Brian Culbertson LIVE @ Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley | Feb 14th – 19th, 2012

The Pacific Jazz Institute at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley presents composer, arranger, keyboardist and trombonist Brian Culbertson for 6 nights and 9 shows.  Band members are Eddie Miller (keys and vocals), Michael Thompson (guitar), Nate Kearney Jr. (bass), and Chris Miskel (drums).  Show times: Tuesday –  Thursday and Sunday at 7:30 & 9:30pm and Friday – Saturday at 7:30 & 9:30pm.

Brian Culbertson began his quest in music at the age of 8 on piano, adding drums at 9, trombone at 10 then bass at 12.  He grew up in Decatur, IL, loving genre-crossing jazz-pop artists such as Chicago, Blood Sweat & Tears, Tower of Power, the Brecker Brothers, David Sanborn, Yellowjackets and Maynard Ferguson.  So naturally gifted was Brian, his 7th grade piano recital consisted of all original tunes.  Brian flourished in high school bands with his father, Jim Culbertson, as the school’s award-winning jazz band director, moved to Chicago to complete his studies at private DePaul University, then went on to compose jingles for clients such as United Airlines, Oldsmobile, and Sears in the city’s highly competitive advertising community.

In 1994, at age 20, Brian self-produced his debut, Long Night Out, followed in short order by Modern Life (driven by the hit single “Come To Me, this 1995 album was his first album to top R&R and Gavin’s Contemporary Jazz charts), and After Hours (1996).  With 1997’s Secrets, the hits kept comin’ with “So Good” and “On My Mind.”  His 1999 follow-up, Somethin’ Bout Love, also sat high among the CJ Top 20 for nearly a year with the two No. 1 singles, “Back In The Day” and “Do You Really Love Me?”

In 2001, Brian released Nice & Slow (featuring special guests Herb Alpert and singer Kenny Lattimore), which spent six weeks at  No. 1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart  thanks to the No. 1 singles “Get It On” and “All About You.” Then came Come On Up (2003), highlighted by a blazing cover of Earth Wind & Fire’s “Serpentine Fire” and the beautiful “Our Love.”  2005’s It’s On Tonight found him making the switch from Warner Bros. to GRP/Verve for a sensual-leaning project featuring the lead-off single “Hooking Up” plus “Let’s Get Started,” as well as special guests Patti Austin, Will Downing, Chris Botti, Kirk Whalum, Ledisi and Boney James.  A Soulful Christmas, the 2006 holiday album swiftly followed.

Last year, Brian produced the ultimate concert souvenir with the dual DVD/CD package Live From The Inside, capturing for posterity what the experience of making music is really like.  “It’s not just about the show,” he insists, “it’s about everything that happens before and after.”  Far from a stodgy ol’ documentary, it’s a dynamically lensed feature that allows you to get up close and personal with all the action – backstage, on stage, on the road and in the studio – with ever changing angles and focal points.  It features Brian, his band and another all-star assembly of friends/guests.  The package is a brisk seller at Brian’s explosive concerts, affording fans a special way to take him home with them.  www.brianculbertson.com