Guest Artist Bio
Chris Botti
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 atmospheres and thoughtful improvisations, Botti has earned both critical acclaim and mainstream appreciation for a succession of best-selling albums. With his latest album, Italia (2007), Botti crafted a suite of songs and music inspired by the romantic lifestyle of Italy, with each track conveying different aspects of that romance.
Botti is a native of Oregon who was born in Portland, raised in Corvallis and spent two years of his childhood growing up in Italy. His earliest musical influence was his mother, a classically trained pianist and part-time piano teacher.
He began playing trumpet at age 9 and, after hearing a recording of Miles Davis playing "My Funny Valentine," realized the instrument was his key to "doing something meaningful with my life." He pursued his music studies with a succession of outstanding teachers including Professor Bill Adam and Dave Baker in Indiana, and – following a move to New York City in 1986 – the late trumpet master Woody Shaw.
One of the world's most popular concert performers, Chris Botti currently maintains one of the busiest touring schedules monitored by the industry. Requests for television appearances, film scoring and other projects are on the rise as the sound of his trumpet is heard by more and more listeners around the world.