VOA常速英语2007-Smooth Jazz Superstars Team Up to Release 'R n R

By Doug Levine
Washington
17 October 2007

Two "smooth jazz" superstars have teamed up for a new album that goes hand-in-hand with a little rest and relaxation¹. VOA's Doug Levine tells us about R n R, featuring the long-awaited collaboration² between trumpeter Rick Braun and tenor³ saxophonist Richard Elliot.

Rick Braun and Richard Elliot found they were so compatible on stage they decided⁴ to take their talent for making music one step further. They started their own label. With the creation of Artizen Music Group in 2005, the duo has the best of both worlds: Creative freedom and finding and producing new artists.

Another benefit of running their business is the ability to record and distribute your own albums at your own pace. So far, that has proven a fruitful endeavor for the Braun-Elliot team.

While Rick Braun and Richard Elliot have often performed together in concert, their debut⁵ album, R n R, marks the first time they have collaborated⁶ in the studio.

According to Elliot, recording⁷ together was inevitable⁸. He says, "We've had so much fun playing together live that it was time for us to get together musically." Braun compares working with Elliot to a pair of singers trading solos. He says, "We treated the lead instruments as would vocalists recording duets, which gave them each a personal voice."of concerts featuring guitarists Peter White and Jonathan Butler.

1 relaxation   

n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐

参考例句：

• The minister has consistently opposed any relaxation in the law.部长一向反对法律上的任何放宽。
• She listens to classical music for relaxation.她听古典音乐放松。

2 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

3 tenor   

n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意

参考例句：

• The tenor of his speech was that war would come.他讲话的大意是战争将要发生。
• The four parts in singing are soprano,alto,tenor and bass.唱歌的四个声部是女高音、女低音、男高音和男低音。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

6 collaborated   

合作( collaborate的过去式和过去分词 )； 勾结叛国

参考例句：

• We have collaborated on many projects over the years. 这些年来我们合作搞了许多项目。
• We have collaborated closely with the university on this project. 我们与大学在这个专案上紧密合作。

7 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

8 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。