BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Find Local//findlocal.community//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Chicago BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:19700308T020000 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=3;BYDAY=2SU END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:19701101T020000 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=11;BYDAY=1SU END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT UID:7be6434c-ca78-4de8-a5df-954f15ad29aa@findlocal.community DTSTAMP:20261026T183232Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20271026T200000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20271026T220000 SUMMARY:Brian Culberston DESCRIPTION:It’s a rare feat for a recording artist to release 30 albums and score more than 40 Billboard No. 1 singles. It’s even more exception al for an artist to hit that milestone while firmly in their prime\, con tinuing to grow and evolve with each release. Rarer still is for that ge nre-crossing songwriter\, producer\, and multi-instrumentalist to be a d ynamic performer who presents their music in ways never before seen\, bo th on stage and online. And beyond that\, the artist has built a premium festival brand around unique fan experiences. Brian Culbertson checks e very one of these boxes. Culbertson’s sonic approach has been to craft p rimarily instrumental music fusing jazz\, R&B\, funk\, and pop. He’s bee n doing it at the highest level since he exploded onto the scene after t he release of his debut album\, Long Night Out\, in 1994. That hit-fille d set recorded in his college apartment in Chicago instantly established Culbertson as a core artist in the newly emerging smooth jazz genre. No w\, on his 30th album\, The Midnight Tapes\, Culbertson does something h e’s never done before: he played every single instrument* on the album h imself. Recording The Midnight Tapes “It was exciting and terrifying at the same time! I knew it had to be as good as if session players played the parts\,” said Culbertson\, who wrote\, produced\, arranged\, enginee red\, and performed the nine-song set entirely on his own. “What was par ticularly challenging was that the drums\, guitar\, trumpet\, bass\, and others are not my main instruments (like piano and trombone). But becau se I could work non-stop without waiting to schedule other sessions\, it turned out to be the fastest album I’ve ever made — just three months f rom writing to fully mixed. I had a blast!” The Midnight Tapes transport s listeners to the 1970s\, a different world sonically\, while still bei ng a modern sounding record. In the music video for the first single\, “ ’76 Monte Carlo\,” you’ll see a vintage reel-to-reel tape machine and it wasn’t just a prop like the old Monte Carlo keychain Culbertson found o n eBay for the video shoot\, or the Polaroid of him that was taken durin g the photo session for the album cover. “I legitimately used tape in pl aces on this album for effect\,” said Culbertson\, who is doubling down by making The Midnight Tapes available on cassette tape. “It gives the l istener a totally different experience.” Culbertson describes the record ing process for The Midnight Tapes as “going forward and backward at the same time. I’m using new tech and old tech. It’s important to understan d the gear\, and what it can and cannot do. In terms of technology\, wha t are the best things from the past\, and how can I use it to make a mod ern record today?” Culbertson says that he pushed himself compositionall y on his previous outing\, 2025’s Day Trip\, and that he’s pushing himse lf as a musician by playing everything using vintage instruments to reco rd The Midnight Tapes. “I can’t make the same record stylistically over and over as I’d get bored. I learn from each record I make and constantl y build on what I’ve done in the past.” The Midnight Tapes is primarily an R&B instrumental album featuring late-night soulful grooves\, all wit h contemporary jazz flavors. The exception is the hot opening\, "'76 Mon te Carlo\," a super funky retro joint that would be right at home in a 7 0s detective show. But the genesis for the whole album was the second tr ack\, “Before We Kiss\,” an atmospheric and sensual song that Culbertson recorded almost by accident while trying out the 50-year-old drum kit h e had just bought. "While testing out the drums\, I hit record\, then ke pt adding parts on top. Before I knew it\, I had a whole song really qui ck." The next day\, he played the track for musician friends Nicholas Co le and Adrian Crutchfield\, who immediately encouraged Culbertson to rec ord the entire album by himself. “Cool With Me” continues the vibe that recalls Sade and Maxwell’s seductive grooves\, but the vocal point is Cu lbertson’s trademark piano along with a flugelhorn feature. He also play ed a glockenspiel almost note for note with his piano hook melodies thro ughout the album which adds a nostalgic shimmering effect. “The piano is the thread that brings all of my albums together no matter what directi on I go musically\,” said Culbertson. “I’m really particular about my pi ano sound because of that. I use the same Mason & Hamlin piano\, the sam e mics\, the same reverb\, the exact same audio equipment chain on every record so it sounds like my piano. That’s the important part of keeping my loyal fanbase engaged even as I move around to different genres.” Fr iend and frequent collaborator Bootsy Collins invited