Wonder, Maurice White (EWF), Bootsy Collins, Prince, David Sanborn, Larry Graham, Michael McDonald, Chuck Brown, Natalie Cole, Buddy Guy, Musiq Soulchild, George Benson, Ledisi, Fourplay, Boney James, Avant, Marcus Miller, Tower of Power, Faith Evans, The Whispers, Earl Klugh, Chris Botti, James Ingram, Vivian Green, Al Jarreau, Stokley Williams, Bobby Caldwell, Will Downing, Eric Darius, Maysa, Steve Cole, Eric Benét, Take 6, Randy Brecker, Eric Marienthal, Paul Jackson Jr., Patti Austin, Ray Parker Jr., Wayman Tisdale, Candy Dulfer, The Ohio Players, Peter White, Larry Carlton, Rick Braun, Clark Terry, Mindi Abair, David Benoit, Barry Manilow, Kirk Whalum, Sheldon Reynolds, Noel Gourdin, Norman Brown, Average White Band, Mike Phillips, Gerald Albright, Lalah Hathaway, Mr. Talkbox, Randy Crawford, Michael Lington, Everette Harp, Keiko Matsui, Larry Dunn, The Perri Sisters, Brian McKnight, Herb Alpert, Jeff Lorber, Richard Elliot, Isaiah Sharkey, Warren Hill, Brian Bromberg, Chuck Loeb, Oleta Adams, DW3, Bob James, Donny Osmond, Lee Ritenour, Jonathan Butler, Marcus Anderson, Lindsey Webster, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Damien Escobar, Rahsaan Patterson, Kenny Lattimore, Natalie "The Floacist" Stewart, Sheila E., Jeff Golub, Howard Hewett, Marc Antoine, Patches Stewart, Nathan East, Sinbad and more.
SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY
*best if viewed on a computer, NOT a handheld device:
ARTIST:
Bob James
Richard Elliot
Steve Cole
Peter White
Rick Braun
Wayman Tisdale
Dave Koz
Steve Reid
Bob James
Norman Brown
Jeff Jarvis
Steve Cole
Michael Manson
Dave Koz & Friends
Michael Lington
Paul Jackson, Jr.
Richard Smith
Dave Koz
David Benoit
Steve Cole
Donny Osmond
Norman Brown
Michael Lington
Hubert Laws
LaShell Griffin
Luther Vandross Tribute
Peter White
Brian Bromberg
Jeff Golub
Warren Hill
Holly Robinson Peete
Richard Elliot
Rick Braun
Eric Darius
Michael Manson
Doc Powell
Dave Koz
Eric Marienthal
Dave Koz
Michael Lington
Dave Koz
Andrew Neu
Chuck Loeb
Avant
Dave Koz
Faith Evans
Dave Koz
Vivian Green
Michael Lington
Eric Marienthal
Dave Koz & Friends
Selina Albright
Marqueal Jordan
Rick Braun
DW3
Dave Koz
Cecil Ramirez
Adam Hawley
Michael Lington
Paul Jackson, Jr.
Chuck Loeb
Marcus Anderson
Eric Darius
KEM
Darren Rahn
Marqueal Jordan
Lindsey Webster
ALBUM:
Playin' Hooky
Jumpin' Off
Stay Awhile
Perfect Moment
Full Stride
Decisions
The Dance
Passion In Paradise
Joy Ride
Celebration
Morning Drive
Between Us
The Bottom Line
Golden Slumbers
Everything Must Change
Still Small Voice
Soulidified
Saxophonic
Right Here, Right Now
NY LA
What I Meant To Say
West Coast Coolin'
Stay With Me
Moondance
Free
Forever, For Always For...
Confidential
Choices
Temptation
PopJazz
Waiting For You All My...
Metro Blue
Sessions, Vol. 1
Just Getting Started
Just Feelin' It
Doc Powell
Memories of A Winter's...
Just Around The Corner
At The Movies
Heat
Greatest Hits
Try Something Neu
Between 2 Worlds
The Letter
Hello Tomorrow
Something About Faith
Ultimate Christmas
The Green Room
Pure
It's Love
Summer Horns
Brighter
Catalyst
Can You Feel It
Vintage Truth
Collaborations: 25th
Party In The Back
Just The Beginning
Second Nature
Stoppin' Willie
Unspoken
Limited Edition
Breakin’ Thru
Love Always Wins
Rock The World
All We Have Are Moments
I Didn’t Mean It (single)
ROLE:
Composer
Keyboards
Producer, Performer
Composer, Performer
Composer, Performer
Piano
Producer, Performer
Piano
Composer, Keyboards
Composer
Producer, Performer
Producer, Performer
Producer, Performer
Producer, Performer
Producer, Performer
Producer, Performer
Trombone
Producer, Performer
Trombone
Producer, Performer
Composer, Performer
Producer, Performer
Producer, Performer
Keyboards
Producer, Performer
Guest Artist, Producer
Producer, Performer
Piano
Producer, Performer
Keyboards, B3 Organ
Piano, Producer
Composer, Performer
Composer, Trombone
Producer, Performer
Producer, Performer
Piano
Producer, Performer
Producer, Performer
Performer
Producer, Performer
Producer, Performer
Trombone
Trombone Solo
Producer, Performer
Producer, Performer
Keyboards
Producer, Performer
Producer, Performer
Producer, Performer
Producer, Performer
Trombone Solo, Composer
Piano
Piano
Piano
Piano
Producer, Composer, Pno
Synth Solo
Piano
Trombone Solo
Composer
Piano
Piano, Clav, Rhodes
Piano
Piano
Piano, Production
Piano, Tbn, Production
Trombone, Trumpet, Arr.
YEAR:
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