Before starting his solo career, trumpeter Rick Braun played in the fusion group Auracle, worked as a session player, and even wrote a song for REO Speedwagon. Though influenced by bebop trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, Braun would find his niche in smooth jazz with a dash of funk. From the early '90s onward he'd be a regular presence on the contemporary jazz charts. He's collaborated with other smooth jazz names including Peter White, Jeff Golub, and Boney James, with whom he did a hit remake of Hugh Masekela's "Grazing in the Grass."