RICK BRAUN & RICHARD
ELLIOT
R n
R
The collaboration between two
giant, complementary yet separate forces can produce previously unimagined
greatness. Both parties contribute
uniquely and often bring something special out of each other. They are coaxed outside of their comfort
zones to explore previously unexplored avenues. Disparate perspectives stimulate fresh
ideas resulting in thrilling new possibilities. With open minds, they combine and
harmonize to create something truly magical.
The exciting collaboration
between trumpeter Rick Braun and
saxophonist Richard Elliot has been
in the making for over a decade.
They’ve toured together for years and have made guest appearances on each
other’s records. Between them, they
have 24 solo albums and a massive catalogue of chart-topping radio hits. When they launched the ARTizen Music Group record label with a
couple of music industry veterans almost three years ago, it was only a matter
of time before the two heavyweights stepped into the ring side by side to
deliver a knockout album full of punchy beats & rhythms, potent melodies and
collaborative sparks that melded naturally and have roots way beyond music.
The dynamic duo wrote and
produced R n R, a long-anticipated cool-jazz
treat that bodes to be the album event of the year in the contemporary
instrumental genre. The collection
of original funk, R&B, jazz and pop songs will be released in late summer
and promises to bring the heat well into the New Year.
“We’ve had so much fun playing
together live that it was time for us to get together musically,” declared
Elliot. “We have different
approaches yet they are complementary.
We called upon our roots (Elliot was a long-time member of Tower of Power and Braun played with War) and we constantly bounced ideas
off each other (in the studio).”
R n R was conceptualized on the fly as
they entered the studio to record without any preconceived ideas. The result is an album that has the
spontaneity and smoldering energy of a live performance. “I think the album is very energetic and
percolates. We didn’t want to
overpower the melodies by just blasting a lot of horns in people’s faces. In fact, we did the opposite by using
single trumpet, flugelhorn and tenor sax melodies much like old recordings from
the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60’s, which gave the record an intimate, warm sound. The horn section parts were doubled to
really give it that oomph and muscle.
We treated the lead instruments as would vocalists recording duets, which
gave them each a personal voice,” explained Braun.
Equipped with grooves from a
number of sources, including album contributor’s Jeff Lorber, Rex Rideout and Philippe Saisse, Elliot and Braun wrote
the melodies while recording, which was an unusual process for them, especially
for Braun who played a horn with one hand while controlling the soundboard with
the other. “While recording, it was
ensemble playing,” said Braun.
“Richard played sax and I had a trumpet or flugelhorn as we came up with
melodies spontaneously. What you
hear on the finished album are a lot of first takes. That’s rare. We let the songs develop and be inspired
100% from the interaction between us.”
It took about three months to
record R n R in Braun’s suburban Los
Angeles home studio whenever the artists were between tour dates. Since they’d have a day or two here, and
a day or two there, the recording process had to be quite focused and condensed
when their schedules were clear.
“We’d
RICK BRAUN & RICHARD
ELLIOT/PAGE 2
work on up to three songs per
day…at least get the melodies going.
But the (writing) process would evolve over a few months,” recalled
Elliot. Adding to the equation was
that Elliot lives in North San Diego County, 2-3 hours from Braun’s house. “I was driving back and forth each day,
which was about 5-6 hours of driving roundtrip. But I kind of liked it. It gave me time to listen to tracks in
the car on the ride in so I knew what I wanted to do that day. At night, I’d drive home with what we
worked on so I could listen to what I wanted to do or change at the next
session.”
While Elliot drove, Braun toiled
in the studio. “Rick did so much
heavy-lifting production-wise, adjusting parts and stuff. He was very dedicated to this
project. He certainly went above
and beyond. I’m grateful for all
the work he put in,” beamed Elliot in awe of his partner. Helping to adorn the tracks were some of
their gifted friends such as guitarists Chris Standring and Dwight Sills, keyboardist Gregg Karukas, percussionist Lenny Castro, drummer Ricky Lawson and bassist Nate Phillips.
Kicking off the party is the
groovy title track, an infectious horn-drenched romp that seems both vintage and
fresh. It’s got a summery feel,
which is why it was the first track from the collection serviced to radio. It’s a combination of lots of talented
musicians that was spawned from a Standring riff. Rideout provided the R&B groove for
“Sweet Somethin’,” and the duo decided to lay a jazzy melody on top. Braun’s muted trumpet adds ambience to
the laidback, seductive atmosphere.
“A big thing Rick and I wanted to do was not to over-think things. We wanted to be free to try different
approaches and we created an environment for the musicians who played on the
record to do the same. We wanted to
take chances and we wanted all the players to do so as well,” revealed
Elliot.
What Braun and Elliot refer to as
one of the cornerstone cuts on the CD is “Curve Ball.” It’s a high-octane, adventurous funk
track reminiscent of the Brecker
Brothers and the fusion era co-written by Lorber. The melody counteracts the aggressive
groove. The haunting melody on “The
Stranger” has an air of familiarity that adds intrigue to the mystery. A hypnotic bass line supports the
shadowy, atmospheric track that has the horns playing cat & mouse as they
duck in and out of each other’s melodies.
