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All It Takes
Rick Braun
All It Takes
Genres: Jazz, Pop
 
  •  Track Listings (10) - Disc #1

All It Takes is a fertile collaboration between the chart topping Rick Braun, and versatile keyboardist, composer, producer Philippe Saisse, it' s also a step into a wide-open musical terrain beyond Braun's trademark R&...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Rick Braun
Title: All It Takes
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Artistry Music
Original Release Date: 1/1/2009
Re-Release Date: 7/28/2009
Genres: Jazz, Pop
Style:
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 181475702023

Synopsis

Product Description
All It Takes is a fertile collaboration between the chart topping Rick Braun, and versatile keyboardist, composer, producer Philippe Saisse, it' s also a step into a wide-open musical terrain beyond Braun's trademark R&B/pop comfort zone. Most of the songs on All It Takes find Braun artfully combining flugelhorn with muted trumpet (using the Harmon mute). Add Euro, neo-classical, cinematic elements and a touch of disco flash and that's All It Takes for a sensational new disc. From producing Richard Elliot's newest (Rock Steady,) to setting himself new levels of creativity for All It Takes, to the now-legendary Chet Baker inspired shows, Rick performs as the mood strikes - this is an artist who doesn't stand still.

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CD Reviews

Easy on the ear.
Jazz for the dappers | 08/06/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)

"The famed trumpeter returns with a mixed bag.

This is his 12th album: it accents the "smooth" more than the "jazz" and also serves as a showcase for keyboardist and producer Philippe Saisse, who has real musical chemistry with Braun.

Braun's big strengths when he first emerged were a musicality, an instrumentalist's timing and ideas and that made him a unique jazz musician, like a modern reincarnation of Herb Alpert.

Success, concerts (and hectic schedules & business) have swelled the budgets, and risked overwhelming his undoubted skills, eloquence and jazz instincts.

The result is an enjoyable but rather formulaic and predictable set of middle-of-the-road pop/commercial jazz which will certainly will make your summer evenings around the pool very pleasant.

After the listening, you really can't say which tracks are the best, all songs being mostly similar and indistinguishable, with the exception of some latin-tinged and midtempo tunes.

But though this set drops into the dinner-jazz and easy-listening boxes, there's enough good orchestral arrangement and sharp trumpet soloing to engage the big-band buffs and plenty of Rick Braun at his best.

A bunch of jazz stars join in: Richard Elliot on sax, the aforementioned Philippe Saisse on keyboards, Luis Conte on percussion, Marc Antoine and Dwight Sills on guitar, Ricky Lawson on drums.

For sure, it will sell well and reach the top of the commercial charts.

My highlights: "I Got Your Back", "Ever Changing World".

The album debuts at # 4 of the Billboard Top Jazz Album. Posted: August 15, 2009

(Billboard Magazine has discontinued the Contemporary Jazz Chart, which was a good thing indeed. Sad. Can we call JAZZ albums the latest recordings from Will Downing or Rick Braun? They are pop/jazzy records! This is move from the music industry which, for market purposes, prefer to avoid that boundary line that might jeopardize the sale of the lightweight, smooth jazz recordings as entertaining, second rate products. What a nonsense).

RnR

Rock Steady

Anything Goes"
Huge Rick Braun Fan, This One I Love
BRB | Washington, DC | 08/27/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ok, so I'm already a huge fan, but I have to say, this is one of my favorite RB recordings to date. While I'll agree this CD is overall less playful than some of his others, this is by no means "dinner music" as another reviewer has suggested. I'm blown away by this guy's gorgeous velvety tracks. No jazz trumpeter today has got a sweeter sound or more engaging musical sensibility. Don't miss this CD."
Looking for a New Direction?
Open Ear | LA | 10/18/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)

"As far as smooth jazz/jazz crossover music, I will always cite Rick Braun...if you have ever seen him live, you KNOW he is the real deal. Having said that, this latest cd seems like he is looking for a direction to go, and is sitting in the middle of the road until he finds it. Good Luck, Rick, I hope you find a new path to blaze, we are waiting and will be there when you are ready to take us with you."