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Rick Braun

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Rick Braun
Rick Braun performing in 2005
Rick Braun performing in 2005
Background information
Born (1955-07-06) July 6, 1955 (age 69)
Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
GenresSmooth jazz, jazz fusion, pop
Occupation(s)Musician, record producer
InstrumentTrumpet
LabelsArtistry, Mack Avenue
Websiterickbraun.com

Rick Braun (born July 6, 1955) is a smooth jazz trumpeter, vocalist and record producer.[1]

Career

Braun's mother was a self-taught pianist and banjoist. Braun played drums in high school, then followed his brother in playing the trumpet.[2] In the 1970s, he attended the Eastman School of Music, and while a student there became a member of a jazz-fusion band, Auracle.[1][3] The band worked with producer Teo Macero, and Braun co-produced the second album.

During the 1980s, he entered the pop music world. He released an album in Japan as a singer, then worked as a songwriter for Lorimar (Warner Chappell). He wrote the song "Here with Me" with REO Speedwagon, and it became a top twenty hit.[1][3] When he returned to the trumpet, he worked as a studio musician and touring member with Crowded House, Natalie Cole, Glenn Frey, Tom Petty, Sade, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, and War.[3]

He released his debut solo album, Intimate Secrets (Mesa, 1992), followed by Night Walk and Christmas Present. His popularity increased enough by 1995, when he released Beat Street, that he was persuaded to pursue a solo career.[1][4]

He has cited as influences Miles Davis, Lee Morgan, Chet Baker, Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie and Herb Alpert, with the last one inspiring his album All It Takes including a song called "Tijuana Dance" (a play on Alpert's band Tijuana Brass).[3] One of his influences was Freddie Hubbard, and Braun composed a song, "Freddie Was Here" in 2008, which he recorded on his album, All it Takes, in tribute to Hubbard, who died that year.[5]

He achieved several top chartings including Kisses in the Rain (as high as number 1),[6] R n R (as high as number 1), All It Takes (as high as number 2),[7] and Can You Feel It (as high as number 1) along with charting at the Traditional Jazz Albums for the first time in 2011 with the vocal album Sings with Strings (as high as number 9).[8]

Braun performs in the band BWB, with saxophonist Kirk Whalum and guitarist Norman Brown.[9] He has performed live with known musicians such as Candy Dulfer, Dave Koz, Jackiem Joyner, and Peter White.

In 2005, he and saxophonist Richard Elliot co-founded ARTizen Music Group (now known as Artistry Music) and once had Rykodisc as a distributor.[10]

Braun won Gavin Report's Artist of the Year twice.[11]

Discography

Albums

Titles Year Label Notes
Intimate Secrets 1992 Mesa/Bluemoon
Night Walk 1994 Mesa/Bluemoon
Christmas Present: Music of Warmth & Celebration 1994 Mesa/Bluemoon
Beat Street 1995 Mesa/Bluemoon
Body and Soul 1997 Mesa/Bluemoon
Full Stride 1998 Atlantic
Shake It Up 2000 Warner Bros. with Boney James
Kisses in the Rain 2001 Warner Bros.
Esperanto 2003 Warner Bros.
Yours Truly 2005 Artizen
Sessions: Volume 1 2006 Artizen
R n R 2007 Artizen with Richard Elliot
All It Takes 2009 Artistry/Mack Avenue
Sings with Strings 2011 Artistry/Mack Avenue
Swingin' in the Snow 2012 Brauntosoarus/CD Baby
Can You Feel It 2014 Artistry/Mack Avenue
Around the Horn 2017 Shanachie
Crossroads 2019 Shanachie

BWB (Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum, Norman Brown)

Titles Year Label
Groovin' 2002 Warner Bros.
Human Nature: The Songs of Michael Jackson 2013 Heads Up
BWB 2016 Mack Avenue

Compilation appearances

  • New Age Music & New Sounds Vol. 67 – Liberty

Songs co-written

References

  1. ^ a b c d Ankeny, Jason. "Rick Braun". AllMusic. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  2. ^ Peña, Susan (March 22, 1996). "Reading Eagle - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d Walker, Chris (December 1, 1998). "Rick Braun: Brass Action - JazzTimes". JazzTimes. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  4. ^ Yonke, David (February 13, 2004). "Toledo Blade - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  5. ^ Soergel, Brian (October 2009). "Rick Braun All It Takes". JazzTimes. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
  6. ^ "Charts". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 21. April 14, 2001. p. 44. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
  7. ^ "Braun's Bow". Billboard. Vol. 121, no. 32. August 15, 2009. p. 37. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  8. ^ "Format Change". Billboard. Vol. 123, no. 23. July 2011. p. 37. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
  9. ^ Graybow, Steven (November 2, 2002). "Jazz Notes". Billboard. Vol. 114, no. 44. p. 46. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
  10. ^ Ouellette, Dan (May 14, 2005). "Jazz Notes: "Citizen Art"". Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 20. p. 45. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  11. ^ "Rick Braun". allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
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