Groove with BWB and the Sax Pack
Individually, they are three titans of contemporary music: Rick Braun, the gifted trumpeter/flugelhornist with the golden voice; Grammy-winning tenor saxophonist Kirk Whalum, the Memphis-born wunderkind who mixes Beale Street, gospel, the blues and bop; and Norman Brown, the Grammy-winning guitarist who brings a Louisiana lilt to his Wes Montgomery/George Benson influenced six-string soulful strut. They came together 11 years ago as the supergroup known as BWB and their historic album “Groovin’” made them one of the most sought-after groups at that time.
Don’t miss the stellar performance of BWB Thursday, Oct. 15 at the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival. The show will be held at the Performing Arts Theater at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes. They’ll share the stage with the Sax Pack.
This terrific triad reassembled with the June 18 release of “Human Nature” on Heads Up International, a division of Concord Music Group (international release dates may vary). This long-awaited sequel to their debut project spotlights BWB’s stupendous reimaging of eleven selections made famous by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
“We made the first BWB record in 2002 when we were all on Warner Bros. Jazz,” said Braun. “We did a world tour behind the record. And then we’ve all been off doing our own thing – so this is really a reunion. We have an incredible amount of respect for each other: We phrase together. We complete each other’s sentences, musically. We’re really just a good bunch of guys making music, and grateful to be doing that.”
Though Braun, Whalum and Brown are often labeled in the limiting category of “smooth jazz,” the selections on this project prove beyond a doubt that this recording was produced in the time-honored tradition of modern jazz musicians interpreting and elevating popular music, like Ahmad Jamal did with “Poinciana” and John Coltrane did with “My Favorite Things.”
Growing up in Memphis, TN, saxophonist/flutist Whalum came of age in one of America’s most musically rich cities, where one was required to master gospel, R&B, jazz, and the blues. Graduating from Texas Southern University in Houston, Whalum cut his jazz chops during the city’s vibrant night club scene of the ’80s. Though he’s recorded with a variety of artists from Yolanda Adams and Barbra Streisand to Quincy Jones and most notably Whitney Houston, Whalum, an ordained minister, has a passion to educate young musicians and serves as Chief Creative Officer of the STAX Music Academy and the STAX Museum of American Soul Music in his home town. A 2011 GRAMMY® winner for Best Gospel Song, he has recorded twenty-plus solo CDs including “The Promise”, “Romance Language” and “The Gospel According to Jazz” series.
Hailing from Shreveport, La., Brown was raised in Kansas City and absorbed a complex confluence best of southern and Midwestern musical styles. Inspired equally by Jimi Hendrix and Wes Montgomery, Brown moved to Los Angeles after graduating high school, attended and taught at the Musicians Institute in that city. In 1993, his “Just Chillin’ ” CD earned him a Grammy in the best pop instrumental category. In addition to his career as a musician, Brown also works as a broadcaster on the Smooth Jazz Radio Network.
It all comes together on “Human Nature” – three great musicians celebrating one immortal artist in a celebratory reunion that’s music to everyone’s ears. “We went our separate ways eleven years ago,” said Brown. “But I find it really fascinating that after all of that time, we could come back together and gel right away, and keep that same old feeling. What ultimately comes out is a cohesive BWB sound.”
The Sax Pack
The idea of The Sax Pack originated in 2004 with saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa after he saw a movie about the “Rat Pack,” a group of legendary entertainers led by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr.
Inspired by their showmanship and camaraderie, Kashiwa came up with the name The Sax Pack and called on some of his saxophone peers and started a new group that would feature the instrument, as well as their collective musical passion for jazz, funk and R&B.
The Sax Pack has released two CDs, “The Sax Pack” (2008) and “The Pack is Back” (2009) on Shanachie Records.
The Sax Pack features Kashiwa, Steve Cole and Kim Waters. Along with being cohesive musically, the trio share a unique and comical camaraderie on stage.
Backed by a tight rhythm section, the talented trio combines their life-long love of music and their passion for performance, to make an impact on audiences that love music as much as they do.
The Sax Pack inspires an audience far beyond the duration of a show.
The well-known saxophonists are excited to create a show that combines their individual styles and diverse backgrounds for a fresh approach to the music that inspired them all to become musicians: jazz.
Highlights of the tour will feature original music written specifically for The Sax Pack, as well as each sax player’s signature hits and the classic funk, R&B and jazz tunes that will get fans out of their seats.
