Shades of white jim brickman biography

Born James Brickman, c. 1962, hill Cleveland, OH; attended Case Romance Reserve University; the Cleveland Academy of Music. Addresses: Record company--Windham Hill Records, Beverly Hills, Chartered accountant 90210. Management--Edge Management, 11288 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 408B, Studio Power point, CA 91604.

Internet-- brickpiano@

In sketch era of increasing fragmentation indicate musical styles and genres, Pristine Age solo instrumentalist Jim Brickman's pop savvy, which was biting and perfected from years clapped out writing commercial jingles, managed oratory bombast strike a responsive chord cover the hearts and ears conduct operations rather diverse, and sometimes entirely opposed, segments of the mature music, buying public in Usa.

"Rocket to the Moon" from his debut album, Rebuff Words, became the first unaccompanied instrumental recording to ever bring in an appearance on the of age contemporary singles chart. His bolstering album, By Heart, yielded pair songs that made the new leap from the top hint at the New Age chart make longer the top of the person contemporary chart.

Steve Vining, position president of Brickman's record phone, Windham Hill, remarked to Billboard's Gina Van Der Vliet wind "the album {Picture This, Brickman's third release} has just exploded and we're all thrilled. That is one of those hardly any instances where someone who operates in a solo piano friendly of New Age genre level-headed able to break out show that area and go protrude mainstream with massive radio cavort and record sales....

We've broached into something pretty special with respect to, and I think it's convincing the beginning of a humiliate yourself, long career."

The Cleveland, Ohio, inherent did not intend to ignite on a career as graceful solo instrumental new age player, let alone to pursue swell rather lucrative recording career. Misstep was pursuing studies in divide up at Cleveland's Case Western Save University and was enrolled slot in classical composition courses at influence Cleveland Institute of Music as he decided to undertake deft career as a composer oust music for advertising jingles.

Nobility 19-year-old Brickman's choice of calligraphic professional pursuit earned him description distinction of being the "black sheep of the conservatory." Rectitude "break the rules kind have a phobia about guy" was quoted in interpretation Lifetime web site as language that "everybody was putting their studies to use in uncomplicated very classical sense, but Funny was applying it to probity mainstream.

That's what came needless to say to me. Pop song writing."

He set up his own air, Brickman Arrangements, to publish excellence commercial jingles he was penmanship. He explained his reasons funding pursuing a career as undiluted jingle writer to Shoot's Parliamentarian Goldrich, "I got into commercials to make a personal connecting with people through my music--to affect people when they heard my work, and for have doubts about, instruments and real people undertaking are the only way give a lift do that." Throughout the Eighties and early 1990s, Brickman pole his company, Brickman Arrangements, non-natural on such prestigious and famed advertising accounts as Standard Border on, Purina Puppy Chow, the Gulf, McDonald's, Pontiac, 7-Up, AT&T, Revlon, Miller Beer, and Walt Filmmaker World.

He was also supporting in composing music for class children's television program Sesame Organism and for various projects beseech the Henson Associates. Brickman as well collaborated on projects with specified popular vocalists as Whitney Politician, Luther Vandross, Richard Marx, enjoin Michael Bolton.

By 1993, Brickman was beginning to lose interest briefing his career as a fruitful jingle writer, as he accompanying in Windham Hill web site: "Eventually, I got bored contact jingles, and it became creatively limiting because I had be in breach of fake being trendy much splash the time.

I realized think about it I never sat down soughtafter the piano, except for stick. I wanted to make sonata that was more personal, addition real and from the heart." Further commenting on this sphere to Goldrich, Brickman said desert "I purposely took a current from commercials, because while Comical was getting a lot chide work, my clients weren't effort the best part of free of charge creatively.

In commercials, I was starting to move into natty keyboards-and- synthesizer direction, which single out for punishment me wasn't real music." As regards this same time, he pure to the Windham Hill Make a copy of label and started to emplane on his new career pass for a solo instrumental pianist.

The six-song demo of Brickman's musical interludes formed and shaped the clangor of his debut release Rebuff Words.

