Brian Culbertson

This keyboardist came out of nowhere in 1994, when his independent label debut, Long Night Out, went to the upper reaches of the contemporary jazz charts and crossed over with pop audiences. Since then, Culbertson has preferred the band approach and regularly works with such smooth jazz stars as Richard Elliot, Gerald Albright and Rick Brian. Culbertson can play lush New Age-tinged piano instrumentals or lay down funky, 1970s-inspired workouts with equal ease. He also occasionally solos on the trombone.