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| Chris Botti brings his golden trumpet to the NAC Orchestra Trumpeter Chris Botti (pronounced BO-tee) is a gifted instrumentalist with charisma to spare! His velvety tone, lush interpretations, and sublime improvisations (not to mention being voted one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People!) have made him a virtual genre-of-one on the contemporary jazz scene. He has won both critical and popular appreciation and his many top-selling CDs have staked a claim at the top of the charts. Luxurious symphonic underpinnings by the NAC Orchestra led by Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly will add to an experience you'll savour. These smooth, coolCTV Pops concerts take place in Southam Hall from Thursday, April 10 to Saturday, April 12 at 20:00. Jack Everly will lead the NAC Orchestra in a short opening half featuring an Irving Berlin medley, Sondheim's "Comedy Tonight", Anderson's Plink, Plank Plunk, Jazz Pizzicato, and Jazz Legato and excerpts from his Irish Suite, and Eddie Heywood's Canadian Sunset. Trumpeter Chris Botti is a native of Oregon and spent two years of his childhood growing up in Italy. In the studio and on stage, Chris Botti has worked with such leading singer/ songwriter/ composers as Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Sting and renowned film composer John Barry, among others. As a sideman, he has appeared on dozens of albums, compilations and soundtracks. Botti's association with Sting dates back to 1999, and he appeared in Ottawa as a member of Sting's band in 2000 at Bluesfest and was Sting's opening act on his last visit to Ottawa in 2004. Sting has said of Chris Botti: "What is unique about him is that he has jazz chops and he comes from the world of jazz. He also has a very refined pop sensibility. He looks great and he presents himself well. He works hard, and you know, you see a star a mile off." Chris Botti's succession of best-selling albums include When I Fall In Love (2004, No. 1 Top Jazz Album, No. 37 Billboard Top 200), To Love Again: The Duets (2005, No. 1 Top Jazz Album, No.18 Billboard Top 200), and Chris Botti Live with Orchestra & Special Guests (2006, No. 2 Top Jazz Album). The song "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" (with vocals by Sting) earned a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals. His latest recording Italia draws from sources ranging from classical opera to the soundtracks of Ennio Morricone. Chris Botti's own PBS Special and DVD – Chris Botti Live with Orchestra & Special Guests – filmed in 2005 at LA's fabled Wilshire Theatre, inspired the Los Angeles Times music critic Don Heckman to write: "It was apparent, from the first notes Chris Botti played at the Wilshire Theatre on Friday, that the sold-out house was in for a special evening... Despite the inevitable audience excitement generated by the appearance of such vocal headliners [including Sting, Jill Scott, Paula Cole, Renee Olstead, Paul Buchanan and Gladys Knight and Burt Bacharach], it was Botti's virtuosic trumpet work, his inventive melody-making, his engaging onstage presence and his powerful band ...that ruled the evening..." write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Jazz News :: home page |