Back in 1997 serial hit maker Paul Brown co-wrote the song ‘Notorious’ with Rick Braun and Leon Bisquera. It was included on what turned out to be Braun’s hit CD ‘Body and Soul’ and now, twenty three years later, Brown is revisiting the track and making it part of his tenth studio album, ‘Ones Upon A Time’, that will be released August 14 on Woodward Avenue Records. The project finds Brown gathering together a batch of his favorite chart-toppers that over the years he has produced for either himself or other artists such as Boney James, Larry Carlton, Kirk Whalum, Bob James and George Benson. In doing so he has given a fresh new look to some of the greatest smooth jazz tunes ever recorded and a case in point is the lead single ‘Notorious’.
Where first time around ‘Notorious’ proved to be a brilliant showcase for the interplay between Braun and sax man Boney James, this 2020 version has Brown centre stage on guitar and Richard Elliot playing the ‘Boney’ part and in so doing making it sound brand new.
The line-up is completed by Roberto Vally on bass, drummer Gorden Campbell, Lenny Castro on percussion and keyboard player Greg Karukas whose shimmering solo turns out to be the icing on a very special smooth jazz cake.
Check back here soon for a complete review of ‘Ones Upon A Time’