Brian Culbertson Come On Up CD

Though young jazzer Brian Culbertson's boyish good looks make it tempting to lump him in with Harry Connick, Jr.-like neophytes Michael Buble and Peter Cincotti, this Illinois native is actually an instrumentalist who's been plying his trade since putting out the self-released debut LONG NIGHT OUT. COME ON UP is Culbertson's seventh album, and for this outing, he goes for a funkier sound that harkens back to a childhood spent cutting his teeth on the sounds of early Chicago, Blood, Sweat & Tears, and Tower of Power. Weaving an R&B-flavored thread throughout these dozen songs, Culbertson cuts loose with a few special guests including saxophonist Steve Cole, (the brassy "Say What?"), trumpeter Rick Braun (a sultry "Last Night"), guitarist Norman Brown (the crackling "Come On Up"), and R&B vocalist Rahsaan Patterson (the soulful "Fly High"). The centerpiece of this album turns out to be a sinewy instrumental reading of the Earth, Wind & Fire nugget "Serpentine Fire." Despite the lite-jazz designation this album will undoubtedly get when it hits record store bins, COME ON UP is trimmed with enough funky snap to put it beyond the flavorless stereotype this genre sometimes conjures up.

Rhodes piano, keyboards, synthesizer, shaker, programming); Ricky Peterson (vocals, Wurlitzer piano, Hammond B-3 organ); Norman Brown (vocals, guitar); Rahsaan Patterson (vocals); Steve Cole (soprano saxophone, alto & tenor saxophones); Brian Ripp (baritone saxophone); Rick Braun, Jim Culbertson, Jerry Hey, Gary Grant (trumpet); Bill Reichenbach (trombone); Carly Bauer (flute); Stephen Lu, Dave Hutton (keyboards); Paul Jackson, Jr. (acoustic & electric guitars); Michael Thompson (electric guitar, E-bow); Steve Rodby (acoustic bass); Marcus Miller, Richard Patterson, Alex Al (bass); Oscar Seaton, Jr. (cymbals); Lenny Castro (shaker, percussion).

Producers: Brian Culbertson, Stephen Lu, Rahsaan Patterson, Scott Steiner.

Personnel: Brian Culbertson (trumpet, trombone, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet, keyboards, bass synthesizer, shaker, drum programming); Norman Brown (vocals, guitar); Ricky Peterson (vocals, Wurlitzer organ); Rahsaan Patterson (vocals); Paul Jackson, Jr. (guitar, acoustic guitar); Tony Maiden (guitar, wah-wah guitar); Glenn McKinney, Gerey Johnson, Jorge Evans (guitar); Michael Hart Thompson (electric guitar, E-bow); David Earl Taylor (violin, strings); Kevin Case, Yuan Qing Yu, Russell Hershow, Rika Seko, Naomi Hildner, David Hildner, Peter LaBella, Susan Synnestvedt, Marlou Johnston, Laura Chen, Jennifer Marlas, Stefan Hersh, Teresa Fream (violin); Karen Dirks, Terri VanValkinburgh, Baird Dodge, Catherine Brubaker, Kou Li Chang, Robert Swan (viola); Stephen Balderston, Gary Stucka, Brant Taylor, Katinka Kleijn (cello); Steve Cole (flute, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Carly Bauer (flute); Brian Ripp (baritone saxophone); Jerry Hey (trumpet, horns); Gary Grant, Jim Culbertson (trumpet); Bill Reichenbach Jr. (tenor trombone, bass trombone); Kenneth Crouch (Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet); Stephen Lu (keyboards, drum programming, turntables); Dave Hutten (keyboards); Monty Neuble (synthesizer, talk box); Steve Rodby (acoustic bass); Lenny Castro (congas, clay drum, shaker, timbales, percussion); Todd Sucherman, Oscar Seaton (cymbals, hi-hat); Justin Hori (scratches).

Audio Mixer: Craig Bauer.

Recording information: BCM Studios; Hinge; Megatrax.

Photographers: Julie Ray; Daniel Ray.

Arrangers: Jerry Hey; Stephen Lu; Brian Culbertson.

Personnel: Brian Culbertson (trumpet, trombone, flute, piano, Fender