Trumpeter Rick Braun's first recording for Warner Bros. is an agreeable, low-key affair, one perhaps more notable for its covers than its original material. Braun makes an especially sagacious choice in selecting Bill Withers's smoldering "Use Me" for this disc, creating a playfully seductive interpretation that makes the tune appear almost custom-crafted for Braun's trumpet and flugelhorn. He later embellishes Leon Russell's "Song for You" with modest hip-hop textures, employing Shai to lend a soulful touch to the vocals. Meanwhile, Braun's own material is stylish and urbane, though some might argue that his sound here is more competent than compelling. Guitarists Norman Brown ("Car Wash 2000") and Peter White (the title track) take guest spins but ignite few sparks. Braun's best moments come when he layers some imaginative lines over the languid melody of "Middle of the Night," then later gently closes the shades with the final piece, the tender "Emma's Song." Feel like discovering a little-known but hugely deserving talent on flugelhorn? Take a chance on Platypus by London-born musician Gerald Presencer. --Terry Wood
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