Jim Brickman Returns to Piano Roots With ‘Unspoken’ : Music News

Bob Baldwin's "New Urban Jazz": Musical Gimmick or Next Step in Smooth Jazz?
Nov. 14, 2008 - While fans, broadcasters and even some musicians are predicting the death of Smooth Jazz. More

Kenny G Goes Nuts for Christmas
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Mariah Carey Sounds Like Crap
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Joel Itching to Tour Again With Elton
Oct. 29, 2008 – Billy Joel had this great idea for special shows, ‘Master Classes’ a few years ago. He would talk as much as sing. The concert series which are widely available. More

Jim Brickman Returns to Piano Roots With ‘Unspoken’
Oct 1, 2008 – Jim Brickman says he gets tired sometimes but keeping up his busy schedule of recording and touring is truly what he’s all about, "I get tired, but I don't get tired of doing it," says the 47 year old pianist. With 3 new albums on the way and lots of road work he’s excited, “I'm addicted to touring. To me, it's an adventure. There's not one day that I don't encounter an experience or a person that makes it worthwhile. A long time ago, I committed to having this adventure in my life. I really don't get tired of it at all."

His new album ‘Unspoken’ considered a return to his solo piano roots of albums like ‘No Words,’ released 15 years ago will be followed by a special CD exclusive to Target stores and ‘Hymns and Carols of Christmas,’ exclusive to QVC and sold on TV.

‘Unspoken’ is a reminder of the huge role the piano man played in changing the face of New Age music. “I think he redirected the format,” says Smooth Jazz Now President, John Beaudin. “Something happened when he first came to the NAC format around that time, we were hearing less George Winston introspective piano playing and more pop solo piano like Brickman’s "Rocket to the Moon.” Beaudin says he wishes both sides of New Age could have survived, “I think George Winston or David Lanz as artists could have coexisted with Brickman but I guess ‘Rocket’ just came to us at a turning point when that side of New Adult Contemporary was just dying.”

Brickman has almost 20 albums under his belt including 6 Gold and Platinum selling CD’s, three #1 and twelve Top 10 Adult Contemporary radio hits but his main inspiration is still the road. "I enjoy it, and I also think the audience does," he says. "They don't feel like they're coming to see the same thing every time, and that's important if you keep touring like I do." Beaudin says Brickman can do nothing but remind us of the simple brilliance and calm of the original New Age format, “Who knows Jim might help to bring it back. I think 40% of Smooth Jazz is relaxing but New Age truly got us in a peaceful zone. We need that back on radio.” For more information on Brickman go to www.jimbrickman.com – by Kari Graham

Jim Brickman Remembers Bruce Hornsby's Piano
November 28, 2003 - When Jim Brickman first entered the charts in 1994 his piano sound quickly gained a lot of attention. Though he was sometimes categorized as a New Age artist Brickman had other ideas, "I wanted them to sound like pop songs because they were Pop sounds," says Brickman. It didn't hurt that in the beginning Brickman was playing on the same piano Bruce Hornsby used on his big hit "The Way It is." The piano, a smaller Yamaha C6 had according to Brickman, "an edgy kind of sound and I wanted the albums to have more a pop sensibility and not a concert Steinway kind of sensibility." Brickman told Smooth Jazz Now he not only used same piano on his first three albums but also had Hornsby's engineer Eddie King at the controls. Jim Brickman's latest CD is "Peace," his second Christmas collection. Read part two of our exclusive interview with Jim Brickman.

The Jim Brickman Interview
November 5, 2003 - Pianist Jim Brickman says he loves writing music but his favorites to play are his holiday songs and maybe that's why he just released his second Christmas album "Peace." The CD has already spawned an A.C. hit with the title song featuring Collin Raye. Brickman spent a lot of time carefully picking Classics that felt right. "When you're most used to writing your own songs interpreting other people's music has to feel like it has your style on it other wise you're just doing covers" says Brickman. Read our interview from October 2003.

Your Smooth Jazz Christmas CD's
September 23, 2003 - Remember when it was slim pickins' for variety in Christmas music? Not that long ago Christmas carols meant Bing Crosby, Perry Como or Nat King Cole, not that there's anything wrong with the classics. What music brings us back to Christmas past better than Cole singing Mel Torme's "Christmas Song?" Well, for the last ten years new Christmas music by contemporary acts has flown off the shelves and every genre in music has reaped the benefits. Even Jethro Tull is releasing a holiday album! In Smooth Jazz this year some of the 'A' list acts to contribute include Saxophonist Mindi Abair, Jim Brickman, BWB and the Yellowjackets. The latter is now available on the official Yellowjackets site www.yellowjackets.com but will be officially released October 7th titled, "Peace Round a Christmas Celebration."(pictured Left) One dollar from every sale will go to the Union Station Foundation, an organization that provides help for the homeless. Jim Brickman releases his second Christmas album "Peace" today. The title track first single, a non Christmas song featuring Collin Raye is already an A.C. hit. Watch for our interview with Jim Brickman coming soon. Verve will release a traditional Jazz compilation from their "For Lovers" series on November 21st. We will keep you updated on further holiday albums.

Jim Brickman Plans New Christmas Album and Shows
September 3, 2003 - It may seem early for a Christmas album but Jim Brickman likes to plan ahead. Brickman will release his next holiday album September 23rd on the Windham Hill label and the pianist also has big plans in the touring department. After finishing up a round of shows earlier this month, Brickman takes a break until early October when he returns to the road for a handful of October and November performances. The bulk of his schedule is concentrated in December and hits theatre sized venues throughout the U.S. "Peace" will feature classic Christmas tunes like "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," "Jingle Bells" and "We Three Kings." Guest vocalists who appear on the set include: The Blind Boys of Alabama, Anne Cochran, Tracy Silverman and "Today Show" pop-idol finalist Kristy Starling, who sings on a new cut titled "Sending You a Little Christmas." "Peace" is the follow-up to last year's "Love Songs and Lullabies."