Though D Brax is not a formally trained musician, his skills on the keyboard could match any musician with a degree. This might have something to do with the fact that he has focused on honing his craft since the tender age of ten. His sound is smooth and clean, with enchanting melodies layered throughout. On 'The Rising Sun,' D Brax puts his best foot - or fingers - forward, giving us a glance into a deep, bluesy soul. His smooth attitude is sublimated by the music into a silky, sexy concoction reminiscent of smooth Jazz greats like George Duke or Brian Culbertson. As an instrumentalist, D Brax’s music appeals to an impressive range of audiences, no doubt interpreted differently by each generation hearing it. Indpendent reporter Lily Clark recently caught up with D Brax to learn a little more about the talented musician and what we might expect from him in the near future.
LILY: Let's just get this out in the open - what's the craziest thing that's happened to you in your music career?
D BRAX: Well, when I was 20 years old, I put out my first single, ‘Jazz Cafe.’ The craziest thing about that is I didn't mean to put it out, if that makes sense. I just wanted to see how far it would go, so, of course, it made to iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and other places just by simply paying a small fee, so my smallest mistake became my greatest mistake, and I love it.
LILY: Your song ‘The Rising Sun’ is receiving a positive listener response on radio. What was your initial reaction when you first heard your song playing on the radio?
D BRAX: I was very excited and proud of myself that it even made it on the radio because, really, I don't think I did that well on that single, but I guess someone else thought so. I'm just grateful that is getting huge listeners.
LILY: What was the inspiration behind your debut radio single?
D BRAX: To reach the world with my music and ask God to reach the ears of the listeners that have the love for good music. I want to let them know that my music can calm them down from a hard day at work and can relax their mind and soul so they can have an enjoyable day at work or anywhere else.
LILY: It is often said that great art arises from difficult experience. Is there something in your life experience thus far that you would describe as the ‘catalyst’ or ‘fuel’ for your desire to create music?
D BRAX: I would say that, in my most difficult times, when I'm stressed or just down and depressed, my music was the safest place to hide out. That's where my creativity came alive because, even though I was going through so much stuff, I would play it out through my music and just create a single.
LILY: How would you characterize yourself as an artist/musician? (Ex. Down-to-earth, serious, fun-loving, complicated…)
D BRAX: I would say that I'm a fun type of guy, but I do mean business when is time to work. I love to have fun when I'm in rehearsal getting ready to play for a show, but the musicians that understand me know that I can be up and down and sometimes fun or just strictly business. Not everyone can deal with that, but that's why I love the musicians that I work with.
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LILY: What has your experience been like working with the other people on your team?
D BRAX: Sometimes the experience can be a little rough because there are not a lot people that I work with. There's, like, a few that I can trust that can be on my team, but a lot of the time I'm really by myself.
LILY: Did you come from a musical background?
D BRAX: I did come from a background of music. My grandfather, he's a guitar player, and my cousin as well. My uncle sings and another one of my cousins raps and sings, so, yea, my background is full of music.
LILY: What do you find most rewarding about being an artist? What do you find most challenging?
D BRAX: The most rewarding thing is that, having a gift of creativity, I can bless anybody who’s looking for nice, soothing music. Also, getting the support from my fans feels so good because I know they have my back. The most challenging thing is the discouragement—like, has anyone heard my music yet? If they did, did they like it or love it? Not only that, but I would degrade myself as far as asking myself if I have done a great job on my music as far as producing it, but then the rewarding thing is that most of my music was bought all around the world and I have gotten great feedback from it.
LILY: Who are your role models in music?
D BRAX: My role models are Brian Culbertson, Paul Hardcastle, George Duke, Paul Taylor, Sylvester Burks, Chick Corea, George Benson, Duke Ellington, and David Jackson.
LILY: Describe your best or most memorable performance.
D BRAX: My first performance was at my former church, and then one of them was at an open mic venue in Roseville. One of my great performances was at Laughs Unlimited in Sacramento. I think that was one of my biggest shows.
LILY: What advise would you give to young, aspiring artist our there who are unsure and need guidance?
D BRAX: Don't give up, all hope is not lost. Ask God for guidance if you are unsure and try not to get discouraged, but just keep pushing because when you think that your music ain't good enough for the world someone else does, and the world is patiently waiting for your music. Don't ever think you need to be signed to get out there because that's when the discouragement kicks. You can put out your best single or album, but most of the time big record labels will shoot it down. They will make you produce something that they think is best for the world to hear but it’s something that you didn't want to produce because it’s not in your heart in the first place. Remember seek God and to push your own music.
LILY: What's next for you? Is there a new single in the works? If so, what can you tell us about it?
D BRAX: My next step is to travel all over the world to perform and meet great artists who’ve been out there for some time. I want to go to other countries that I have never heard of to perform. I will be creating a new single, but not at this moment.
LILY: Lily: That's great, D Brax! I hope you have many great adventures in your travels! Thanks for your time and all the great information you've given your audience. Good luck and safe travels in the future!
http://www.reverbnation.com/derekbraxton
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