Culbertson readying to take "Funk!" to the stage

"Been Around The World" to precede new album and extensive concert tour

Los Angeles, Calif. (25 May 2016): Message to funk received from the Mothership: hit-maker Brian Culbertson is in the studio conspiring with his cosmic group of musical soul brothers on his second funk collection, "Funk!," which will be released September 16 on his BCM Entertainment label. Less than a week after his seventeenth album streets, the award-winning multi-instrumentalist will launch a coast-to-coast concert tour on a scale unlike any trek ever mounted by the vivacious showman who will be flanked by the same band showcased on the album. To help set the stage for the 11-song set plus three playful interlude sketches, all produced by Culbertson, radio stations will be serviced "Been Around The World" in early July.     

Those who have caught a Culbertson show over the last year might have had a premonition that the R&B-jazzman was about to again morph into an emissary of funk, a mission that began with his 2008 recording "Bringing Back The Funk," which he co-produced with the late Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire and featured legendary funksters Bootsy Collins and Larry Graham. His set list at recent gigs included a pair of funk classics, "Got To Give It Up" and "Play That Funky Music," which made it onto the new album. The Chicago-bred musician who plays piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, clavinet, Hammond B3 organ, synths, trombone, bass, drums, percussion and sings on the entire record wrote or co-wrote nine new songs for "Funk!" that showcases his live band - Marqueal Jordan (vocals & sax), Tyrone Chase (guitars), Eddie Miller (keyboards, organ & vocals), Rodney Jones, Jr. (bass, guitar & vocals), Chris Miskel (drums) and Michael Stever (trumpeter & horn arrangements) - along with Chance Howard, a nasty R&B keyboardist, bassist and vocalist who has toured and recorded with fellow Minnesota native Prince. Noted trumpeter Patches Stewart will replace Stever for the Funk! Tour. 

Next month, Howard will join Culbertson on stage to premiere a few choice cuts from "Funk!," including the first single, at Culbertson's fifth anniversary Napa Valley Jazz Getaway, a wine and jazz lifestyle experience in the heart of California Wine Country taking place June 8-12. 

"The concept for 'Funk!' was to make an old-school, throwback funkadelic record in the style of P-Funk meets Prince and to tour with the same band that appears on the album - my band plus Chance (Howard). We finished tracking and are mixing this week. The show we will be taking out on the road is unlike anything anyone has ever seen from me before. It's on an entirely different level. Yes, we're taking it there! I'm also very excited about capturing the magic by shooting a Blu-ray to be taped on tour this fall," said Culbertson, who as an imaginative and trend-setting artist, producer and songwriter has architected 28 Billboard No. 1 singles along with a library of chart-topping albums. 

Once again, Culbertson has opened the doors to the recording studio by posting a series of video blogs from the "Funk!" sessions on his website (http://www.brianculbertson.com/funk) as well as engaging his followers through Facebook Live. And like his most recent studio release, he's offering fans the opportunity to get involved with the process by launching an Indiegogo campaign (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/brian-culbertson-s-funk--2#/) that provides a menu of unique options, including VIP concert tickets, tickets for the Blu-ray filming, autographed CD, limited edition vinyl album, a private personalized video message, sheet music and a bobble head Funk! doll.

Tickets go on sale for the Funk! Tour for fan club members beginning June 1 and to the general public starting June 3. For more information, please visit www.BrianCulbertson.com.

The songs that comprise "Funk!" are:

"Get Ready"
"The Call"
"Been Around The World"
"Take It Up"
"Let's Take A Ride"
"We Got What You Want"
"Sunshine" (interlude)
"Hey Girl"
"Damn, I'm Hungry" (interlude)
"Got To Give It Up"
"Mile Sauce"
"Play That Funky Music"
"Spend A Little Time"
"To Be Continued." (interlude)

The Funk! Tour itinerary is listed below (additional dates will be added):
September 22-25             Seattle, WA
Jazz Alley (two shows Sept. 23 & 24) 

September 26                   Portland, OR
The Aladdin

September 27                   Bend, OR
Tower Theater

October 5                            Fresno, CA
Tower Theater

October 6                            Santa Barbara, CA
Lobero Theater

*October 7                         Newport Beach, CA
Hyatt Newporter

*October 8                         Temecula, CA
Thornton Winery

October 9                            Scottsdale, AZ
Livewire

October 11-12                   Denver, CO
Soiled Dove (two shows per night)

October 13                          Salt Lake City, UT
The State Room

October 14-15                   Las Vegas, NV
Aliante Casino

*October 16                       Catalina Island, CA
Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival

October 20                          Indianapolis, IN
Murat Theater

October 21                          Cincinnati, OH
Ludlow Garage

October 23                          New Albany, OH
Schottenstein Theatre

October 25                          Pittsburgh, PA
MCG Jazz (two shows)

October 26-27                   New York, NY
B.B. King's 

October 28                          Cranston, RI
Park Theatre

October 29                          New Haven, CT
John Lyman Center

October 30                          Boston, MA
Scullers Jazz Club (two shows)

November 4                       Collingswood, NJ
Scottish Rite Auditorium

*November 5                    Mount Pocono, PA                          Mt.
Airy Casino Resort

November 11                    Minneapolis, MN
Dakota (two shows)

November 13                    Detroit, MI
Royal Oak Music Theatre

Nov. 28-Dec. 2                   London, England
Pizza Express

*denotes tickets are already on sale

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