Dreams

by Brian Culbertson

Overview

On Dreams, Brian Culbertson attempts to dig further into the vein he opened on 2010's XII, where he seamlessly married adult-oriented R&B to contemporary jazz. In fact, Dreams feels like a bookend of sorts. He employs an alternating cast of studio aces who include Alex Al, John "Jubu" Smith, Eric Marienthal, Michael Stever, Ray Parker, Jr., Rex Rideout, and Rob "Fonksta" Bacon, as well as a trio of vocalists: Stokley Williams (Mint Condition), Vivian Green, and Noel Gourdin. There are some stellar numbers here, including the Williams vehicle, "No Limits," a midtempo babymaker. Culbertson's acoustic piano, Smith's guitar, and some pronounced loops ride atop the bassline to frame the singer's mellifluous tenor. This cut is the sweet spot where neo-soul, adult R&B, and contemporary jazz create a classy pop sound. Green's moment, "Still Here," juxtaposes her taut vocal against acoustic piano and Rideout's fat synth bass with an insistent loop. The result is dramatic. Opening instrumental "Later Tonight" features some nice horn work from Marienthal, Stever -- and Culbertson on trombone -- and very fine guitar from Bacon. Its melody is instantly recognizable with the horns being used sparely but effectively in the mix. "In the City" may be the strongest of the instrumentals, with a deep bass groove and chugging, almost dubwise, rhythm. Here too, the horns fill the backdrop as Smith's guitar accents the bassline. All of these cuts are in the first half of the album. "You're My Music," sung by Gourdin, is a nice soul-pop bubbler and the title track, with its infectious melody and contrasting acoustic and electric guitars, offers a wonderful palette of textures. The three closing instrumentals, however, are less distinguishable. They seem to blunt the impact of the set's previous cuts rather than provide the kind of balance -- one suspects -- Culbertson was looking to create. As "Chapter Two" of XII, this works well, but as an album, Dreams doesn't reach its predecessor's heights. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	06/12/2012
Label:	Classics & Jazz / Verve
UPC:	0602537024223

Tracks

1. Later Tonight
2. No Limits
3. Your Smile
4. Still Here
5. In the City
6. You're My Music
7. Dreams
8. Madelena
9. Lights Off
10. The Journey

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Brian Culbertson   Primary Artist,Bass,Piano,Snaps,Trombone,Keyboards,Percussion,Synthesizer Bass
Vivian Green   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Stokley Williams   Primary Artist,Featured Artist,Drums
Noel Gourdin   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Ray Parker, Jr.   Guitar (Rhythm)
Michael Thompson   E-Bow,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Rex Rideout   Keyboards,Synthesizer Bass
Taj Jackson   Vocals (Background)
Rob "Fonksta" Bacon   Guitar
Michael Stever   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
John "Jubu" Smith   Guitar
Bob Horn   Horn Engineer
Eric Marienthal   Sax (Alto),Sax (Tenor),Clarinet (Bass)
Alex Al   Bass
Marc Antoine   Guitar (Acoustic)

Technical Credits

Scott Steiner   Engineer
Michelle Culbertson   Executive Producer
Michael Thompson   Engineer
Rex Rideout   Arranger,Composer,Engineer,Drum Programming
Brian Culbertson   Arranger,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Drum Programming,Executive Producer
Taj Jackson   Composer,Vocal Producer
Daniel Ray   Photography
Garry Kief   Management
Pat Schneider   Studio Technician
Merrilee McLain   Hair Stylist
JoAnn Tominaga   Project Coordinator
Lloyd Johnson   Photo Assistance
Michael Stever   Horn Arrangements
Ron Tuttle   Piano Technician
David Britz   Management
Jeanne Townsend   Make-Up
Teena Collins   Wardrobe
Larry Shields   Booking
Lundal Ray   Digital Technician
T. Jackson   Composer
Bob Horn   Mixing
Dahlia Ambach Caplin   Executive Producer
Vivian Green   Composer
Marc Antoine   Engineer
Gene Grimaldi   Mastering
Vartan   Art Direction