Chris Botti and Friends - Night Sessions: Live In Concert
	Released: 2002 Label: Columbia/Sony Cat. No.: 54299 Total Time: 85:00
	Reviewed by: Keith Muzikman Hannleck, May 2003 Chris Botti is not a newcomer to the world of music. He looks very young, but do not let the picture on this DVD cover fool you. Botti went on tour for a few years with Sting so you know he had to have his act together; in fact, Sting said in an interview that he thinks Botti is the best modern trumpet player there is. That is saying a mouthful when you consider some of the great talent that is available in the realm of contemporary jazz. Night Sessions is an album Botti recorded in 2001 and the Night Sessions: Live in Concert DVD coincides with that recording. Sting was in the audience the night of the taping and he steps on stage to reunite with Chris on two songs ("In The Wee Small Hours" & "Moon Over Bourbon Street"). Shawn Colvin also makes an appearance on two tracks ("All Would Envy" & "The Facts About Jimmy"). Although Botti refers to his music as Pop, I think there is much more to it than that. Guitarist Shane Fontaine cuts loose more than once with some rocking licks that do not sound like jazz at all, then he plays equal amounts of funky and smooth styles, dependent on which direction Botti wants to go in a number. The sound is a pop-jazz-rock-fusion mixture that is both sexy and inviting. Like a quote from Playboy magazine says on the back cover of the DVD -“He single-handedly created a new musical genre.” I would tend to agree with that assessment. I believe after viewing this DVD and listening to Botti play that he is without a doubt one of the very best trumpet players in the world with nowhere to go but up. He is surely capable of going further with his musical development. I think it will be interesting to see if he stays on the same road or goes further away from the mainstream and pop leanings and decides to delve into a fusion approach such as Miles Davis did at one time. Time will tell. One thing is for sure, he is in a position to choose which way he wants to take his career and I am sure he will be successful whatever path he takes. Rating: 5/5 More about Night Sessions: Live In Concert: Track Listing: Program Start / Lisa / Streets Ahead / Miami Overnight / In The Wee Small Hours (w/Sting) / All Would Envy (w/Shawn Colvin) / Alone In The City / Regrooveable / Easter Parade / Why Not / The Facts About Jimmy (w/Shawn Colvin) / Steps of Positano / Moon Over Bourbon Street (w/Sting) / Blue Horizon / Credits DVD Video Special Features: Interviews with Chris, Sting and Shawn Colvin / Video Profile of Chris Botti / Photo Gallery / 5.1 Recording (Audio Only) of Through An Open Window / Digitally Mastered / Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound / PCM Stereo / Interactive Menus / Biography Musicians: Chris Botti – trumpet Shane Fontaine – guitar Harvey Jones –keyboards Jon Ossman – bass Karen Teperberg – drums Everett Bradley –percussion Jason Rebello - keyboards (“Why Not” and “Moon Over Bourbon Street”) Sting – vocals ("…Wee Hours…", "…Bourbon Street") Shawn Colvin – vocals ("All Would Envy," "…Jimmy") Contact: Website: www.chrisbotti.com Note: will open new browser window Discography First Wish (1995) Midnight Without You (1997) Slowing Down The World (1999) Bruford Levin Upper Extremities - Blue Nights (2000) Night Sessions (2001) December (2002)
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