CHRIS BOTTI AND JOSH GROBAN ON TOUR

With his new album, “When I Fall In Love,” sitting comfortably at #1 on the Traditional Jazz album sales chart, virtuoso Jazz trumpeter Chris Botti has been invited to open for Josh Groban on the bestselling pop vocalist’s upcoming tour. The tour opens in Tampa on Tuesday, January 25 and winds up in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 19 (see full itinerary following).
With “When I Fall In Love,” Chris Botti has tapped into the record-buying public’s desire for classic romantic Jazz sounds. Released on September 28, 2004, “When I Fall In Love” has, according to SoundScan, occupied the #1 slot on the Traditional Jazz Album sales chart seven weeks out of the past 10 and is currently in its fifth consecutive week at #1.
Peaking at #1 on the Top Jazz overall album sales chart, Botti’s new album recently jumped an astounding 109 spots — from #146 (week ending 11/14) to #37 (week ending 11/21) on the Top 200 — on the strength of a pair of career- defining television performances on the “Today” show (Friday, November 12) and “The Oprah Winfrey Show” (Tuesday, November 16). With the soaring success of “When I Fall In Love,” Chris Botti experienced the biggest single week’s sales leap of any traditional Jazz album recorded by an instrumental artist to be released in the SoundScan era.
On his new album, Chris Botti, recently picked as one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People,” breathes new Soul and magic into Classic Pop penned by Irving Berlin (“What’ll I Do?”), Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart (“My Romance”), Ira and George Gershwin (“Someone To Watch Over Me”), Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer (“One For My Baby And One More For The Road”) and others. Featuring guest vocal performances from Paula Cole (“What’ll I Do” & “How Love Should Be”) and Sting (“La Belle Dame Sans Regrets”), When I Fall In Love includes Sade’s more recently penned (but still classic) song, “No Ordinary Love,” and the ever-haunting “Time to Say Goodbye (Con te Partiro).” While providing fresh interpretations of some of the world’s greatest love songs, Botti creates new Pop standards of his own with songs like “La Belle Dame Sans Regrets,” written by Dominic Miller and Sting (who sings on the track).
Chris Botti, who opened a series of shows on the North American leg of Sting’s “Sacred Love” tour in January-March, 2004, recently headlined his own stateside gigs in support of “When I Fall In Love” before once again opening for Sting on a European tour.
Chris Botti’s association with Sting dates back to 1999, when the trumpeter joined the pop legend’s band as featured soloist on the “Brand New Day” tour, which lasted two-and-a-half years. Veteran of both the contemporary Jazz world and mainstream Pop studio scene, Chris Botti has worked with Joni Mitchell, Natalie Merchant, and renowned film composer John Barry, among others. Film critic Rex Reed has called him “the sexiest trumpeter since Chet Baker.”
Chris Botti joined Paul Simon’s band in 1990, where he remained for the next five years, and, in 1995, Chris Botti recorded his solo debut, “First Wish”. After scoring the 1996 film “Caught,” Chris Botti returned in 1997 with his second LP, “Midnight Without You,” which was followed by “Slowing Down the World” two years later. His 2002 watershed album, “Night Sessions,” peaked at #2 on the Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart while his seasonal collection, “December,” released the same year, hit #7 on the same chart.
Released in September 2003, “A Thousand Kisses Deep,” Chris Botti’s last best- selling collection, entered at #20 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and hit the #3 position on the Top Contemporary Jazz chart.

Chris Botti – Josh Groban Tour Dates:

– January –
January 25, 2005 – Tampa FL – St. Pete Times Forum
January 26, 2005 – Estero FL – Germain Arena
January 29, 2005 – Fort Lauderdale FL – Office Depot Center
January 31, 2005 – Orlando FL – TD Waterhouse Centre

– February –
February 01, 2005 – Atlanta GA – Philips Arena
February 04, 2005 – Raleigh NC – RBC Center
February 05, 2005 – Norfolk VA – Scope Arena
February 07, 2005 – Wilkes Barre PA – Wachovia Arena
February 08, 2005 – Uncasville CT – Mohegan Sun
February 10, 2005 – Manchester NH – Verizon Wireless Arena
February 11, 2005 – New York NY – Madison Square Garden
February 14, 2005 – Cleveland OH – Gund Arena
February 15, 2005 – Hershey PA – Giant Center @ Hershey Park
February 18, 2005 – Moline IL – The Mark of the Quad Cities
February 19, 2005 – Milwaukee WI – US Cellular Arena
February 22, 2005 – Green Bay WI – Resch Center
February 23, 2005 – Minneapolis MN – Target Center
February 25, 2005 – Sioux City IA – Tyson Event Center
February 26, 2005 – Rockford IL – Rockford Metrocentre

– March –
March 01, 2005 – Grand Rapids MI – Van Andel Arena
March 02, 2005 – Peoria IL – Peoria Civic Center Arena
March 04, 2005 – Oxford OH – Millett Hall
March 05, 2005 – Louisville KY – Freedom Hall
March 08, 2005 – Ft. Wayne IN – Allen County War Memorial
March 09, 2005 – Evansville IN – Roberts Stadium
March 11, 2005 – New Orleans LA – New Orleans Arena
March 13, 2005 – Oklahoma City OK – Ford Center
March 15, 2005 – San Antonio TX – SBC Center
March 17, 2005 – Phoenix AZ – America West Arena
March 19, 2005 – Las Vegas NV – Mandalay Bay

Source: WestCoastmusic