Title - 'Ones Upon A Time'
Artist - Paul Brown
Although I'm sure you are all fully aware by now, the term “Renaissance Man” dates back to the time of Leonardo da Vinci, who was described as a man of “unquenchable curiosity” and “feverishly inventive imagination.”
Paul Brown’s four decade journey through the worlds of pop, R&B and jazz is the modern day musical equivalent.
Starting as a drummer, he became an engineer for R&B legends (Diana Ross, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin) before evolving into a two time Grammy winning urban jazz producer (with over 60 #1 radio airplay hits) and finally a popular guitarist, artist and performer in his own right.
In the remarkable 12 years since he released his debut album Up Front, Brown has released ten albums (including three that hit the Top Ten on the Billboard Albums chart), scored countless hit singles, and done thousands of performances across the U.S. and internationally.
And yet, as he prepares to release his seventh album, Ones Upon A Time (out August 14th, 2020), his fourth collection on Woodward Avenue Records after The Funky Joint (2012), Truth B Told (2014), One Way Back (2016), Brown freely admits he is still trying to find himself as an artist.
Here on the cleverly entitled Ones Upon A Time, the two-time Grammy winner brings together a soulfully seductively and delightfully delectable batch of his favorite chart-toppers, produced for himself and other artists (Boney James, Bob James, Larry Carlton, Kirk Whalum, George Benson) and re-imagines them for his brand new, 10-track collection.
1. 'Nothin' But Love' (feat. Jeff Ryan)
2. 'Mind Games' (feat. Gregg Karukas)
3. 'Grazing In The Grass' (feat. Euge Groove)
4. 'Deep Into It' (feat. Rick Braun)
5. 'Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise'
6. 'Now 'Til Forever' (feat. DW3)
7. 'Notorious' (feat. Richard Elliot)
8. 'Just Chillin' (feat. Darren Rahn)
9. 'Tequila Moon'
10. '24/7' (feat. Greg Vail)
The album opens with the easy, breezy, free flowing smooth jazz pairing
of both 'Nothin' But Love' (feat. Jeff Ryan) and 'Mind Games' (feat. Gregg Karukas), the South African Jazz icon Hugh Masekela's 'Grazing In The Grass' (from 1968, and featuring Euge Groove), and one of my own personal favorites here, the thoughtful and dedicated 'Deep Into It' (feat. Rick Braun).
Next up is the beautiful soul of 'Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise' which is backed by the one-two, gentle finger-snap vibe of 'Now 'Til Forever' (feat. DW3), the magnificently embedded hipsway of 'Notorious' (feat. Richard Elliot), and then rounds out with the light and perky ambiance of both 'Just Chillin' (feat. Darren Rahn) and 'Tequila Moon,' closing on the vibrant guitar track '24/7' (feat. Greg Vail).
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