[JPL] Chris Botti review by Nate Chinen

[s8nochaser at aol.com]

 The guy is a complete snooze, as far as I'm concerned.

The proof of the pudding is how far below his band-mates he appears to be in reality, having seen & heard him at Monterey, and having suffered through the oft repeated PBS show in it's entirety (not all in one sitting.....that would be impossible for me to withstand). 

I tells it as I sees it.


Mike Schwartz/KSJS


 


 

-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Harrigan <rharrigan at tampabay.rr.com>
To: jazzproglist at jazzweek.com
Sent: Fri, 14 Dec 2007 9:47 am
Subject: Re: [JPL] Chris Botti review by Nate Chinen









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Blaise,Your opinion,John Swana.Thanks,Bob H.?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Blaise Lantana" <blaise.lantana at riomail.maricopa.edu>?

To: <jazzproglist at jazzweek.com>?

Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2007 9:28 PM?

Subject: RE: [JPL] Chris Botti review by Nate Chinen?
?


> For sponsorship info: email jplsponsor at jazzweek.com?

>?

> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++?

> Botti is at the Blue Note in NY through Christmas and if you're in the 
> hood?

> I recommend that you treat yourself to the show.?

>?

> I went to see Chris Botti after I interviewed him here at KJZZ.  He was 
> nice?

> enough to come to the station and spend an hour talking with me about his?

> life and music.  Not everyone is willing to make that effort and it makes 
> it?

> easier for us to sell the music when people find out more about the 
> artist.?

>?

> Botti is amazing and I was surprised because I think of him as smooth 
> jazz.?

> He has been moving in his own direction in the past few years and it's 
> more?

> interesting to my little jazz snob ears.  His construction and pacing of 
> the?

> show was great, using a vocalist, Sy Smith, for a couple of tunes plenty 
> of?

> improvisation, some adventurous meters and harmonies and using his singing?

> tones on some familiar crowd pleasing melodies.  He talked with me about 
> how?

> he learned how to present a show from Sting and Paul Simon and he learned?

> well.  His show is clear and defined with plenty of jamming and some 
> pretty?

> crowd pleasers but it never has that smooth jazz schmaltz and shtick that?

> makes me walk out on Dave Koz.  Opening with Ave Maria featuring just him?

> and piano player Peter Martin, he and the band then break into a killer?

> groove improv led by Billy Kilson giving everyone room to solo and having?

> everyone in the hall moving to THAT beat.  Whoa! He had me there.?

>?

> Being the none too sweetheart interviewer that I am I asked Chris why he?

> plays below his talent, why he doesn't flash his chops, he certainly has?

> them.  He replied, only slightly annoyed that just because something 
> sounds?

> simple does not mean it is not difficult and inspired.?

>?

> His tone is so impeccably beautiful and it never falters, he is a 
> dedicated?

> player.?

> Botti is working with guitarist Mark Whitfield a terrific foil who adds?

> humor, fun and spark to Botti's cool sound and he gives him plenty of room?

> to shine; Billy Killson on drums played with Dave Holland and lays down a?

> mighty groove as well being able to be invisible and propelling on a soft?

> ballad, he was pure excitement to watch.  Maybe it was because Botti gave?

> his band equal time to develop their ideas that it felt like a true jazz?

> concert where one artist inspires another to a spontaneous composition; it?

> wasn't just a trumpet player with his backup band.  Botti's encore was?

> Sinatra's "One for My Baby" playing a duet with the pianist, it was 
> haunting?

> and full of surprising ideas. Good jazz from the old school of Chet Baker?

> and Miles in the 50s but with a contemporary flavor.?

>?

> The concert suited my taste more than the albums I thought, but he sure is?

> doing a job of selling his CDs and he claims that is because he tours?

> CONSTANTLY.  He says he's been on the road for 7 years straight and 
> doesn't?

> have plans to stop.  One point that he made is that people want different?

> things from a concert than from a CD and he presents his music with that?

> consideration.  I'm using some things off of his "December" release for 
> the?

> holidays and a couple of cuts of the new one "Italia".?

>?

> I'll have the interview up on our website next week and I'll let you know?

> when you can access it.?

>?

> Blaise Lantana?

> Music Director?

> KJZZ Phoenix?

>?

>?

>?

>?

>?

> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++?

> Anybody catch the above NY Times review, or the actual show?  I found the?

> review very strange, as if Nate Chinen possibly enjoyed himself but 
> couldn't?

> stand the fact that he did because he doesn't respect Chris Botti. I've?

> never seen Botti live, but I've seen live performances on television that,?

> while not being very adventurous, were surely much more musical to my ears?

> than someone like Kenny G. Interested in your thoughts...?

>?

> --?

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