Chris Botti

GRAMMY-winning trumpeter Chris Botti has been one of the most popular instrumentalists in the world for nearly three decades; he’s collaborated with some of the biggest superstars on the planet, including Sting, Paul Simon, Barbra Streisand, Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Joni Mitchell, Steven Tyler, Andrea Bocelli, Herbie Hancock, Yo-Yo Ma, and others; he’s topped the jazz charts with numerous albums, earned multiple Gold and Platinum records, performed with symphony orchestras and on prestigious stages from Carnegie Hall to the Hollywood Bowl to the Sydney Opera House.

In short, Chris Botti really needs no introduction. Yet with his Blue Note Records debut, he’s offering one anyway. Vol.1 is in many ways a fresh start for the trumpeter. Having successfully crossed over from jazz renown to pop stardom, Botti’s first album in more than a decade finds him crossing back, with a small group project focused on acoustic jazz and classic standards.

“I turned 60 in 2022, at a time that seemed like a restart for so many things in the world,” Botti says. “I wanted to strip away all the orchestral arrangements and special guests and focus more on my playing, the playing of my band, and these jazz classics that we always love playing on stage.”

While Botti could boast of the major names with whom he’s shared stages, this project allows him to share his enthusiasm for the jazz greats past and present that excite him – his conversation is peppered with references to everyone from Miles Davis to Keith Jarrett to Pat Metheny to Brad Mehldau. He points to landmark albums like Davis’ Kind of Blue, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, or Metheny’s duo outing with Charlie Haden, Beyond the Missouri Sky as models for the kind of “lifestyle” music he set out to make – music that is exquisite on its own but can also set the scene for a coffee shop or hotel lounge, instantly generating a sophisticated mood.

Of course, Botti couldn’t have found a more ideal home for this artistic rebirth. Blue Note has been a standard-bearer of jazz throughout its storied history, and the trumpeter found a receptive partner in label president Don Was. “Anyone that’s lucky enough to say they’re on Blue Note Records should be pinching themselves,” Botti says. “It’s a fantastic honor. I had great runs on Verve and Columbia, so it’s amazing to now arrive on the most famous traditional jazz record label.”

Not that Vol. 1 is a complete about-face – longtime fans will immediately recognize Botti’s glowing tone and regal melodicism, as well as his flair for investing the narrative of a song with high drama and vibrant emotion. “There’s a cinematic quality that I like to hear in music, and that I’ve found that audiences really love,” he says. “The essence of that remains on this album. It’s paramount to me that there is incredible beauty and elegance to all of the performances and the way they’re recorded.”

Botti has assembled a stellar group of collaborators to achieve that blend of beauty and elegance for the album. The album was produced by the legendary David Foster, whose staggering list of credits includes three Beatles, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Michael Bublé, Diana Krall, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Herbie Hancock, Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton and countless others.

“David commands so much respect from the musicians that he didn’t have to say much, but he would navigate the session in a very subtle way,” says Botti of the producer, who also contributed the lush, moving piano intro to “Danny Boy” that sets the tone for the album.

Botti has enjoyed a long collaboration with pianist Taylor Eigsti, while bassist Zach Moses, keyboardist Julian Pollack, and saxophonist Chad Lefkowitz-Brown are all members of his regular touring band. Veteran drummer Vinnie Colaiuta rounds out the core band.

They’re joined by a number of excellent musicians, including Israeli guitarist Gilad Hekselman, whose atmospheric, cascading lines grace the Rodgers & Hart classic “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”; classical violinist Joshua Bell, who brings a striking passion to Botti’s stark rendition of “My Funny Valentine”; Uruguayan-born guitarist Leonardo Amuedo, whose years in Brazil are reflected in his graceful soloing on Henry Mancini’s “Two for the Road” and the bossa nova feel he brings to “Time On My Hands”; pianist Esteban Castro, whose delicate restraint belies his youth on “Old Folks”; and singer-songwriter John Splithoff, who contributes and performs his romantic song “Paris.”

Above all, it’s Botti’s clarion, heart wrenching trumpet that seizes he spotlight throughout Vol. 1. From the way he sings the yearning melody of “Danny Boy” to the keening, airy melancholy of his Harmon mute playing on Miles Davis’ “Blue In Green”; the hushed tenderness he brings to Coldplay’s “Fix You” or his shimmering flurries on “Someday My Prince Will Come;” Botti leaves no doubt of his mastery or his ability to speak directly from the soul of the instrument.