Culbertson to rema ke the funk legend’s “I’d Rather Be With You” to help celebrate its 50th anniversary\, a track that erupts midpoint from romantic overture into classic funk. Says Collins of the remake\, "When I first heard it\, I th ought Casper was gonna plaster a motha out. It's ooooooooon the one baba . Yeah!!!" “You Got It” picks up the tempo and has all the makings of a fan favorite both in concert and on playlists. “Can’t Stop Love” is a cl assic Culbertson quiet storm boudoir gem. “Let’s Talk About It” gets hea ds and shoulders bouncing again with its slow and “slunky” vibe. The poe tic beauty of “In Your Arms” is primarily a solo piano piece with sparse instrumental coloring. Culbertson spreads out to nearly seven minutes o n “Shared Memories” to close the album with notes of reflection\, rememb rance\, and reconnection. Pivotal Highlights and Turning Points When a c areer spans 30 albums and decades of hits\, there are a wealth of highli ghts and turning points. Long Night Out’s release on Mesa/Bluemoon Recor ds\, led by his first-ever single “City Lights\,” changed the trombone m ajor’s life from music student to professional recording artist as a key boardist. That momentum\, fueled by the successful reception of his next three albums and a move to major label Atlantic Records\, ultimately pu lled him away from writing and recording commercial jingles in the Chica go advertising market while also prompting a relocation to Los Angeles. A decade later\, Culbertson had signed with Verve/GRP and released Bring ing Back the Funk in 2008 with an all-star cast\, executive produced by Maurice White of Earth\, Wind & Fire. At that point\, Culbertson was a m arquee artist for smooth jazz radio\, yet his musical interests went way beyond that limiting label “Making a funk record was inspired by when I sat in with Prince at one of his famous all-night jam sessions in Vegas \,” said Culbertson. “When I told my record label (a respected and rever ed jazz label) that I wanted to make a funk record\, I had to fight to m ake that album happen. It really was a turning point for me\, feeling fr ee enough to experiment beyond the typical smooth jazz world. It turned out to be commercially successful and fans loved it.” By 2010\, the smoo th jazz radio format had already peaked\, and terrestrial radio stations quickly disappeared. Most stations signed off and flipped formats while some became online streamers. Culbertson took another major creative tu rn by recording an album of duets with R&B singers Brian McKnight\, Avan t\, Faith Evans\, and Chuck Brown for his 12th album\, the aptly titled XII. “After Bringing Back the Funk\, it seemed natural to record more of an R&B album and it also allowed me to cross over into another radio fo rmat since smooth jazz radio had gone away\,” said Culbertson. “It’s sti ll very authentic musically\; it’s not chasing something that you think people want. Authenticity is key for me to this day. I believe in every note that I’m playing and I feel it.” Ironically\, XII garnered six Oasi s Contemporary Jazz Awards\, including Best Album\, even as Culbertson w as pushing beyond the contemporary jazz format. In 2014\, Culbertson rev isited his debut set by recording Another Long Night Out. Since the orig inal was recorded in his apartment on a shoestring budget\, he always ha d hopes of remaking those early songs. So\, armed with 20 years of accum ulated knowledge and experience\, he re-recorded the entire album using state-of-the-art technology and an all-star lineup of musicians\, includ ing Lee Ritenour\, Russ Freeman\, Chuck Loeb\, Eric Marienthal\, Steve L ukather\, Nathan East\, Ray Parker Jr.\, Candy Dulfer\, David Benoit\, J onathan Butler\, Jimmy Haslip and Will Kennedy of Yellowjackets\, and Ea rth\, Wind & Fire original member Larry Dunn. “The music industry had ch anged in a big way and so I decided to go independent after 20 years on major labels (Atlantic\, Warner Bros. and Universal). With the rise of t he internet\, YouTube\, and social media\, the business was vastly diffe rent\, and I found new ways to connect with fans directly\,” said Culber tson. “Musically\, I returned to my jazz fusion roots on Another Long Ni ght Out. I follow musically what I’m feeling in the moment\, as is the c ase now with The Midnight Tapes.” Finding A Way to Hang With Fans When t he world changed in 2020\, Culbertson\, like all the other musicians\, w as forced to stay home and away from connecting with fans. He adapted by launching The Hang**\, a weekly livestream full of music and conversati on on YouTube that has aired every Friday night since\, now is its 7th S eason. “I wanted to bring high quality audio and visuals to jazz fans on a weekly one-hour TV show. When I first started\, everyone was looking online for entertainment\, humor\, music\, and\, most importantly\, comf ort\,” Culbertson explained. “There was a total void for high-end live c ontent from contemporary jazz artists. When so many were simply using Fa cebook Live to broadcast from their phones\, I invested heavily in the n ewest ‘streaming’ equipment. In addition to the high production value\, I wanted to present a fun but tightly run show\, complete with different musical segments\, interviews\, a theme song\, wine tasting\, and more. ” The best and most unexpected part of The Hang was the amazing communit y that was formed among all the fans that gather weekly in the 'chat.' " Not only does everyone catch up each week\, but