Brian Culberston

It’s a rare feat for a recording artist to release 30 albums and score more than 40 Billboard No. 1 singles. It’s even more exceptional for an artist to hit that milestone while firmly in their prime, continuing to grow and evolve with each release. Rarer still is for that genre-crossing songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist to be a dynamic performer who presents their music in ways never before seen, both on stage and online. And beyond that, the artist has built a premium festival brand around unique fan experiences. Brian Culbertson checks every one of these boxes. Culbertson’s sonic approach has been to craft primarily instrumental music fusing jazz, R&B, funk, and pop. He’s been doing it at the highest level since he exploded onto the scene after the release of his debut album, Long Night Out, in 1994. That hit-filled set recorded in his college apartment in Chicago instantly established Culbertson as a core artist in the newly emerging smooth jazz genre. Now, on his 30th album, The Midnight Tapes, Culbertson does something he’s never done before: he played every single instrument* on the album himself. Recording The Midnight Tapes “It was exciting and terrifying at the same time! I knew it had to be as good as if session players played the parts,” said Culbertson, who wrote, produced, arranged, engineered, and performed the nine-song set entirely on his own. “What was particularly challenging was that the drums, guitar, trumpet, bass, and others are not my main instruments (like piano and trombone). But because I could work non-stop without waiting to schedule other sessions, it turned out to be the fastest album I’ve ever made — just three months from writing to fully mixed. I had a blast!” The Midnight Tapes transports listeners to the 1970s, a different world sonically, while still being a modern sounding record. In the music video for the first single, “’76 Monte Carlo,” you’ll see a vintage reel-to-reel tape machine and it wasn’t just a prop like the old Monte Carlo keychain Culbertson found on eBay for the video shoot, or the Polaroid of him that was taken during the photo session for the album cover. “I legitimately used tape in places on this album for effect,” said Culbertson, who is doubling down by making The Midnight Tapes available on cassette tape. “It gives the listener a totally different experience.” Culbertson describes the recording process for The Midnight Tapes as “going forward and backward at the same time. I’m using new tech and old tech. It’s important to understand the gear, and what it can and cannot do. In terms of technology, what are the best things from the past, and how can I use it to make a modern record today?” Culbertson says that he pushed himself compositionally on his previous outing, 2025’s Day Trip, and that he’s pushing himself as a musician by playing everything using vintage instruments to record The Midnight Tapes. “I can’t make the same record stylistically over and over as I’d get bored. I learn from each record I make and constantly build on what I’ve done in the past.” The Midnight Tapes is primarily an R&B instrumental album featuring late-night soulful grooves, all with contemporary jazz flavors. The exception is the hot opening, "'76 Monte Carlo," a super funky retro joint that would be right at home in a 70s detective show. But the genesis for the whole album was the second track, “Before We Kiss,” an atmospheric and sensual song that Culbertson recorded almost by accident while trying out the 50-year-old drum kit he had just bought. "While testing out the drums, I hit record, then kept adding parts on top. Before I knew it, I had a whole song really quick." The next day, he played the track for musician friends Nicholas Cole and Adrian Crutchfield, who immediately encouraged Culbertson to record the entire album by himself. “Cool With Me” continues the vibe that recalls Sade and Maxwell’s seductive grooves, but the vocal point is Culbertson’s trademark piano along with a flugelhorn feature. He also played a glockenspiel almost note for note with his piano hook melodies throughout the album which adds a nostalgic shimmering effect. “The piano is the thread that brings all of my albums together no matter what direction I go musically,” said Culbertson. “I’m really particular about my piano sound because of that. I use the same Mason & Hamlin piano, the same mics, the same reverb, the exact same audio equipment chain on every record so it sounds like my piano. That’s the important part of keeping my loyal fanbase engaged even as I move around to different genres.” Friend and frequent collaborator Bootsy Collins invited Culbertson to remake the funk legend’s “I’d Rather Be With You” to help celebrate its 50th anniversary, a track that erupts midpoint from romantic overture into classic funk. Says Collins of the remake, "When I first heard it, I thought Casper was gonna plaster a motha out. It's ooooooooon the one baba. Yeah!!!" “You Got I