Grammy winning trumpeter CHRIS BOTTI has announced the release of a new album – his first in over a decade and his first for the iconic Blue Note label – hence its title, ‘Vol.1’.
Previews reveal that the long players is an intimate, small group project which delivers a mix of acoustic jazz and classic standards. Amongst the familiar standards are emotive versions of ‘Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered’, ‘My Funny Valentine’, ‘Someday My Prince Will Come’ and a mournful ‘Danny Boy’ which opens proceedings and sets the tone for the remaining nine tracks.
The album’s biggest surprise, maybe, is a cover of Cold Play’s ‘Fix You’ while the set’s big vocal moment is a bossa nova flavoured ‘Paris’ featuring up and coming vocalist John Splithoff. Other featured players include violinist Joshua Bell, pianist Taylor Eigsti, guitarist Gilad Hekselman, and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta. Production is down to garlanded David Foster – so smooth jazz quality guarantted.
Of the album, Botti says: “I turned 60 in 2022, at a time that seemed like a restart for so many things in the world. I wanted to strip away all the orchestral arrangements and focus more on my playing, the playing of my band, and these jazz classics that we always love playing on stage.”
CHRIS BOTTI ; ‘Vol 1’ out October 20th via Blue Note
