Welcome to “The Sights + Sounds Show with Jeneé Darden," where every week we tap into the Bay Area arts scene and bring you rich conversations with artists. On today’s show, jazz and funk pianist Brian Culbertson talks about his upcoming jazz festival in Napa and the business of being an independent artist. Then, host Jeneé Darden catches up with actress and comedian Luenell about co-starring with Tracy Morgan in the new sitcom "Crutch."
On today's show we're going to laugh and chill.
Brian Culbertson
Jazz and funk musician Brian Culbertson first made waves in the smooth jazz scene when he was just a college student. Twenty-nine albums and 41 Billboard chart-topping songs later, he's still creating music on his piano and keyboard that make fans groove and chill.
His latest album is "Day Trip" and it features artists such as Branford Marsalis, Marcus Miller and the Bay Area's own Shelia E. This summer, Brian is hosting his 13th annual Napa Valley Jazz Getaway on June 10th-13th. Host Jeneé Darden spoke with Brian Culbertson about his career, recording with Shelia E. and the business side of being an independent artist.
Watch Brian's show "The Hang" on YouTube, live on Fridays at 6pm.
Correction: At the time of our interview with Brian Culbertson, he had 40 songs on the Billboard charts. This was said in the interview. Since then, that number has increased to 41. We updated that figure on our website.
Luenell
From Oakland to Tinsel Town, comedian Luenell continues to rise in the entertainment industry. She's originally from Oakland but now lives in Las Vegas, where she has a residency at Jimmy Kimmel's Comedy Club on the strip.
In 2024, she became the first Black female comedian to sell out the Apollo since Moms Mabley in the 1960s. She filmed her 2023 Netflix special "Town Business" at Yoshi's in Oakland. You can watch Luenell on screen with Tracy Morgan in the Paramount+ sit-com "Crutch." She plays a very, nosy neighbor who has no filter when speaking her mind. She's very funny in it. When Host Jeneé Darden spoke with Luenell, she was just recovering from an infection. They talked about her health, her latest projects — including one that she's keeping secret.
James Cagney at Books Inc in Alameda
Thursday, January 22 at 7pm
Join host Jeneé Darden for a literary reading and discussion with award-winning poet James Cagney. They'll be talking about his moving book "Ghetto Koans: A Personal Archive." It's a great collection of poetry that looks at the complexities, creativity, mystery and enlightenment that sometimes comes with living in the inner city.
