Brian Culbertson’s “Colors” comes alive

BC

Brian Culbertson’s “Colors” comes alive

The electric entertainer captured his hit-filled Colors of Love Tour in Las Vegas for his first live concert video that dropped Valentine’s Day as a stunning Blu-ray and double CD.

LOS ANGELES (15 February 2019): Fans have been asking multi-instrumentalist hitmaker Brian Culbertson for years, “When are you going to put out a concert video?” As the dynamic performer rolled out his elaborate Colors of Love Tour on a 77-show, 14-week journey last year, he knew he had to capture the magic. Filmed during his stop in the neon city, “Colors of Love Tour – Live in Las Vegas” was released by BCM Entertainment on Valentine’s Day as a Blu-ray disc and two-disc CD through Culbertson’s site (www.BrianCulbertson.com). Amazon also has the CD set available now and will soon list the Blu-ray. Digital fans can obtain the audio version now from all major digital retail outlets.

“I’ve been aspiring to finally film a concert and for this tour, I knew we had an impressive-looking show and a great-sounding band. It’s the most visual show I’ve ever created in terms of the lighting, video elements and wardrobe. It’s stunning. Once the tour started, I knew we had to film it somehow,” said Culbertson about his first live concert video.

The 2018 spring/summer trek was mounted in support of the “Colors of Love” album, a romantic release that dropped last Valentine’s Day and was inspired by Culbertson’s 20th wedding anniversary. In addition to showcasing the bouquet of love songs from the intimate collection, Culbertson constructed a generous three-act set list comprised of more than two hours of music culled from his extensive catalogue of Billboard No. 1 hits and fan favorites. With the first and third acts centered on the amorous material from “Colors of Love” along with similarly-themed library cuts, the second act is a high-energy, get-down-tonight funk set. Culbertson holds down the keyboards, grand piano, trombone and vocals, sharing the stage and spotlight with his five-piece band – Marqueal Jordan (saxophone, vocals and percussion), Eddie Miller (keyboards, organ and vocals), Tyrone Chase (guitar), Joewaun Scott (bass) and Chris Miskel (drums). They are joined by special guest vocalist Noel Gourdin along with comedic bits from Sinbad that separate each act.

Three video screens adorned the stage projecting Sinbad’s comedy sketches, a fun cartoon sequence that accompanies the performance of “Mile Sauce,” and photos of Culbertson’s wife, Michelle, and Culbertson’s collaborators, Maurice White (Earth, Wind & Fire) and Bootsy Collins. Helmed by award-winning television producer-director Scott Sternberg in his first full-length concert video, the production utilized ten cameras to film the concert that took place at the Aliante Casino last May. The two-and-a-half-hour performance was lensed in its entirety with the video offering 26 songs plus bonus features, including “BC Medley” from 2016’s Funk! Tour Live, an in-studio performance of “Through the Years,” a solo piano performance of “All My Heart” shot live at SiriusXM, the “Mile Sauce” cartoon, and a commentary track from Culbertson and Miskel.

“The ‘Colors of Love’ album is personal and intimate, so we set out to create a show and video that tells a more personal story. The videos and photos on stage, like the pictures of my wife who inspired the music I wrote, is part of that. Scott (Sternberg) and his crew used unique camera angles so that it feels like you’re on stage with the band when you watch the video. It’s much more up close and personal than most concert videos,” said Culbertson.

Although Culbertson knew early on that he wanted to film the production, what he didn’t know initially was the how and where. After financial backing arrived upon sharing his creative vision for the project, he looked at the itinerary and circled the two-night stand in Las Vegas.

“I earmarked the Vegas dates because I knew the venue has great in-house lighting that would look amazing on camera. We recorded the audio from both nights to have as a backup, but the film crew shot only the one show, so we had to nail it in one take,” said Culbertson.

