Brian Culbertson
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Brian
Culbertson (born January 12, 1973) is an
American smooth jazz/R&B/funk musician, instrumentalist, producer and
performer from Decatur, Illinois, United States. His
instruments include the synthesizer, piano and trombone.
Brian
Culbertson was born in Decatur, Illinois. As a child, he was
musically skilled, having started playing piano at age 8, drums at 9, trombone
at 10, bass in 7th grade, euphonium in high school and more.[1]
Growing
up, he listened to Sting, The Yellowjackets, George Duke, David Foster, Marcus Miller, David Sanborn, Chicago, and Earth, Wind and Fire.[1] He attended and graduated MacArthur High School,[2] where his father
was a music teacher.[1] He then moved to
Chicago where he attended DePaul University.[3] It was in college
that he actually started working on a CD, gathering a group of musicians,
recording a demo tape and sending it to the only person he knew in Los Angeles,
Bud Harner, who would get him his first record deal.[4]
He
is married to Michelle Culbertson,[5] also known by her
stage name Micaela Haley, and they live in
Chicago, IL. In an interview, Culbertson revealed that he met his wife in
college through his first bass player Sharay Reed who
had met Michelle at the World of Music Festival in Nashville, Tennessee where
they both won awards at the age of 16. Michelle, originally a violinist, won
for Best Concert Master and Sharay Reed for Best
Soloist. They both were reintroduced to one another at DePaul University two
years later. At the end of their Freshman year
together Sharay introduced Michelle to Brian telling
them that they would make a good match.[6][7] His wife
contributed background vocals on his earlier albums and a feature vocal on his
Christmas CD, A Soulful Christmas.[8]
Culbertson
plays Mason & Hamlin pianos
and Roland keyboards[9] and has appeared
at the NAMM Show.[10]
In
2013, he announced on his blog that he was working on his fourteenth album,[11] the album Another
Long Night Out was released on February 25, 2014 and was going to
revisit his earlier roots in contemporary jazz. In 2015, he released a second
live album "20th Anniversary Tour" while performing at jazz
club Yoshi's[12] and,
subsequently, he also released a solo piano album for yoga and meditation.[13]
His
latest album, released on April 10, 2020, is aptly titled XX (Roman
numeral for 20) because it is his 20th solo record. Featuring many guests
including Mr. Talkbox, Bootsy Collins, Avery*Sunshine, Marcus Anderson, Everette Harp, Noel Gourdin, Patches Stewart, Ray Parker Jr., Paul Jackson Jr., Jubu Smith, Nicholas Cole, and more, the XX album
is genre-bending ride through tracks reminiscent of all of Brian's albums:
Smooth Jazz, Funk, Gospel, Pop, R&B, and more.
In
late 2011, Culbertson announced he would be hosting the first annual Brian
Culbertson Napa Valley Jazz Getaway at the Napa Valley Opera House on June
7–10, 2012.[14] Brian along with
his wife, Michelle Culbertson (Micaela Haley) began
working on the Napa Valley Jazz Getaway together after having spent their 10th
wedding anniversary in the region. .[15] The 4-day
concert event would include live performances by comedian Sinbad, vocalists Oleta Adams and Kenny Lattimore, as well as
artists Eric Marienthal, Eric Darius, and David Benoit. In addition to
performances, Culbertson curated the weekend's events
to include food and wine events at his favorite Napa establishments
including: Cindy Pawlcyn's Brassica
restaurant, Miner Family Vineyards, Silver Oak Cellars, Caldwell-Snyder Art
Gallery, and Silo's Napa.[16]
The
inaugural event was a commercial and critical success, selling out within a
week of the public announcement of ticket sales.[17] At the 2012
event, Culbertson announced that the event would return for a second year, held
June 5–9, 2013. The expanded 5-day 2013 event was held at the Napa Valley
Opera House and the Lincoln Theater in addition to several wineries and
featured Norman Brown, Kirk Whalum, Rick Braun, Larry Graham & Graham Central Station, Take 6, Ray Parker Jr., Eric Darius, Nick Colionne, Michael Lington, DW3, Cecil Ramirez and
returning special guest comedian Sinbad.[18]
Culbertson
has received numerous awards including a 2012 NAACP Image Award nomination for
Best Jazz Album;[19] 2012 Soul Train
Award nomination for Best Contemporary Jazz Artist;[20] Winning Six (6)
2011 Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards for Best Entertainer, Best Album "XII",
Best Song "That's Life", Best Keyboardist, Best Male Artist and Best
Collaboration "w/Earl Klugh"; 2010 Canadian
Smooth Jazz Award for Best International Artist; 2010 American Smooth Jazz
Award for Best Keyboardist; 2005 ASYM All That Jazz Award; 2001 National Smooth
Jazz Award for Best Keyboardist.[21]
