Night Walk - Rick Braun:
Featured on Back Trax Edition 404 - April 23rd, 2006
It was 1977, when Braun left home to attend the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. However, he never completed his term since the band he was with, was offered a record deal; so later that same year Rick ended up driving across the US to LA. He recorded a recorded a pair of projects with Auracle and did a variety of sideman gigs before connecting with the group War in the mid-80s. He toured with them, wrote the pop hit Here With Me for REO Speedwagon, his first big success in music, and then enjoyed an eighteen month stint as a member of Rod Stewart's band. He released his solo debut in 1993, but it was shortly thereafter that he got a gig as the trumpeter for Sade ... check the feature.

My Little Drum - Rick Braun:
Featured on A Café Jazz Christmas Pt 2 Edition 389 - Dec.18th, 2005
Ever since hearing It's Christmas from Braun's own 1994 Christmas Present release, I've considered Rick's style as close to perfect a fit you can get for certain seasonal music. However, although he's performed on holiday releases from Boney James & Peter White, nothing has really quite matched the magic of that selection until now. Finally, I can include another selection, My Little Drum, on my list of personal favourites. The track appears on the compilation 40 Years - A Charlie Brown Christmas, and is just one many 'high water marks' on the album !!

The brain thrust behind the project was David Benoit, a five-time Grammy nominee who ... read more.

Yours Truly - Rick Braun:
Showcased on Edition 385 - November 20th, 2005
The man who nearly single-handedly revitalized the sound of the trumpet in contemporary music is back with his first studio release in a couple of years. Over the past dozen years, Rick Braun has become firmly entrenched as one of the most popular players in Smooth Jazz. Going back a few years though, reveals that Rick has enjoyed an interesting and somewhat varied career.

It all began in Allentown Pennsylvania where Braun grew up in a family that, apart from his father, was quite musical. His grandparents played the violin and piano while his Mom was self-taught on both banjo & piano. If he'd had his way, Braun would have been a drummer or perhaps a violin player, but the trumpet proved to be less objectionable for a big family living in a small house. So it was that from the third grade on Rick was playing along with all the Herb Alpert records ... read more .

Love's Theme - Rick Braun:
Featured on Fresh Trax Edition 382 - October 30th, 2005
Over the past few years Braun has become firmly entrenched as one of the most popular players in Smooth Jazz. It wasn't always that way though. The native of Allentown Pennsylvania studied at the Eastman School of Music & was a member of Auracle (see our write-up on Steve Raybine) before making his way to LA in 1977. There he enjoyed a variety of experiences. In the mid-80s he toured with the group War. He wrote the hit Here With Me for REO Speedwagon and also enjoyed a stint as a member of Rod Stewart's band. It was in 1993 that he issued his solo debut and shortly thereafter he got a gig as the touring trumpeter for Sade on her "Love Deluxe" tour. That proved to a pivotal point ... see shownotes.