The video opens with Culbertson walking the Vegas strip filmed overhead by a drone. “I wanted viewers to feel like they are in Las Vegas. It was important for the opening to establish that feeling and location,” said Culbertson. “After we shot the concert, I put on my silver-sequined jacket and we drove the strip at midnight to shoot additional footage for the opener. I can’t wait for people to see the video. It’s really exciting energy.”

To view the trailer for “Colors of Love Tour – Live in Las Vegas,” click https://bit.ly/2OFW1Kp.

The songs included on the Blu-ray and CD are:

ACT 1

“Love Transcended”

“It’s On Tonight”

“Another Love”

“I Want You”

“Wear It Out”

“You’re My Music” featuring Noel Gourdin

“I Could Get Used To This”

“All About You”

“Hookin’ Up”

“Somethin’ Bout Love”

“Through The Years”

“Colors of Love”

 

Sinbad – “Kinda Pimpish”

 

ACT 2

“Feelin’ It”

“Funkin’ Like My Father”

“Always Remember”

“Been Around The World”

“Damn, I’m Hungry”

“Mile Sauce”

“Got To Give It Up”

“Hollywood Swinging”

“Play That Funky Music”

 

Sinbad – “I’m Black Dangit, 100%”

 

ACT 3

“Secret Garden”

“Michelle’s Theme”

“On My Mind”

“Colors of Love Reprise”

“Our Love”

For more information, please visit http://www.brianculbertson.com.

WE’RE “TAKING ANOTHER LOOK” AT LEGENDARY RAMSEY LEWIS

With a career spanning decades, over 75 albums, 3 GRAMMY’S, and other countless honors, Ramsey Lewis has sustained a presence that only true icons possess. His early love for the piano turned into an illustrious career of doing what he loves to do. Ramsey has been able to make music that impacts an entire genre of music and has done so while collaborating with the very best musicians in music. Ramsey’s recent audacious moves are truly indicative of a legend with more work to do. One of those ventures is establishing his own label: Ramsey’s House, distributed through SONY/Red. Additionally, on July 24th, 2015, Ramsey released his latest album “Taking Another Look – Deluxe Edition” on his label. Ramsey’s House will be home to Ramsey and other jazz artists. “Taking Another Look – Deluxe Edition” is a reincarnation of sorts of Ramsey’s 1974 album “Sun Goddess,” including exceptional covers of “Betcha By Golly Wow” and “Living For The City.” The addition of three bonus songs featuring Dr. John, the funky group Kung Fu, and the band TAUK complete the Deluxe Edition. Ramsey says, “this album is definitely among the top five.”

Listen as the legendary Ramsey Lewis and I converse about his past and present:

Ramsey Lewis

 

Carol Duboc’s “Smile”

Carol Duboc new release Smile available online Mother’s Day, May 12, 2013. In stores May 21, 2013. Pre-Order http://www.amazon.com/Smile-Carol-Duboc/dp/B00BNWWYCG/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=13650…

Carol Duboc
Carol Duboc

Music Therapy: Duboc delivers a revealing “Smile”

Jazz singer-songwriter teams with Jeff Lorber for a deeply personal album about the demise of her marriage

Los Angeles, California (22 May 2013): Thinking that everything had fallen apart, the tears streamed down Carol Duboc’s face as she wrote the lyrics to “Smile,” the title track to the soulful jazz vocalist’s stunning sixth album that was released Tuesday (May 21) by Gold Note Music. She gazed at her young daughter’s smile and found hope. Hope infuses the painfully honest and courageously candid collection Duboc penned and produced with fusion pioneer Jeff Lorber about coming to terms with the end of her marriage. The shuffling beats of the funky first single, “Elephant,” one of Billboard BDSradio’s most added tracks this week, elusively dances around the realization that she and her husband faced: the amassed problems in the marriage were the elephant that could no longer be ignored.

