I must admit that I am no jazz connoisseur, let alone opinionated on or knowledgeable of its style or form. My experience is limited to the overtly obvious in the jazz world (I can recognize tracks off of Kind of Blue), and I can really only voice my appraisal of jazz with a thumbs up or down. With this in mind, it would be safe to say that I do not like Kisses in the Rain. I have reason to believe any music purist (especially the critical jazz purist) would whole-heartedly agree, but it is the point here to remain objective.

To be modern and categorize this album, it would be labeled as smooth or contemporary jazz. It is fervently played in various private medical practices around the country and at the local shopping center. Some would be brash and brandish Rick Braun’s style of jazz as “Muzak.” Despite upbeat guitars on “Car Wash 2000” and an extremely up-tempo “One for the Girls,” this record lacks depth, character and inspiration. His trumpet remains unspirited and reduces the jazz form to a soulless soup of convention. Instead, it is pop music with horns – nonconfrontational music for the masses if you will. Kisses in the Rain lacks any inkling of heart; it is even incapable of speaking for itself.

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