they have become great f riends meeting up in person at live concerts too. Many people still tell me that The Hang really helped them get through one of the hardest time s in their life. That's really special." Meeting His Partner in Life Sho rtly after Long Night Out was released in 1994\, Culbertson met and fell in love with Michelle\, a classically trained musician and vocalist who he’s been married to for 29 years. In addition to their marriage\, the Culbertsons have formed a creative partnership: Michelle serves as execu tive producer on every one of Brian’s independently released albums. She also sings on many of his records\, going all the way back to Modern Li fe in 1995. “Nothing gets finalized without Michelle’s approval. She als o co-founded and named the Napa Valley Jazz Getaway\,” said Culbertson. “Michelle has really been the biggest part of my story.” Influences on B ecoming the Consummate Performer Another key influence on Culbertson’s w ork is Earth\, Wind & Fire. “EWF’s blueprint served as a role model for me to look up to ever since I saw them when I was a young musician. Thei r whole production – the music\, the lights\, the magic tricks\, the cos tumes – really made an impression on me\,” recalled Culbertson. “They ha d just the right balance of incredible compositions\, musicianship\, and arrangements that were both technically sophisticated and massively com mercial. So having the honor of working directly with Maurice (White) wa s truly unforgettable.” Earth\, Wind & Fire’s influence is reflected in Culbertson’s live performances. Like “The Elements\,” Culbertson has a h it-filled catalog to pull from when creating his set list\, but he goes to considerable lengths and expense to create an entirely new production to take on the road for each new album. Two of his elaborate tours have been filmed and released as concert videos: Colors of Love Tour: Live i n Las Vegas (2019) and The Trilogy Tour: Live from Detroit (2025). Years before that\, he recorded a live performance video at iconic Capital Re cords\, which was released as Live From The Inside (2009). “It’s importa nt to create a new show for each tour because the music changes so much. The mood and the vibes are different\,” said Culbertson. “It all began once I could afford to hire a lighting designer. Another influence on my live shows was when I saw the Pat Metheny Group’s Still Life (Talking) tour. The lighting was perfectly timed to the music. That’s because thei r lighting designer was a musician\, something I found out years later a fter working with the band’s bassist Steve Rodby. So\, I always look for lighting designers who are also musicians.” You’ve Got To See It To Bel ieve It Like Earth\, Wind & Fire\, who added elements to their concerts that no one had ever seen before\, Culbertson has a segment in his shows that blows audience minds every time. Spoiler alert: he performs an ext ended piano solo during “On My Mind” backwards. “The first time happened when I was performing at a jazz festival. I was just trying to get clos e to the audience who had come up front and were dancing right in front of me (there was no barricade at this show)\, so I walked out in front o f my keyboard. With so many fans then surrounding me\, I reached over an d finished the song from the other side of the keyboard (backwards) and the crowd went crazy\,” recalls Culbertson about the show-stopping segme nt that you have to see to believe. “It was a spontaneous moment that I never practiced\, but it has since become a fan favorite and recently go ne viral\, receiving over 50 million views across all the social platfor ms.” The Getaways For 14 years\, Culbertson has welcomed people from all over the world to California wine country for the Napa Valley Jazz Geta way\, a star-studded\, multi-day music and wine festival. Its success le d to spinoff festivals in Chicago\, New Orleans\, Hawaii\, and Boston. “ People are looking for more experiences\, especially when shared with ot hers who like the same music\,” said Culbertson. “Plus\, it’s not just a bout making records or playing shows from a distance anymore. It’s about interacting with listeners and creating special moments that are bigger than just another concert.” Gratitude and the Magic of Making Music As he prepares to share his 30th album with the world\, Culbertson remains humble\, grateful\, and as passionate as ever about making music. Like s ome of his idols\, he continues to push himself creatively\, both in the studio and on stage\, finding new ways to challenge himself and connect with his audience. Constantly learning and experimenting with each succ essive project propels his continued growth\, authenticity\, and evoluti on as a unique artist. “I’m very grateful to still be in this business f or over 32 years. I’m certainly not taking my foot off the pedal and\, i n fact\, I’ve already started my 31st album even before The Midnight Tap es is released\,” enthused Culbertson. “I love creating music. I still f eel the same spark\, the same feeling I had when I was 12 and wrote my f irst song. It’s magical.”\n\nTickets: https://www.axs.com/events/1666198 /brian-culbertson-tickets?skin=pabst\n\nhttps://findlocal.community/even t/7be6434c-ca78-4de8-a5df-954f15ad29aa LOCATION:Pabst Theater\, 144 E. Wells St.\, Milwaukee\, WI 53202 URL:https://findlocal.community/event/7be6434c-ca78-4de8-a5df-954f15ad29a a STATUS:CONFIRMED SEQUENCE:0 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR