Brian Culbertson

One of the ironies about smooth jazz musicians is that the majority of them are more inspired by soul and funk from the 1960s and '70s than by swing or bop. On this fun platter, keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist Brian Culbertson collaborates with his hero, the mighty Maurice White (of Earth, Wind & Fire fame), and gets down with an army of masters, including Bootsy Collins, Ray Parker Jr. and Maceo Parker. The results alternate between old school funk and modern smooth jazz. Guest vocalist Ledisi helps Culbertson lighten up Bill Withers' brilliantly bleak "The World Keeps Going Around."