Multi-award winner, Brian Culbertson, Grammy and nominated saxophonist/ flutist Najee, Grammy award-winning contemporary Jazz/R&B superstar Norman Brown, and Hip hop/ jazz violinist Josh Viettie, all performing on May 05, 2018 at the Wolf Creek Amphitheater 3025 Merk Rd, Atlanta, Georgia, 2nd Entrance off Enon Rd.
Inspired by the likes of Earth, Wind & Fire, as well as other legends from the 70’s, Culbertson inked his first record deal when he was 20-years-old. The songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist traveled the globe for well over two decades, playing jazz, funk and R&B melodies.
He’s completed a total of 15 albums, with 2 live studio records. His singles have branded the Billboards at the number one spot about 31 times. He’s performed over 1000 times, with The Colors of Love Tour being his most recent attainment.
“We just started the tour on Friday night and we’ve done two shows out of 70. We’re having a blast,” Culbertson spoke cheerfully when asked about the tour.
While celebrating his 20th wedding anniversary with his beautiful wife, Michelle, Culbertson used the romantic atmosphere and mood, to create his melodious album Colors of Love [released on Valentines of 2018]. He also said that the Jazz tour is a romantic synergy complimenting the music.
“The idea of love is multifaceted. It’s kind of all over the place from when you first meet somebody, that infatuation period, to growing old together. All those different feelings and flavors are incorporated on this new record. I just picked that word colors, meaning, the different flavors of love.”
Click link for album Colors of Love.
Complete Album
"For the tour, we chose three different colors to represent that, which had to do with the album cover as well. We got three acts to the show, so we have three different colors we’re representing, three different colors to the show, silver, red and blue.”
Culbertson is an expert performer as well as musical perfectionist. He took a considerable amount of time ensuring that the concert had all components complimentary to his album, including sound quality, and flamboyant aesthetics.
Although a master of his craft, this is Culbertson’s first time bringing a soulful production; so if you are a jazz lover and most importantly, one of his aficionado’s, then you’re in for a cinematic treat.
Colors of Love Tour at Kentucky Center for The Performing Arts.
Getting down to the humility of things... We enjoy asking creatives about their artistic journey-- Not just a part of the journey, but the beginning, when times were different and success seemed almost impossible. It’s a humbling and tender phase for the dreamer who’s now a prodigy.
“That’s been many, many, years ago. Of course I remember those days, How can I forget?” Culbertson exclaimed when asked about his first time opening as a solo artist.
“It was the early 90’s and the early 2000’s. You get more nervous, you take more time to set up, because the headliner takes most of the time—And you’re hurrying, trying to get ready. Then, you’re like, ‘Oh my God! The doors are open, and the fans are going in! Especially, the beginning, they don’t even know who you are. They’re kind of mad that there’s an opener; however, you just kind of go for it. On a larger level, I actually spent the first two years opening for Barry Manilow. We did 50 or 60 shows in arenas around the U.S., and I still remember the first show with him.
This is such a funny story. He didn't have an opening act in years, so his fans were used to him coming to the show, and he would start the show. However, this year, Barry asked me to open the show beause he liked my music.
The first show, we were in Philadelphia at Phillips arena. Right at 8:00 P.M. sharp, I come out on stage, and the announcer heralded me. The entire audience looked like, “Huh? What?” I still remember this dude, in the front row, turn to his wife, threw his hands up in the air, and looked at his watch," Culbertson laughed.
“I looked right at him and said [to myself] 'Well, I have thirty minutes to convince these people otherwise,' so we went on and did our thing within thirty minutes. By the end of the thirty minutes, we had the entire arena on their feet, dancing and singing along.
You just gotta do what you do, ” he laughed.
“Hopefully, people will respond. That’s what we did. Yeah, it’s definitely a humbling experience, but it could be very rewarding. Now, till this day, I have a lot of Fanilows [fans of Barry Manilow] as they call them.”
And speaking of loyal following, Culberston said that there are some instances that millennial's drift towards his music... “Jazz is kind of, all over the place. It doesn’t mean one kind of thing. I guarantee that you’re not going to like all types of jazz, but maybe you’re liking this kind, because it is what it is.”
When all is said and done, Culbertson plans to break and get a piece of zen once touring slows down.
“Actually, I need to fully unplug. I actually need two weeks off. For some reason, the first week off, I’m still fuzzed from where I was coming from; but once it gets to day eight, I’m just chilling, so it’s cool.”
Culbertson doesn’t get two weeks off very often.
“Sometimes, I just get a long weekend off. Like, last year, I was in California. I just checked into a spa hotel for a day-and-a-half, just to Zen out for few a minutes, and refresh a little bit. If I really need to shut it down, I gotta go to Europe for two weeks. It’s a totally different environment, so that’s how I really shut it down.”
Culbertson enjoys the heavenly aspects of Europe, where he walks around like a tourist, while taking in the more serene attractions before getting back to the music.
Brian Culbertson at Royal Oak Music Theater April 2018.
Click here for tickets.