“The entire spirit of the record
was to try everything,” said Braun.
So for “Da JR Funk,” on impulse he borrowed a flying V rock guitar from a
neighbor for Lorber to play. The
track has a down home funk thing going on during the chorus while Lorber’s raw
guitar shards add edginess. “Que
Paso” is a total departure in that this number was composed by Saisse
specifically for Braun and Elliot.
The gorgeous, international-flavored song has a dramatic, cinematic
chorus that connects emotionally.
“Better Times” is a vibrant, two-horn-led lyrical pop song armed with a
lethal hook. “Down And Dirty” began
with Lorber. “We didn’t give any
direction to the musicians. Each
one brought new life to it. The
song came together in bits and pieces,” explained Braun.
“It’s my favorite because it
grooves so hard. It’s got a stinky
groove - just plain stinky, and I love it,” exclaimed Elliot.
Rideout brought in another
R&B groove for “Two Heart Tango.”
Once again, Braun and Elliot decided to veer towards the unexpected by
choosing a Brazilian “Cha Cha” melody and adding Braun’s voice to guide the song
that bridges the gap between funk and Latin music. British influences abound on “Q It Up,”
thanks to the work of Shilts. Driving horns add a sense of urgency to
this dialogue between instruments cloaked in a retro R&B vibe. The moody, understated “Sunday Night”
traces its roots back to traditional jazz as it moves in different directions
while utilizing a less predictable, alternative melody. The album concludes with a track that
previously was exclusively
RICK BRAUN & RICHARD
ELLIOT/PAGE 3
available via the ARTizen
website, the breezy exotic romance of “Sao Paulo,” which reached the top 15 on
the Radio & Records chart. It was a free bonus download from
Braun’s Yours Truly disc, but a couple of
major smooth jazz radio stations added the song to CD samplers and other radio
stations picked up on it. Although
Elliot is credited with penning the cut alone, he gives Braun full credit for
the classy final product. “Rick
made the song what it is - the arrangement, the approach. He added a great flavor and made it
beautiful and intimate.”
Elliot began his recording career
young while playing on songs by Motown legends Smokey Robinson and The Temptations. He was still a teenager when he toured
with Melissa Manchester. That gig led to him spending five
formative years performing with the mighty Tower of Power, who molded the
impressionable musician into a passionate entertainer. He put out his first solo album in 1976
and in subsequent years, the Scotland-born, Los Angeles-raised saxophonist
became a pioneering voice in contemporary jazz by consistently scoring hit after
hit while building a growing legion of fans year after year through his dynamic
concerts. Although he’s got an
extensive arsenal of originals to pull from, Elliot stops the show each time he
plays his classic signature version of “When A Man Loves A Woman.” Outside of music, Elliot co-founded a
cutting-edge multimedia company (PacificNet) that served some of the
giants of the corporate business, entertainment and sports industries.
Braun is a trumpeter-flugelhorn
player-keyboardist who started his professional career by writing a top 20 pop
hit for REO Speedwagon (“Here With
Me”). The Allentown, Pennsylvania
native has played in bands backing Rod
Stewart, Sade, Tom Petty, Tina Turner, Natalie Cole and Crowded House. As a producer, he’s guided #1 hits for
David Benoit, Marc Antoine and Avenue Blue. Since debuting as a solo artist in 1993,
twice he has been honored as Gavin’s “Artist of the Year” in
addition to collecting a Gavin “Album
of the Year” trophy and “Best Producer” and “Best Brass Player” titles from the
Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards. Recording with colleagues is nothing new
for Braun, who released an album of duets with Boney James and recorded as a trio
along with Norman Brown and Kirk Whalum as BWB. Up next for the prolific talent is
producing and performing on Peter
White’s Christmas album, working on his own CD and then starting Elliot’s
next album. “And then the cycle
starts all over again,” laughed Braun.
In addition to playing their own
concert dates throughout the year, Braun and Elliot are touring the U.S.
extensively with the perennially successful Jazz
Attack line-up that co-stars White and Jonathan Butler. The show consists of various
combinations of collaboration between the artists, something that obviously
appeals to Braun and Elliot.
“Richard is so creative and fun to work with. We’ve spent a lot of time together over
the years and I have great respect for his work and talents. It’s been a natural progression to make
an album together,” concluded Braun.
Elliot summed it up
eloquently. “I played and soloed
differently (on R n R) due to Rick’s
influence and presence. That’s the
magic of collaboration.” Pop in R n R and experience the magic for
yourself.
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7/07
www.ARTizenMusic.com www.rickbraun.com www.richardelliot.com
Contact: Rick Scott/Great Scott
P.R.oductions 310.306.0375
greatscottproductions@earthlink.net