Rick Braun

Rick Braun
Rick Braun performing in 2005
Background information
Born	(1955-07-06) July 6, 1955 (age 61) Allentown, Pennsylvania
Genres	Smooth jazz, jazz fusion
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Trumpet
Labels	Artistry Music, Mack Avenue
Associated acts	BWB, Philippe Saisse, Auracle , Richard Elliot
Website	rickbraun.com

Rick Braun (born July 6, 1955, in Allentown, Pennsylvania) is a smooth jazz trumpet player, multi-instrumentalist and often producer

In a 1996 article, Braun mentioned his family was very musical with his mother being a self-taught pianist and banjo player and, while he also played drums in high school, he started playing the trumpet after his older brother started playing it. He had also thought of being a doctor or a musician but chose musician because he didn't excel at math and credits his high school music teacher with preparing him. In the 1970s, Braun attended the Eastman School of Music, and while a student there became a member of a jazz-fusion band, Auracle which included pianist John Serry. With that band, they won a competition and worked with Miles Davis producer Teo Macero for two albums. Before embarking on a solo career, Braun got his start by playing in several bands, working as a session musician, touring and recording with War, Sade, Glenn Frey, Tina Turner, Natalie Cole, Tom Petty, Crowded House and Rod Stewart.

In 1981, he also released an album as a vocalist in Japan for Teichiku Records and worked as a songwriter for Lorimar (now Warner/Chappell Music). As a songwriter, he worked on REO Speedwagon's song "Here With Me" and also TV and film work such as Midnight Caller and Tuff Turf. Some of the artists with whom he recorded include guitarist Jeff Golub's Avenue Blue, whom he met while touring with Rod Stewart. As a musician, Braun has also faced several struggles including alcoholism from touring so much in the 1980s and had a dark tone in his albums into the 1990s. His first major album was 1995's Beat Street which received so much attention that his manager called him and Braun chose to pursue his solo career. He also collaborated with saxophonist Boney James on a remake of the Hugh Masekela's "Grazing in the Grass".