March 24, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … Acclaimed jazz trumpeter and Oregon native Chris Botti will bring his Grammy award-winning blend of contemporary jazz and soulful romantic ballads to the Oregon Symphony stage for his first major Portland appearances on April 22, 23 and 24 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, with an added performance on April 25 at Smith Auditorium in Salem. Charles Floyd will conduct the concerts as part of the Symphony’s Pops series. Media support is provided by KINK fm102 and Oregon Business Magazine.
Botti, who grew up in Corvallis, Ore. and studied at one point with the Symphony’s Principal Trumpet Fred Sautter, is one of the hottest commodities on today’s pop instrumental scene. He recently starred in a nationally broadcast concert on PBS, “Chris Botti Live with Orchestra and Special Guests,” which will be released on DVD later this month. The Los Angeles Times wrote of that performance, “ Botti’s virtuosic trumpet work, his inventive melody-making, his engaging onstage presence and his powerful band…ruled the evening.” His performance, with Sting, of “What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life” from his most recent album “To Love Again” was awarded the 2006 Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement with Vocalist. These performances represent his first in a major venue in Portland.
Botti will join Floyd, who leads the Symphony’s annual Gospel Christmas concerts, and the Symphony to perform a number of songs from “To Love Again” and his previous album,“When I Fall in Love,” such as “ Someone to Watch Over Me,” “ 1000 Kisses Deep,” “ When I Fall In Love,” “Cinema Paradiso,” “Time to Say Goodbye,” What’ll I Do?” “Good Morning Heartache,” “The Look of Love” and “Lover Man,” among others.
Performances are scheduled for Saturday, April 22, at 8 p.m., Sunday, April 23, at 3 p.m. and Monday, April 24, at 8 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, with an additional performance on Tuesday, April 25 at Willamette University’s Smith Auditorium in Salem. Tickets range in price from $27 to $76 and may be purchased at the Oregon Symphony Customer Service Office (923 S.W. Washington), Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or charged by phone at (503) 228-1353 or (800) 228-7343, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Discounted tickets for groups of eight or more are available through the Group Sales hotline at (503) 416-6380.Tickets also may be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets (503-790-ARTS) or through Ticketmaster Online, via the Symphony’s Web site at www.orsymphony.org. Service fees may apply. Tickets for the Salem performance may be purchased by calling (503) 364-0149.
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 that have made him a virtual genre-of-one in the realm of contemporary jazz. Through his singular combination of lush atmospheres and thoughtful improvisations, Botti has earned both critical acclaim and mainstream appreciation.
When Paul Simon set out on a 15-month world tour in 1990, Botti became a key sideman in a backing group that combined Brazilian and African players with New York session veterans like Randy Brecker, Richard Tee and Steve Gadd. Botti’s solo debut, “First Wish,” was released in 1995; his second effort, “Midnight Without You” (a collaboration with English ambient pop group The Blue Nile) appeared in 1997 and was followed by “Slowing Down The World” in 1999. The Academy Award-winning film composer John Barry cast Chris as the featured soloist in his orchestral score “Playing By Heart;” Botti himself composed and performed the score for the Robert M. Young film “Caught.”
In the studio and on stage, Chris Botti has worked with such leading singer-songwriters as Marc Cohn, Joni Mitchell and Natalie Merchant; as a sideman, he has appeared on dozens of albums, compilations and soundtracks. In 2000, Botti joined Sting for two years of roadwork, as the featured soloist with the latter’s “Brand New Day” band. That tour culminated in Tuscany, where the concert was taped, later to become Sting’s first live CD in 15 years. “Sting in Tuscany: All This Time” aired as a part of the A&E In Concert series, garnering six Emmy nominations in the process. The documentary was later released on DVD. Botti became a part of a dramatic and memorable performance on that fateful day in the fall, September 11, 2001.
