Rick Braun Talks "Singing"
Aug 11 2011
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For fans of Rick Braun, Trumpeter, his new project, ...Sings with Strings may seem like big departure.  But its been in the back of Braun's mind for years.  The just-released album features him on a collection of standards, backed by an orchestra, and fulfills a lifelong ambition. Talking to smoothjazzmagazine.com, Braun recalled starting out as a songwriter back in the 70s, and recording demos.  He admits that his first dream was to become a singer rather than an instrumental artist.  So what was it like tackling classics once done by the likes of Tony Bennett, Sinatra and Ray Charles? "In one word, humbling... I tried to put my own individuality on it. And I tried to focus on the sincerity of the lyrics and focus on the message and the simplicity of the message rather than trying to outdo anybody who’d done it before because there is no way I’m going to... I needed to find my own individual voice and say what I needed to say. That’s how I have forged a career as a trumpet player and I come from the same melodic song place when I approached the vocals. "  Braun admits that Sings with Strings may be a stretch for some of his fans, but he's optimistic: "I know there are going to be a handful of people who are going to look at this and say this is a little bit too different for me...But I’m hoping that people will be touched by the record and the sincerity of it and come along for the ride. I hope they love it." 

Last changed: Aug 11 2011 at 8:41 AM

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