Brian Culbertson Discography
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Albums | Compilations| Singles
 Brian CulbertsonXII Release Date 2010 07 20 Label Verve Rating:  Given the widespread critical acclaim and commercial success Brian Culbertson garnered from 2008's retro Bringing Back the Funk, it would be understandably tempting for him -- or any musician -- to revisit it wholesale. However, Culbertson throws a changeup on XII and comes up with a set of collaborative originals with stellar guests that relies more on modern adult R&B than funk, and more on sophisticated pop than it does on contemporary jazz. He's got real star power on this set; it's a groover that includes everything from club to go-go funk, up- and midtempo R&B, and polished bedroom ballads, and it all holds together seamlessly. The set opens with &"Feelin' It," which features some comedy from Sinbad in the intro and outro, but more importantly, Chuck Brown's vocals are the centerpiece -- Culbertson's piano line quotes liberally from Brown's classic &"Bustin' Loose" (he gets a co-write). Ray Parker, Jr.'s guitar and Alex Al's bassline turn it into a monster. Next up is a soulful stepper in &"Another Love," with vocals by Kenny Lattimore. Club makes another appearance in &"Out on the Floor," with Brian McKnight laying down his brand of smooth groove above a killer string arrangement and a lockstep funky backbeat. Nu-soul balladeer Avant sings on the hit single &"Skies Wide Open"; with Randy Bowland's guitar playing an excellent counterpoint to his vocal, it is among the standout cuts here. Faith Evans fronts Culbertson's band on &"Don't U Know Me by Now," a midtempo attitude strutter. Parker makes a fine yet minimal vocal appearance on the simmering babymaker &"I Wanna Love You," compensated for by killer guitar work and the spoken word bit from Floetry's Natalie Stewart on set closer &"I Don't Know." Of the four instrumental tracks, the most notable are &"It's Time" and the transcendently joyful contemporary jazz number &"That's Life," co-written by Culbertson, Parker, and Earl Klugh, who also plays on it. While nothing on XII breaks new ground, one suspects that this wasn't Culbertson's intention: he was looking to write and record an album that had "quality" stamped all over it. For its diversity, imagination, and execution, he gets high marks: XII stands among his best. Thom Jurek, Rovi |
Tracks:
| Title | Composer | Time | |
| 1 | Feelin' It | Culbertson, Uno [West Coast Rap], Brown | 4:29 |
| 2 | Another Love | Culbertson, Rideout, Lattimore | 4:05 |
| 3 | It's Time | Culbertson, Reynolds | 4:05 |
| 4 | Out on the Floor | McKnight, Culbertson | 5:03 |
| 5 | Waiting for You | Culbertson, Lu | 4:38 |
| 6 | Stay wit It | Culbertson, Lu | 4:05 |
| 7 | Skies Wide Open | Culbertson, Rideout, Avant | 4:38 |
| 8 | Forever | Culbertson, Reynolds | 4:26 |
| 9 | Don't U Know Me by Now | Culbertson, Rideout, Stewart | 4:49 |
| 10 | That's Life | Klugh, Culbertson, Parker | 4:38 |
| 11 | I Wanna Love You | Culbertson, Parker | 5:41 |
| 12 | I Don't Know | Culbertson, Stewart | 5:08 |
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