
#1 Billboard Artist Najee Drops 18th & New CD Friday – Jazziz Has Exclusive Stream Now!

Brian Culbertson’s 2020 vision: Drop his 20th album, “XX,” and launch The XX Tour
Tickets go on sale this week for the three-month US concert trek that begins April 1.
CHICAGO (7 November 2019): As chart-topping multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Brian Culbertson crafts his 20th album, the aptly titled “XX” – Roman numerals representing twenty – he revealed plans for the extensive US concert tour that will support the record release. Beginning April 1 in Louisville, Kentucky, Culbertson will take an elaborately designed concert production, The XX Tour, on the road for three consecutive months, playing more than 70 shows, an extremely rare feat for a contemporary jazz artist.
Culbertson’s catalogue includes recordings of jazz – contemporary and straight ahead – as well as R&B, funk, instrumental pop and New Age. “XX,” which drops April 10, reflects his remarkable diversity.
“It’s a mix of things that I’ve done throughout my twenty records. There’s a lot of funky instrumentals, some pop-sounding tracks, a couple slow jams, straight-ahead jazz, gospel, some vocals, lots of horns and some straight-up FUNK! The album is very much a mixture of some modern sounding programming along with live instruments, too. Real drums on almost everything mixed with programming. Definitely a cool sound,” said Culbertson, who invites fans to get involved with the making of “XX” via an Indiegogo campaign that launched this week (https://igg.me/at/BCXX).
Recreating that cool sound live for The XX Tour is Culbertson’s favorite part. Like his massive Colors of Love Tour that played 77 shows in three months and was captured for “Brian Culbertson’s Colors of Love Tour: Live in Las Vegas” Blu-ray disc and two-disc CD that dropped last Valentine’s Day, Culbertson is creating the sound and look for The XX Tour as a sensory experience. The exuberant performer spends months in preproduction meticulously conceiving stunning visuals – staging, lighting, wardrobe and effects – in order to put on a mesmerizing show each time he takes the stage. In addition to spotlighting the new album, the setlist will include cuts from Culbertson’s hit-filled songbook that has amassed 32 Billboard No. 1 singles. There will also be a segment showcasing songs from “Winter Stories,” an album released last month that placed him in an acoustic jazz trio setting for the first time.
Culbertson, who founded and curates the annual Napa Valley Jazz Getaway and Chicago Jazz Getaway music and lifestyle festivals, is offering two tiers of VIP ticket experiences during The XX Tour. The Ultra VIP package includes front row center seats; an intimate pre-show champagne toast backstage with Culbertson; pre-show meet & greet, photo opportunity and performance; exclusive tour merchandise gift; autographed tour poster; commemorative The XX Tour VIP laminate; and early access to the venue for crowd-free merchandise shopping.
The Meet & Greet VIP package consists of premium seats; pre-show meet & greet, photo opportunity and performance; exclusive tour merchandise gift; autographed tour poster; commemorative The XX Tour VIP laminate; and early access to the venue for crowd-free merchandise shopping.
Tickets for The XX Tour go on sale on Wednesday, November 13 at 10am local time exclusively for American Express cardholders and those connected to Culbertson’s social media and fan email lists as well as subscribers to the Napa Valley Jazz Getaway and Chicago Jazz Getaway email lists. On Thursday, November 14 at 10am local time, presales begin for Ticketmaster and the venues’ email lists. The public on-sale starts on Friday, November 15 at 10am local time.
Below is The XX Tour itinerary (more dates will be added to the itinerary when confirmed):
April 1 Louisville, KY Bomhard Theater
April 3 New Haven, CT Lyman Center for Performing Arts **
April 4 Cranston, RI Park Theater
April 5 Reading, PA Scottish Rite Cathedral **
April 7 Morristown, NJ Mayo Performing Arts Center
April 8 Collingswood, NJ Scottish Rite Auditorium
April 9 Buffalo, NY Buffalo State Performing Arts Center **
April 10 Pittsburgh, PA Roxian Theatre
April 11 Columbus, OH Southern Theatre **
April 14 Detroit, MI MotorCity Casino Hotel
April 15 Ft. Wayne, IN The Clyde Theatre
April 16 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room at Old National Centre
April 17 Akron, OH Akron Civic Theater
April 18 Washington, DC Warner Theatre
April 19 Richmond, VA The National
April 21 Clearwater, FL Bilheimer Capitol Theatre
April 22 Orlando, FL Plaza Live
April 23 Sarasota, FL Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall *
April 24 Panama City, FL Seabreeze Jazz Festival *
April 26 Jacksonville, FL Florida Theatre *
April 27 Newberry, SC Newberry Opera House *
April 29 Nashville, TN Marathon Music Works
May 1 Atlanta, GA Atlanta Symphony Hall
May 2 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
May 3 Minneapolis, MN Fitzgerald Theater
May 5 Joliet, IL Rialto Square Theatre
May 6 Kansas City, MO Arvest Back Theatre at The Midland
May 7 Tulsa, OK Cain’s Ballroom
May 8 San Antonio, TX Empire Theatre
May 9 Dallas, TX Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center Dallas
May 10 Houston, TX Cullen Performance Hall
May 14 Ft. Collins, CO The Armory
May 15 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre
May 19 & 20 Mesa, AZ Mesa Arts Center
May 21 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre
May 22 & 23 Las Vegas, NV Aliante Casino
May 24 Lake Tahoe, NV Montbleau Resort Casino & Spa
May 27 Santa Barbara, CA Lobero Theatre
May 28 Fresno, CA Tower Theatre
May 30 San Diego, CA Humphreys
June 3 Bend, OR Tower Theater
June 4 Spokane, WA Bing Crosby Theatre
June 5 Seattle, WA The Moore Theatre
June 6 Boise, ID The Egyptian Theatre
June 7 Portland, OR Revolution Hall
June 12 Yountville, CA Napa Valley Jazz Getaway *
June 14 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
June 17 New Orleans, LA The Civic Theatre
June 19 Memphis, TN Minglewood Hall
June 21 Charlotte, NC Knight Theater
June 24 Durham, NC The Carolina Theatre
June 25 Birmingham, AL Lyric Theatre
*Denotes tickets are already on sale
** Denotes tickets will go on sale at a later date
For more information, please visit http://www.brianculbertson.com.
Soul-Jazz flutist Kim Scott emerges in the GRAMMY® race
Music from her “Free to Be” album makes the first-round ballot in two categories
BIRMINGHAM (5 October 2019): It was a hot July for soul-jazz flutist Kim Scott, who rocketed like fireworks to the top of the Billboard chart with her first No. 1 single, which has inserted the emerging artist into the GRAMMY conversation. Scott’s solo on “Emerge” (http://bit.ly/354BX9Y) made the first-round ballot for Best Improvised Jazz Solo while the album on which the track appears, “Free to Be,” is garnering consideration in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category.
Scott wrote “Emerge” with keyboardist Jonathan Fritzen, a hitmaker who is featured delivering his own shimmering solo. However, it is the flautist’s fanciful flourishes that are meriting consideration from the voting members of The Recording Academy for the 62nd GRAMMY Awards that take place on January 26, 2020.
After setting the stage to perfection with a Billboard chart-topping single that also went No. 1 on the Groove Jazz Music chart, Innervision Records dropped “Free to Be,” Scott’s fourth album, in mid-July. She had a hand in writing five of the album’s nine songs, which offer an alluring blend of instrumental pop appeal, jazz spontaneity and funky R&B grooves. Scott’s classically trained flute melodies share the spotlight equitably on a few numbers with prominent guest soloists Fritzen, saxophonist Jazmin Ghent and Pieces of A Dream keyboardist James Lloyd. Guitarist Eric Essix, drummer/percussionist James “PJ” Spraggins and bassist Sean Michael Ray anchor the rhythm section with compelling textures and vibrant harmonies crafted by keyboardist/programmer/producer Kelvin Wooten, keyboardists West Byrd and Jaden Scott, alto saxophonist Cameron Ross and instrument programmer Dimitri Turner. The disc’s second single, the bumping “Take It To The Rink,” is presently skating laps around playlists after earning Most Added honors in its debut week at radio.
In addition to her recording career, Scott hosts the nationally syndicated “Block Party Radio Show,” which added to its growing list of stations with the recent pickup on Alabama Public Radio, an NPR affiliate. The artist infuses her energy and enthusiasm into the weekly broadcast featuring the latest contemporary jazz, urban and Latin jazz releases.
The Birmingham, Alabama-based Scott debuted in 2011 with “Crossing Over.” Her records have consistently produced Billboard Top 20 singles. On the concert stage, she’s performed at clubs and marquee festivals, including Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival and Seabreeze Jazz Festival. Scott is also a member of the all-female supergroup Jazz in Pink with whom she has played shows across the US. For more information, please visit http://kimscottmusic.com.