Rick Braun
continues to satisfy his global audience with
Kisses in the Rain
, his first solo CD since the 1998 chart-topper
Full Stride
.
Braun
penned his own musical tastes on seven songs, and also covers
Bill Withers
'
"Use Me,"
Leon Russell
's
"Song for You,"
and
Johnny Britt
's original
"Grover's Groove."
get high marks for his excellent collaborations with smooth jazz guitarists
Norman Brown
,
Peter White
, and
Tony Maiden
on
"Car Wash,"
"Kisses in the Rain,"
"Grover's Groove,"
while arrangements that feature
Harvey Mason
Luis Conte
Li'l John Roberts
Paulinho da Costa
on drums and percussion keep the funk and groove masters at a solid pace on the beautiful ballad
"Emma's Song,"
"Simplicity,"
"Use Me."
On
"For You,"
guest vocals from
Shai
add a soulful layer to this great love song.
plays fluegelhorn, trumpet, keyboards, and acoustic piano and provides programming on this great program; his playing sheds new light on the importance of brass players up front on the smooth jazz scene, a musical landscape previously dominated by guitarists and saxophonists. On
"Middle of the Night,"
he is able to play and describe what he hears in sweet, subtle, powerful, and emotional registers that offer the listener many reasons to stay tuned.
tops his previous solo effort with a remarkable update on the smooth jazz scene that is balanced, focused, and a worthy addition to the collections of serious smooth jazz aficionados and
fans around the world. ~ Paula Edelstein