Chris Botti is an American trumpeter and composer who became widely known in the 1990s and 2000s for his smooth jazz recordings. He started his career playing with pop stars like Sting and Paul Simon before launching a successful solo career. But in recent years, Botti seems to have faded from the public eye. So what exactly happened to this talented trumpeter?
Early Life and Career
Christopher Stephen “Chris” Botti was born in Portland, Oregon on October 12, 1962. He was introduced to music at a young age thanks to his mother, a classically trained pianist and part-time piano teacher. Botti started playing the trumpet when he was 9 years old and was soon practicing 3-4 hours per day.
Botti studied under the famous trumpeter Carmine Caruso at the High School of Music & Art in New York City. After high school, he honed his skills at Indiana University before moving to Los Angeles in 1985.
In LA, Botti broke into the industry by taking whatever gigs he could find. His big break came in 1990 when he was hired to play on pop icon Sting’s album The Soul Cages. This high-profile gig led to more work with major artists like Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Natalie Merchant, and others throughout the 1990s.
Solo Success in Contemporary Jazz
Drawing inspiration from crossover artists like Kenny G, Botti set his sights on smooth contemporary jazz. He signed with Verve Records and released his first solo album, First Wish, in 1995. The album was a modest success in the genre, reaching #3 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart.
Over the next decade, Botti slowly built his reputation in the contemporary jazz world with albums like Midnight Without You (1997), Slowing Down the World (1999), and Night Sessions (2001). He incorporated some pop elements into his music and featured collaborations with artists like Sting, Jill Scott, and even Frank Sinatra.
Botti’s big commercial breakthrough came in 2004 with the release of When I Fall in Love. The album featured covers of pop standards and reached #1 on the Billboard Jazz chart, remaining in the top 5 for nearly 70 weeks. The single “The Look of Love” was a surprise hit on adult contemporary radio.
Grammy Recognition
The success of When I Fall in Love marked Botti’s arrival as a major figure in contemporary jazz. He won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement for his version of “What a Wonderful World.”
Over the next several years, Botti solidified his status with the albums To Love Again: The Duets (2005), Italia (2007), and Chris Botti in Boston (2009). He earned three more Grammy Awards during this prolific period:
- Best Instrumental Arrangement in 2005 for “Embraceable You”
- Best Pop Instrumental Album in 2007 for Italia
- Best Pop Instrumental Album in 2010 for Chris Botti in Boston
Botti also became known for his collaborations. He recorded and toured extensively with artists like Sting, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, John Mayer, and Andrea Bocelli.
Shift Away from Smooth Jazz
After reaching the pinnacle of contemporary jazz stardom, Botti began shifting away from the genre in the early 2010s. His albums became more varied, incorporating jazz standards, classical pieces, and pop covers. He explained in interviews that he wanted to expand creatively beyond smooth jazz.
This shift coincided with the declining popularity of smooth/contemporary jazz as a whole. Core artists like Kenny G and Michael Bolton faded from the spotlight in the 21st century. Radio formats switched from “smooth jazz” to more generic “adult contemporary” programming.
As the genre declined, major labels like Verve dropped their remaining smooth jazz artists. In 2012, Botti changed course and signed with Columbia Records for the more pop/rock-oriented album Impressions.
Life on the Road
In recent years, Botti has focused primarily on live performance instead of recording new albums. He continues to tour worldwide, playing a mix of jazz clubs, concert halls, and outdoor amphitheaters.
Botti also performs frequently with major symphony orchestras like the Boston Pops. This allows him to showcase his classical training and perform a wider range of repertoire.
According to his website, Botti has become “the largest selling American jazz instrumentalist” with over 3 million albums sold worldwide. However, since 2012 he has only released one album of original material, 2013’s Impressions.
Reasons for Botti’s Decline in Popularity
Several factors explain why Botti does not have the same high profile he enjoyed during his mid-2000s peak.
Smooth Jazz Decline
As mentioned, Botti rose to prominence as a smooth jazz star. But the genre fell out of mainstream popularity after the 2000s.
When smooth jazz radio declined, Botti lost his most vital platform for exposing new music to fans. And most critics were not fans of the bland, lightweight style of smooth jazz. So as the genre faded, Botti’s relevance as a current artist also diminished.
