Chris Botti

Chris Botti ranks among the most prominent crossover figures of his era, a jazz trumpeter whose playing conveys a poetic and romantically inflected tone. Schooled in post-bop improvisation and classical methods, he first earned recognition performing alongside Paul Simon and Sting, bringing his Miles Davis-inflected trumpet style to their layered pop material. That same hybrid spirit shaped his subsequent solo releases, four of which reached the top of the jazz charts: 2004’s When I Fall in Love, 2005’s To Love Again: The Duets, 2007’s Italia, and 2012’s Impressions. The last of these also earned him the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album. After years of relentless touring and stage work, he revisited his signature approach to standards and ballads on the 2023 album Vol. 1.

Born in Portland, Oregon, in 1962, Botti received his earliest musical exposure from his mother, a pianist trained in the classical tradition. He began playing trumpet at roughly age nine and, after hearing Miles Davis’s 1964 recording of “My Funny Valentine,” committed himself to jazz at age twelve. While still a teenager he was chosen for the 1981 McDonald’s All American High School Jazz Band and performed at Carnegie Hall. He completed his final high-school year by taking classes at Mount Hood Community College and playing local gigs. He later enrolled at Indiana University’s renowned music program, studying with jazz educator David Baker and trumpeter Bill Adam. During this period he received two National Endowment for the Arts grants that funded private lessons with trumpeter Woody Shaw and saxophonist George Coleman, formerly of Miles Davis’s band.

Botti left Indiana before finishing his senior year to tour with Buddy Rich and Frank Sinatra, then settled in New York City. In 1990 he joined Paul Simon’s band, remaining for five years and also working during that time with Joni Mitchell, Bette Midler, Aretha Franklin, the Brecker Brothers, and others. He further participated in the fusion supergroup Bruford Levin Upper Extremities, alongside Yes drummer Bill Bruford and bassist Tony Levin; the ensemble released Upper Extremities in 1999.

As a bandleader, Botti issued his debut, First Wish, in 1995, blending contemporary pop-jazz with art-rock textures. After composing the score for the 1996 film Caught, he followed with his second album, 1997’s Midnight Without You, and then 1999’s Slowing Down the World. These recordings attracted Sting’s attention, leading to an invitation to serve as featured soloist on the Brand New Day tour. That association produced the live album All This Time, recorded on September 11, 2001.

His association with Sting rekindled earlier musical interests and introduced new ones. Botti channeled that renewed perspective into 2001’s Night Sessions, recorded in Los Angeles and revisiting his refined jazz-pop synthesis. He continued the exploration on 2022’s December; both albums reached the jazz-chart Top Five, with December also appearing on the Billboard 200. In 2003 he returned to the jazz Top Ten with A Thousand Kisses Deep.

When I Fall in Love, released in 2004 and produced by Bobby Colomby, Jeff Lorber, and Brian Bromberg, marked Botti’s commercial breakthrough. The album embraced a traditional orchestral jazz aesthetic shaped by Miles Davis’s classic collaborations with arranger Gil Evans and included guest vocals from Sting and Paula Cole. It reached number one on the jazz chart and became his first Top 40 pop entry. A year later, To Love Again: The Duets again topped the jazz chart and climbed to number 18 on the Billboard 200; another orchestral project, it featured additional vocalists including Paula Cole, Michael Bublé, and Jill Scott. Italia, an opera-inflected release, entered the Top 40 in 2007, followed by the concert recording Live in Boston in 2009.

Botti reappeared in 2012 with the studio album Impressions. Emphasizing melodic material, the record paired him with jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, guitarist Mark Knopfler, country singer Vince Gill, composer-pianist-producer David Foster, and additional guests. His fourth consecutive Top 40 album, Impressions also received the Grammy for Best Instrumental Pop Album.

Throughout the following decade Botti maintained a rigorous touring schedule, performing worldwide and headlining an annual series of holiday concerts at New York’s Blue Note. In 2023 he issued his eleventh studio album, Vol. 1. Produced by David Foster and featuring violinist Joshua Bell on “My Funny Valentine,” the collection presented a romantic blend of jazz standards and pop classics.