The title of Vol. 1 implies a new beginning, but perhaps even more promising is the fact that it also hints at a Vol. 2 – and beyond. “I’m so looking forward to that possibility,” Botti concludes.

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Experience Chis Botti

by Ngwako Malakalaka
August 22, 2024

On this week's show, we are joined by trumpeter and composer Christopher Stephen Botti who established himself as a versatile musician in both jazz and pop music for his ability to fuse both styles. Chris began playing the trumpet at nine years old, and committed to the instrument at age 12 when he heard Miles Davis play “My Funny Valentine" Fast forward, he has collaborated with iconic musicians like Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, Natalie Cole including Sting and Jill Scott, recording some of our favourite ...

Live Review

Chris Botti At The Paramount Theatre

by Steven Roby
October 25, 2023

Chris Botti Paramount Theatre Denver, CO October 22, 2023 Trumpet virtuoso Chris Botti had much to celebrate last Sunday at his Paramount Theater concert. He recently turned 61, and his first album in 10 years was released on Friday, Chris Botti Vol 1 (Blue Note Records). These two joyous events elevated the Grammy Award winner to present a mesmerizing evening for his receptive audience. It's been 20 years since Botti made a concert ...

Live Review

Chris Botti At The Charleston Music Hall

by Martin McFie
October 21, 2019

Chris Botti The Charleston Music Hall Charleston, SC October 17, 2019 Miles Davis played Birth of Cool on one, Dizzy Gillespie had the bell bent upward on one, and Chris Botti has one, made in 1939. We are talking about the fabled early Martin Committee Handcraft #3 large bore trumpet, designed by a committee of symphony trumpeters to be simply the finest made. Davis had Committees made for him, even when they ...

Live Review

Chris Botti at Blue Note Jazz Club

by Tyran Grillo
January 9, 2015

Chris Botti Blue Note Jazz Club 10th Annual Holiday Residency New York, NY January 2, 2015 Chris Botti has held his own as a contemporary music darling since making splashes as both a studio and live musician in the mid-1990s. Gracefully sidestepping knee-jerk criticism and bolstered by widespread praise, he has forged a smooth, individual path across a variety of genres, earning an equally diverse fan base along the way. Whether or not one ...

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Live Review

Chris Botti & Band: Two-Week Residence at Yoshi's

by Katrina-Kasey Wheeler
February 20, 2008

Chris BottiYoshi's San Francisco/Yoshi's OaklandJanuary 23 and February 2San Francisco's Fillmore District has re-emerged to claim its rightful status as the epicenter for jazz on the West Coast. This renaissance is thanks to the visionary owners of the Yoshi's enterprise in Oakland, California and now in San Francisco: Kaz Kajimura and Yoshi Akiba. A scene that was thought to be dying has been brought back to life. Trumpeter Chris Botti, who is currently touring to promote his ...

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Album Review

Chris Botti: Italia

Read "Italia" reviewed by Adela M. Brito

by Adela M. Brito
October 22, 2007

Trumpeter Chris Botti's interpretations are thoughtful and his original compositions impressive. He's smooth without actually being in the Smooth Jazz category. He improvises, and has a touch of Miles, but doesn't go on at great length. He's in a genre all his own, and that's what makes him so remarkable.

Italia is a formidable set of compositions, ranging from film music to classical opera, along with Botti's title track. It captures the romance and sweeping ...

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Interview

Chris Botti: Italia

by Katrina-Kasey Wheeler
October 18, 2007

When one thinks of Italy certain things come to mind, chief among them--romance, fashion, the culinary arts and a cherished optimistic outlook on life. For years, the Italian arts have chronicled the human condition. And now, prolific trumpeter Chris Botti has personified this through his release, Italia (Columbia, 2007); employing outstanding singers Andrea Bocelli, Paula Cole and a posthumous duet with Dean Martin. The result is something truly extraordinary.Musical excellence is synonymous with both Botti and Bocelli. They ...

