Rick Braun Working on Covers Album
May 26, 2006 - It's not uncommon for a Smooth Jazz CD to include one or two cover tunes, in fact it's become a trend in the format to interpret other peoples music. Michael McDonald took a pretty profitable career move covering Motown tunes and now Rick Braun also wants to go down that road. The popular trumpeter will release an album in the fall featuring all cover songs recorded with an R&B/Jazz spin. Special guest include guitarists Peter White, Jonathan Butler and Norman Brown. The CD will be released on the ARTizen label co-founded by Richard Elliot and managers Steve Chapman and Al Evers. - by John Beaudin

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Smooth Jazz Goes Cruising Crazy
February 21, 2005 - Seems like everyone is cruising these days. Smooth Jazz Cruise pioneer Warren Hill has just completed his second sell out full charter while, almost at the same time, Bob James was sailing on a musical journey out of San Diego. Later in the year Rick Braun is leading a top-notch line up on a seven-day trip out of Galveston and Warren Hill's 2006 event is already proving to be a big early seller. Sandwiched among all this is the "Dave Koz & Friends At Sea" cruise that sails from San Diego on November 5 and is being managed by the same organization that made Hills last event such a success. Calling at destinations that include Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas and Peurto Vallarta, Koz has assembled a line up every bit as good as one would expect from this master of live Smooth Jazz. Artists already confirmed, and who performed on the Hill cruise, are Wayman Tisdale, Kirk Whalum, Jeff Golub, and Jonathan Butler. Joining them will be Marc Antoine, Patti Austin, David Benoit, Chris Botti, George Duke, Jeffrey Osborne and Praful. It's a line up that promises to produce seven days of high quality Smooth Jazz. - By Denis Poole

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Peter White Shares His Christmas Spirit With Mindi Abair & Rick Braun
October 22, 2004 - Peter White will be up to his usual holiday merrymaking this November and December and he's keeping pretty good company again. The guitarist will be rejoined by Saxophonist Mindi Abair and Rick Braun is also in the fold. The Peter White Christmas tour will stop in 18 U.S. cities kicking off in San Diego, California on November 26th. All three artists have previously released holiday CDs, White says "My earliest memories of Christmas were probably not much different from many other people: snowflakes, tinsel, Santa Claus, reindeer and the opening of presents surrounded by family. As a child, my father taught me to play Christmas music on my first instrument, the recorder, and my love for holiday music has endured throughout the years. I hope this tour will be an opportunity for fans to enjoy their favorite Christmas songs in a family setting. Perhaps I'll even bring my recorder." Mindi Abair will be our "Artist Of The Month" for December.

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The itinerary for A Peter White Christmas concert tour is below (additional dates may be added):

November 26 San Diego, CA Spreckles November 27 Incline Village, NV Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe at Incline Village November 28 Fresno, CA Tower Theatre December 1 Jacksonville, FL Florida Theatre December 2 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall December 3 Destin, FL Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort December 4 Atlanta, GA Robert Ferst Center for the Arts December 6 Stuart, FL Lyric Theatre December 7 Annapolis, MD Rams Head Tavern

December 8 Alexandria, VA The Birchmere December 9 West Reading, PA Scottish Rite Cathedral December 10 Huntington, NY IMAC December 11 New Haven, CT John Lyman Center/S. Connecticut State College December 12 St. Charles, IL Norris Arts Center December 13 Milwaukee, WI Northern Lights Theatre/Potawatomi Bingo Casino December 15 Cleveland, OH Playhouse Square Center Allen Theatre December 18 Huntington Beach, CA Huntington Beach Cultural Center (Mindi Abair will not appear)

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Rick Braun Makes Plans With Peter White and Dave Koz
August 5, 2004 - Rick Braun who is currently on the road with Dave Koz, Jonathan Butler and Wayman Tisdale has just signed up to join Peter White on his upcoming Christmas tour. He'll also have good company there including Mindi Abair. The trumpeter though has only slated one more show this year with the supergroup BWB with Norman Brown and Kirk Whalum. His latest album 'Sessions: Volume 1' features DVD audio quality sound and the guest list includes Luis Conte, Jeff Golub and Richard Elliot, and a brand new track featuring Dave Koz and Brian Culbertson. Look for the Rick Braun, Peter White and Mindi Abair tour to start at the beginning of December.

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'Rick Braun Live 2004' To Feature Dave Koz / Jeff Golub / Richard Elliot
March 4, 2004 - Rick Braun says he's working like a "big dog" on his new album. 'Rick Braun Live 2004' was recorded live in studio March 30th and 31st and features new versions of classics like 'Groovis,' 'Marty's Party,' and 'Nightwalk.' Braun says, "I am keeping the sound live and loose so it will reflect the energy of the live show." Dave Koz will make an appearance as well as Jeff Golub on the tune 'Philadelphia.' Also expect a new version of 'Notorious' with Richard Elliot in tow. Braun says it's appropriate since the pair played that one more than a few times together on the Guitars and Saxes tour. The trumpeter says there will be at least one new song on the collection. Braun has a brand new website featuring an audience cam. Check it out at http://www.rickbraun.com/home.htm

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BWB To Record and Tour This Year
January 7, 2004 - To no ones surprise Smooth Jazz supergroup BWB made the top 20 in both Canada and the U.S. year end charts. The group consisting of Saxophonist Kirk Whalum, trumpeter Rick Braun and guitarist Norman Brown plan to record their second album later this year and plan to tour in February. Whalum told the Associated press the first BWB album was just a way of testing the waters without too much commitment, "unlike marriage, we thought this is something you want to try out first. If we were going to be committed to it, we wanted to make sure. The initial infatuation of it was undeniable. We love one another and love playing together.... We can't wait to get back into the studio." Whalum was recently nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel for the disc "The Gospel According To Jazz Chapter II."

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Rick Braun To Release "Esperanto" in August
July 12, 2003 - Warner Brothers records has announced that Rick Braun's next album "Esperanto" will be released on August 26th. The first single "Green Tomatoes" will serviced to radio later this month. It's a wonder that Rick had time to even put this album together with his busy schedule. Even when Rick Braun's name doesn't appear on the Smooth Jazz charts chances are the trumpeter is still in the mix somewhere. Braun is a member of the Smooth Jazz supergroup BWB with guitarist Norman Brown and Saxophonist Kirk Whalum and he's appeared on many of genre's top albums this year.
Here are just a few of the titles he's contributed to :
Norman Brown - Just Chillin
Gregg Karukas - Heatwave
Dave Koz & Friends - Golden Slumbers: A Father's Lullaby
Jeff Lorber - Philly Style
Bobby Lyle'- Joyful

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BWB Gets Into Christmas
May 21, 2003 - Your Holiday season could be a little funkier for 2003! Smooth Jazz supergroup BWB are working on a Christmas album for Warner Brothers but word is it may not be released this year. The boys in the band also have new solo albums in the works Kirk Whalum (left) will release "Into My Soul" on July 22nd and Rick Braun's latest will be out on August 26th. BWB (which also features Norman Brown) are currently on the road.