There is a strange but beautiful irony that occurs when an artist writes a great song upon the death of a loved one. Doubtful that Brian Culbertson was aiming for one of Somethin' Bout Love's (Atlantic) most emotionally rich tunes when he wrote the powerful gospel of "I'm Gonna Miss You" for his late manager Howard Lowe II, but he and co-writer/vocalist Lori Perry achieve just that. Unlike similar tunes in American culture that come across as generic, the poignant lyrics are specific to the artist-manager relationship, adding to the tune's uniqueness.
Bob Culbertson is an influential Chapman Stick player. An early adopter of the instrument, he is notable for his many recorded albums and extensive touring. Bob Culbertson has opened and performed with many popular musicians, including Robben Ford, Steve Morse, Allan Holdsworth, and members of Santana amongst many others. He has taught hundreds of players and released a set of instructional Stick videos titled Lessons on the Stick.
One of smooth jazz's brightest young keyboardists seems to be caught in the same marketing trap as his contemporaries – aiming to please radio programmers first, and waiting till very late in the running order of the disc to challenge himself – and listeners who have many other new and similarly likeable keyboard releases to choose from. When he finally blows his lid on Secrets and goes for broke, it's a joyous affair, as the eight-minute closing track "At the Backroom" finds Brian Culbertson jamming hardcore blues/funk and bouncing off the inspirations of older cats like Jeff Golub (guitar) and Ricky Peterson (wicked on the Hammond B-3).
A Moment in Time was all recorded live solo on Bob's 12-string Grand Stick. Like a classical guitarist he creates all his expressive effects, nuances and dynamics from his fingers alone - very instructive and challenging for a Stick player, very inspiring for musicians in general. He subdues himself, serving his music, patiently building to its heights. His broad array of sub-techniques creates a solo orchestra of strings, brimming with sonic textures, flamenco rhythms, simultaneous strumming and counterpoint creeping out of every sector of the fretboard (and out of every finger). His styles range from Celtic to flamenco, baroque and "New Age" with wonderfully fast melodic lines and flourishes.