Recording

Chris Botti's New Album, Vol. 1

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
November 1, 2023

Chris Botti has a beautiful tone. His trumpet is clear, warm and caring, particularly on slow tunes. He has been recording since 1979, and his first album as a leader, First Wish, was recorded in 1995. Along the way, he has performed and recorded with jazz stars as well as Lady Gaga, Sting, Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell, among others. His new album Vol. 1 (Blue Note) is a cozy collection of ballads. Produced by David Foster, Vol. 1 features ...
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Festival

CGI Rochester International Jazz Fest Starts In 2 Weeks! 325 Shows – 1750+ Artists – 19 Venues – Headliner Shows Free!

Source: Dalmath Associates Inc.
June 9, 2022

The CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival returns for the 19th Edition in less than two weeks! The nine-day Festival starts Friday, June 17, and continues through Saturday, June 25. It all takes place at 19 diverse open-air and indoor venues in downtown Rochester, New York. From legendary performers and familiar favorites to rising stars and new discoveries, the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival navigates all genres of creative improvised music from all corners of the world. More than 208,000 people ...
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Festival

Jazz this week: Chris Botti, JazzU with Stefon Harris, Don Cunningham, U City Jazz Festival, Daniel Bennett, and more

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
June 4, 2015

This week's lineup of jazz and creative music performances in St. Louis encompasses musicians with a vast range of experience, from young teenage players getting their first chances onstage at a showcase club to an elder statesman who got his start more than a half-century ago in the fabled Gaslight Square entertainment district. Let's go to the highlights... Wednesday, June 3 Billed as the “New York Jazz Ensemble," bassist Tom Kennedy, saxophonists George Garzone and Steve Wirts, guitarist Joe Cohn ...
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Festival

Chris Botti And Jon Batiste & Stay Human Tix At Newport Jazz Fest On Sale 12/18

Source: Carolyn McClair Public Relations
December 18, 2014

Tickets Go On Sale Worldwide on Thursday, December 18, 10:00 am for Newport Jazz Festival Opening Night Concert featuring Chris Botti and Jon Batiste & Stay Human at the International Tennis Hall of Fame at Newport Casino Pre-Concert Cocktail Party Tickets Also On Sale NEWPORT, RI – Tickets for the opening night concert of the Newport Jazz Festival presented by Natixis Global Asset Management featuring Chris Botti and Jon Batiste & Stay Human on the Alex and Ani Stage at ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Chris Botti

Source: Michael Ricci
October 12, 2013

All About Jazz is celebrating Chris Botti's birthday today!

Trumpeter Chris Botti is a gifted instrumentalist, a talented composer, and a charismatic performer who-- since the release of his first solo album in 1995--has created a series of recordings which have made him a virtual genre-of-one in the realm of contemporary jazz while at the same time capturing the attention of the pop music world. Through his singular combination of lush atmos¬pheres and thoughtful improvisations... Read more.

Place our Musician ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Chris Botti

Source: Michael Ricci
October 12, 2012

All About Jazz is celebrating Chris Botti's birthday today!

Place our Musician ...
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Performance / Tour

Chris Botti to Perform Friday, February 24 at Peabody Opera House

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
December 2, 2011

Trumpeter Chris Botti (pictured) is coming back to St. Louis to perform at 8:00 p.m., Friday, February 24 at the recently renovated Peabody Opera House downtown. Botti has been a relatively frequent visitor here in recent years; his last appearance was in February 2011, playing with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra at Powell Symphony Hall. Another previous performance was at the Fox Theatre, with which the Peabody now would seem to be competing in earnest for bookings of touring concerts, ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Chris Botti

Source:
October 12, 2011

All About Jazz is celebrating Chris Botti's birthday today!

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Chris Botti

Source:
October 12, 2010

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Festival

Chris Botti Pairs up with 16-Year-Old Nikki Yanofsky at CareFusion Jazz Fest

Source: Carolyn McClair Public Relations
May 27, 2010

CareFusion Jazz Festival New York Presents An Evening with CHRIS BOTTI with Special Guest Nikki Yanofsky at Carnegie Hall June 19, 8:00 pm

Botti Also Set to Perform at CareFusion Newport Jazz Festival, August 8

NEW YORK, May 27, 2010 - CareFusion Jazz Festival New York presents An Evening with Chris Botti with special guest Nikki Yanofsky at Carnegie Hall, Seventh Avenue & 57th Street, on Saturday, June 19, at 8:00 pm.

Joining Botti ...
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