Duboc and Lorber have a history of writing songs together that spans more than a decade yet became more frequent a few years ago when the chanteuse with the candied voice moved into a Los Angeles, Calif. neighborhood near Lorber’s home studio. They complement each other’s strengths as songwriters organically with Duboc coming up with catchy melodies and compelling storytelling lyrics for Lorber’s jazz-funk rhythms and grooves. Naturally turning to her own life for lyrical themes, Duboc delved into the flood of feelings that she was experiencing at the time in the troubled relationship. She intimately chronicled utilizing the process as a form of therapy allowing her to work through the morass. Despite the difficult subject matter, the songs are not bitter as Duboc instills a sense of hope into her melodies – perhaps because of her daughter’s presence. She remains poised throughout her cathartic emotional exploration.

“Smile” was recorded in the studio live with Duboc accompanied by a stellar ensemble consisting of Lorber (keyboards, Moog & guitar), Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), Grammy-nominee Brian Bromberg (acoustic bass), Jimmy Haslip (electric bass), 3-time Grammy nominee Hubert Laws (flute), Michael Thompson (guitars), Luis Conte (percussion) and Tim Carmon (piano). Her graceful, caressing and expressive voice nestles into the plush contemporary jazz rhythm beds, rides the R&B grooves, and adds depth to the urbane pop confections.

After “Elephant” opens Duboc’s diary, the comforting and inspiring title track emits radiant light in the face of challenging times as captured in the uplifting video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIPYZRYApRc). The sultry “Unpredictable” is a tantalizing fantasy about a stranger on which Thompson’s cool jazz guitar riffs admonish the dangers of acting on the daydream. Duboc realizes her dream of scatting along with one of Laws’ solos on “Telepathy” although at the time she was preoccupied trying to read her husband’s mind. The sensual “Atmosphere” sets the mood for romance in the hope of rekindling the love. A brisk Latin jazz adventure, Duboc puts her fear of flying aside to offer a pledge of faith and trust on “Parachute.” An ethereal sonicscape spotlighting Bromberg’s nuanced acoustic bass heightens the sex appeal of Duboc’s enticing purrs and prowls on “Behind A Kiss,” which finds physical love on the other side of the tumult. On the jazzy “Gliding,” the singer yearns to fly free from her troubles underscored by Laws’ soaring and fanciful flute. Begging to know what “Nobody Knows,” Duboc’s marriage was rocked unexpectedly after she returned home from the studio one day to learn something shocking about her partner, which proved to be the beginning of the end. Duboc describes the buoyant “Mythological” as being a “great closer for this musical and emotional journey.”

To help launch “Smile,” Duboc will perform a pair of album release gigs backed by Lorber, Haslip, drummer Tony Moore and guitarist Adam Hawley this Sunday (May 26) at Spaghettini in Seal Beach, Calif. and in Hollywood on May 29th at the Catalina Jazz Club.

Ever since her 2001 debut album, “With All That I Am,” Duboc has consistently set the bar high for her critically-acclaimed sophisticated urban-jazz tunes that have garnered gushing praise from the likes of the Los Angeles Times and JazzTimes. Laws appeared on that first album and remains a fixture on her recordings that over the years have spawned multiple Top 5 airplay singles at Radio & Records and included collaborations with Lorber, Gerald Albright and Patrice Rushen. Duboc’s gift for composing and arranging has enabled her to author songs on gold and platinum-selling albums by Patti LaBelle, Chante Moore, Tom Jones, Stephanie Mills, Jade, George Duke, Maurice White, and Fine Young Cannibals. Duboc was tapped as a special guest on several of the all-star Ladies’ Jazz series alongside Sarah Vaughan, Jane Monheit, Diana Krall and Dinah Washington. The beautiful blond Kansas City, Missouri native made her motion picture debut in 2005’s “Be Cool,” which starred John Travolta, Uma Thurman and Danny DeVito. Additional information is available at http://www.carolduboc.com.

The songs comprising Duboc’s “Smile” are:

“Elephant”

“Smile”

“Unpredictable”

“Telepathy”

“Atmosphere”

“Parachute”

“Behind A Kiss”

“Gliding”

“Nobody Knows”

“Mythological”