Working with band mate and multi-instrumentalist Kipper, Botti’s Columbia label debut “Night Sessions,” inspired by the sounds of the late-night European club scene, was written and recorded during a two and a half-month hiatus between Sting tours. The album became a breakthrough contemporary jazz hit upon its release in October 2001. A Columbia DVD, “Night Sessions – Live In Concert” was issued in August 2002. Taped live at the historic El Rey Theater in Los Angeles, “Chris Botti and Friends” featured the trumpeter with his own expert road band plus guest appearances by Sting and Shawn Colvin.
In October 2002, Chris released the holiday theme album “December.” This 13-track collection combined joyful interpretations of seasonal standards (“Little Drummer Boy,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”) with contemporary songs in the Christmas spirit, including Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and “Perfect Day” by Richard Marx. On the promotional trail in support of December, Botti appeared on “The Caroline Rhea Show” (WB network). He was invited to return the next day, then promptly hired as Rhea’s on-air partner, chatting with the host at the start of every show and frequently sitting in with a house band led by bassist Tim LeFebvre.
Botti’s next Columbia release, “A Thousand Kisses Deep,” shows his affinity for the classics, recording a now renowned arrangement of the Miles Davis classic “My Funny Valentine.” The reaction to this performance, both on disc and live, made Chris realize his next album would do well to focus on the repertoire of the great American songbook.
“When I Fall in Love” was recorded in Los Angeles and London in 2004 and produced by veteran Bobby Colomby. Working with some of the most accomplished arrangers and orchestrators around it has been hailed as “an instant classic” by many and continues to sell well nearly a year after its release. Botti’s big break came when he was “discovered” by Oprah Winfrey, who quickly championed his artistry to her audience, presenting him on her show in November 2004. Within a week of his performance he had sold more than 50,000 CDs continues to maintain a top five presence on the charts.
Botti has outdone himself with the release of his latest album, “To Love Again.” Employing nine of this era’s finest vocalists, relying on sublime orchestral arrangements, and once again under the direction of producer Bobby Colomby, this album has fulfilled the highest expectations. For more information, visit www.chrisbotti.com.
Conductor, pianist and composer Charles Floyd began studying piano at age four, gave his first solo recital at age nine, and by age twenty had been heard in solo recital, chamber music and concerto performances throughout the United States and Spain.
Floyd performed frequently as soloist with the Louisville Orchestra between 1982 and 1984; he also was chosen as pianist for the Louisville Ballet’s internationally recognized tribute to George Balanchine during the 1983-1984 season. Floyd has been the recipient of numerous awards and grants, including the National Chopin Competition of New York’s Kosciuszko Foundation.
As a conductor, Floyd has been heard in concert with more than 500 orchestras since 1991. His appearances include performances with the Detroit Symphony, the Atlanta, Indianapolis, Houston, Saint Louis, Philadelphia, Detroit, Buffalo, San Francisco, Chicago, San Francisco and Baltimore Symphony Orchestras. He has also appeared with the Scottish National Radio Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony, Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal and the London Symphony. Floyd made his debut with the Brooklyn Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall in July 2004.
Floyd is an annual guest conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra. Since 1993 his performances have included “Gospel Night at Pops” at Boston’s Symphony Hall. His work in Boston’s 1996 season included a PBS telecast of “Evening at Pops,” featuring Patti LaBelle and Edwin Hawkins. His programs have featured artists such as Grace Bumbry, Sting, Elton John, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, Yolanda Adams, Jennifer Holliday, Daryl Coley, Kirk Franklin, Doc Severinsen, kd lang, Stevie Wonder, Wynona Judd and William Warfield. In 1998 he was music director for the nationally broadcast PBS holiday special, “A Cathedral Christmas.”
Floyd’s eleven-year partnership with singer Natalie Cole included such projects as the multiple Grammy Award-winning tribute to Nat King Cole entitled “ Unforgettable, With Love,” the Emmy Award-winning PBS Great Performances concert video of the same title, as well as the Grammy-winning releases “ Take a Look” and “Stardust.”
In April 2005, he was invited by film composer Howard Shore to join his small staff of conductors performing “ The Lord Of The Rings Symphony” worldwide. He is also currently working as assistant music director to film composer John Debney to present the music from Mel Gibson’s 2004 epic “The Passion of the Christ” to concert halls internationally.
