Chris Botti is an American trumpeter and composer from Portland, Oregon. Botti picked up his first trumpet at nine, and by the age of 12, began studying it seriously. At 17, Botti completed his senior year of high school at Mount Hood Community College. He did this in order to play jazz clubs around Portland by night. The school also had a top class program, headed by Larry McVey.Botti then went to Indiana University, where he studied under David Baker and Bill Adam. He then left Indiana in his senior year to tour with Frank Sinatra and Buddy Rich. In 1990, Botti began working with Paul Simon, and performed in Simon’s famed Central Park concert, which was later released as the Concert in the Park. In 1995, Botti produced the Brecker Brothers’ Out of the Loop album. The album went on to win the 1995 Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Performance.In 1995, Botti was signed by Verve Forecast Records. His first solo album, First Wish, reached number 18 on the Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. His second album, Midnight Without You, released in 1997, peaked at number 13 on the Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. In 1999, Botti released Slowing Down the World, which received mixed critical reception; however, still peaked at number 13 on the US Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.In 2001, Botti switched record labels and released his fourth solo album, Night Sessions, on Columbia Records. The album peaked at number four on the Top Jazz Albums chart, and ushered in a new level of success for Botti. Botti then released December in 2002, which was his first album to chart on the Billboard 200, peaking at number 124 on the Billboard 200. Botti next reached the charts with his 2004 album When I Fall in Love, which peaked as high as number 37, reached the top of the Top Jazz Albums chart, and was his first album that was certified gold.Botti’s eighth album, To Love Again: The Duets, was a remarkable success. The album was his highest charting album to date, peaking at number 18 on the Billboard 200, topping the Top Jazz Albums chart and was also certified gold. Botti has since released two albums, Italia and Impressions, both of which have charted in the top-50 on the Billboard 200.