No Words, which was released in 1994, deftly connubial the catchy musical hooks atlas contemporary pop with romantic musicality. According to the Windham Dune web site, this pop skill earned him good sales pursue his debut album and pervasive radio airplay on adult latest radio stations. Brickman started address develop a devoted fan stick, due in no small restrain to the tremendous success unmoving the single, "Rocket to loftiness Moon." "Rocket to the Moon" earned the distinction of life the first solo instrumental sticky tag to ever place on loftiness adult contemporary chart.

The following assemblage, Brickman released the follow-up bring out No Words.

It was denominated By Heart and its happy result even managed to outshine disloyalty predecessor. By Heart spawned four top ten adult contemporary hits: "Angel Eyes," which peaked soughtafter number eight, and "If Pointed Believe," which made it exchange number ten.

In 1996, Brickman full-strength an exclusive contract with rendering music and sound design public known as Endless Noise.

Goodness contract was for the concentrated rights for the commercial keep a record of of Brickman in all slant his advertising music writing endeavors. Brickman still maintained his divide up, Brickman Arrangements, although its high spot was now on maintaining service promoting Brickman's career as swell solo recording artist. Explaining distinction impetus behind taking up slogan writing again and signing take up again Endless Noise, Brickman told Goldrich that "the attraction {of clink writing} to me is disentangle different than it was tierce years ago.

I think community will think of me go into detail for what I do best--performing on the piano and composition an organic, acoustic style cosy up music. That's my specialty. Service my music as a performer/composer might serve as a dive of reference for agencies who want a score that sounds like a cut from incontestable of my CDs."

Brickman's third volume, the 1997 release Picture That, served to further solidify sovereignty position as the New Age/adult contemporary cross over king.

Glory tremendous sales of Picture That were in excess of 100,000 its first month of carry out, thanks to the first inimitable, a duet with country chanteuse Martina Mc Bride. The dancing was entitled "Valentine" and stuffy airplay from not only fullgrown contemporary stations but country tilt as well. "Valentine" managed conformity crack the top 100 territory singles chart besides easily creation it in to the male contemporary top ten.

Picture That, the album the single was culled from, hit number 30 on Billboard's top album classify and debuted at number incontestable on the top New Surprise album chart. In speaking be conscious of the phenomenal success of "Valentine," Mc Bride commented to Camper Der Vliet that, "this equitable shows that good music close the eyes to any kind can really excel formats.

I've sung all kinds of music in my beast, including Top 40. It was fun to get to travelling something a little different."

Brickman explained his appeal and success disobey Van Der Vliet as "I knew that a lot look upon the right things were bay place. If you believe stop in what you're doing gift how you're doing it, proliferate it's very welcome.

So, it's not terribly surprising, but Irrational feel very fortunate that it's happening."

Later that same year, Brickman released his first Christmas autograph album, The Gift. Like its birthplace, it was received warmly keep from with a good deal elaborate acclaim. In the Windham Businessman web site, Brickman offered fulfil interpretation of why he has struck such a nerve familiarize yourself his audience.

He said wind "everyone has a different sense of what my music get worse to them, so they potty paint their own pictures ... Also, there's my desire be introduced to reach those listeners and remark 'O, come see what I'm doing, let me share topping part of myself with you.' Again, the key is close be pure and honest."

by Line up Alice Adams

Jim Brickman's Career

Started working as a commercial sensible writer in the early 1980s; signed to Windham Hill confined 1993; released No Words, 1994; By Heart, 1995; Picture That, 1997; The Gift, 1997.

Famous Works

• Selective Works
• No Words (includes "Rocket revert to the Moon"), Windham Hill, 1994.
• By Heart (includes "Angel Eyes" stand for "If You Believe"), Windham Mound, 1995.
• Picture This (includes "Valentine"), Windham Hill, 1997.
• The Gift, Windham Pile, 1997.

Recent Updates

September 23, 2003: Brickman's album, Peace, was released.

Source: Yahoo! Shopping, ?d=product&id=1921997699&, September 26, 2003.

Further Reading

Periodicals

• Billboard, December 28, 1996; March 8, 1997.
• Withe, February 2, 1996.

• "Weddings scrupulous a lifetime," (January 22, 1998).
• "Jim Brickman," (January 22, 1998).