Botti has good looks galore. He reminds me of a Greek god with his well-chiseled features and short blonde hair. Think Apollo but without the lyre or a singing voice. Botti’s instrument of choice is the trumpet and he gives this an intense, sensual sound. Think of a younger and sexier Chet Baker. His music is jazz of the smooth kind. Think Kenny G but without the sax. Now I know that smooth jazz has sort of lost some of its sheen these past few years. Maybe, Botti is whom it needs to bring back its luster.
Botti is no newcomer and I am surprised that he is only being promoted locally only now. He has been around for about 10 years. He has toured with the greats like Paul Simon and Sting and was in the Sting in Tuscany TV special. He is a guest in CDs by Bublé and Olstead. He has also already recorded several albums on his own. One of these is the wonderful Christmas collection titled December, which I hope will be available in these parts this year. But if we still have to wait for that to happen, there is When I Fall in Love, a lush collection of beautiful melodies.
The keywords in the album are romantic and familiar, which, as any artist or producer will tell you is the most difficult to do. The songs have already been recorded in so many assorted versions before, a good number of them certainly enduring. The stores these days are flooded with covers of the standards. I believe though When I Fall in Love is worth listening to again because of Botti’s original interpretation and the reined-in passion he expresses with his trumpet.
Of course, it also helps that the songs included are among my big favorites. Included are When I Fall in Love, What’ll I Do? featuring Paula Cole, No Ordinary Love, My Romance, Let’s Fall in Love, Cinema Paradiso with pianist Billy Childs, Someone to Watch Over Me, La Belle Dame Sans Regrets featuring Sting and guitarist Dominic Miller, Nearness of You, How Love Should Be also with Cole, Make Someone Happy, One For My Baby and Time to Say Goodbye, which was originally the Andrea Bocelli hit and Europe’s favorite make out theme Con Te Partiro.
Favorite Pop/Rock
Male Artist: 50 Cent, Will Smith, Rob Thomas
Female Artist: Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani
Band, Duo or Group: The Black Eyed Peas, Green 3Day, 3 Doors Down
Album: The Emancipation of Mimi by Mariah Carey, Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson, American Idiot by Green Day
Favorite Soul/Rhythm & Blues
Male Artist: R. Kelly, John Legend, Omarion
Female Artist: Mariah Carey, Ciara, Fantasia
Band, Duo or Group: Destiny’s Child, 112, Pretty Ricky
Album: The Emancipation of Mimi by Mariah Carey, Destiny Fulfilled by Destiny’s Child, Free Yourself by Fantasia
Country
Male Artist: Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw
Female Artist: Martina McBride, LeAnn Rimes, Gretchen Wilson
Band, Duo or Group: Big & Rich, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts
Album: Honkytonk University by Toby Keith, Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw, Here For the Party by Gretchen Wilson
Rap/Hip Hop
Male Artist: Eminem, 50 Cent, Ludacris
Female Artist: Missy Elliott, Lil’ Kim, Trina
Band, Duo or Group: The Black Eyed Peas, Lil’ Jon & The Eastside Boyz, Ying Yang Twins
Album: Encore by Eminem, The Massacre by 50 Cent, Urban Legend by T.I.
Adult Contemporary Artist: Kelly Clarkson, Maroon 5, John Meyer
Latin Music Artist: Daddy Yankee, Luis Miguel, Shakira
Alternative Music Artist: Coldplay, Green Day, System of a Down
Contemporary Inspirational Artist: Casting Crowns, Jars of Clay, Mary Mary
Breakthrough New Artist: The Killers, Jesse McCartney, Sugarland.