Lack of Radio Hits
During his popular peak, Botti scored a rare smooth jazz radio hit with “The Look of Love” in 2004. But he never had another major radio hit after that.
Without radio play, Botti’s albums had a harder time attracting broad audiences. Even genre-specific hits within jazz would have helped maintain his prominence. But after the mid-2000s, his new music failed to make an impact on any mainstream charts.
Focus on Touring over New Material
As mentioned, Botti has prioritized live performance instead of recording new albums in recent years. He continues to draw decent crowds to his shows based on his earlier fame.
However, this approach has limited Botti’s cultural relevance as a contemporary artist. By not releasing fresh, buzz-worthy material, he relies more on nostalgia from older fans.
Limited Crossover Appeal
Smooth jazz is often criticized for being bland and banal. And some say Botti’s mellow trumpet sound lacks distinction from other genre artists like Kenny G.
While admired by jazz aficionados for his technical skills, Botti’s music has limited appeal beyond adult contemporary audiences. Without a sound that crosses over to younger and more diverse listeners, it’s harder to sustain mainstream relevance.
Recent Developments
In the past few years, Botti has continued touring while working on new projects sporadically.
Live Performances
Botti remains a popular live act in the realm of adult contemporary jazz. In 2022, he performed over 70 dates across the U.S. and Canada.
He often plays at performing arts centers and casinos catering to older audiences. Botti also still collaborates with major symphony orchestras for Holiday Pops concerts around Christmas time.
Occasional New Releases
While not recording full albums lately, Botti has put out some new music here and there:
- In 2019, he released the single “You Got What You Wanted” featuring singer-songwriter Jill Scott.
- In 2021, he contributed to the duets album Evergreen by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.
- Also in 2021, Botti put out a holiday duets album called For Christmas Only.
However, these have been small projects without much commercial impact. Botti has not released an album of all new material since 2013.
Non-Music Pursuits
With less focus on recording, Botti has had time to explore other areas of interest. He is an avid photographer, often sharing photos from his travels on tour.
Botti is also co-owner of the Tuscan restaurant Chase Terrace located in Blue Hill, Maine. The restaurant opened in 2018 and reflects Botti’s Italian heritage.
Will Botti Make a Comeback?
As he approaches his mid-60s, does Botti have another big comeback left in him? There are a few factors that suggest he may reclaim more of the spotlight in the future.
Nostalgia for Y2K Jazz & Pop
Gen Z and young millennial audiences are newly discovering and appreciating pop culture from the late 1990s and early 2000s. This wave of 1990s/Y2K nostalgia could renew interest in Botti’s biggest smooth jazz hits. His brand of mellow trumpet solos may find an unlikely audience among those looking for relaxing early 2000s vibes.
Potential Crossover Collaborations
Much of Botti’s success came from collaborations with pop, rock, R&B, and opera stars. If he teamed up with current hitmakers — imagine Botti on a Bruno Mars or Harry Styles album — it could introduce him to younger generations. Unlikely crossover partnerships have helped other aging artists rediscover relevance.
A Return to Standards and Ballads?
Botti could appeal to both older fans and sophisticated Gen Z listeners by steering away from smooth jazz and revisiting the timeless standards and ballads he covered so well earlier in his career. This could establish him as a crooner with historic appeal like Michael Bublé.
New Management Strategy
With the right management, Botti may be persuaded to focus on recording again and adopt a more strategic approach to marketing himself through social media. Better digital branding could help him stand out in a crowded landscape and remind fans of his talents.
Conclusion
Chris Botti reached extraordinary heights in contemporary jazz during the early 2000s. But as the smooth jazz trend faded, so did Botti’s prominence as a hitmaking trumpeter. He continues touring on his earlier fame but has largely stepped back from recording.
A full-blown comeback for Botti may be unlikely given his age and changing musical tastes. However, with the right strategy and collaborations, Botti could possibly regain more relevance than he currently enjoys as touring nostalgia act. There remains an audience for his romantic style. But Botti would need to think beyond smooth jazz to build a new following at this stage in his career. The potential is there for a renaissance if his music can find its way into today’s pop culture landscape.