51黑料网

鈥淚 think that the whole world hit reset in so many ways,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 turning 60. It鈥檚 this whole thing that鈥檚 gone on the last three years.鈥�

Botti had just finished recording his debut on the iconic jazz imprint Blue Note Records. 鈥淐hris Botti, Vol. 1,鈥� released last week, is his first album in 10 years and it鈥檚 one that takes him full circle in his musical journey, back to the jazz that started it all before he crossed over and found pop stardom.

Botti鈥檚 longtime friend David Foster produced the album, which puts the emphasis squarely on Botti and his trumpet.

鈥淭his is maybe the most focused version of what I am kind of known for,鈥� he said during a phone interview early this month to talk about his Fox Tucson Theatre concert on Thursday, Oct. 19.

The album mines some of jazz鈥檚 most popular standards including 鈥淧aris,鈥� 鈥淭ime On My Hands,鈥� 鈥淢y Funny Valentine鈥� and 鈥淏ewitched, Bothered, Bewildered,鈥� with Foster arranging sometimes on the fly. That gave them the flexibility to 鈥減lay something in a different key or completely different tempo鈥� and change the character of a song. Botti cites the example of Foster鈥檚 dramatic intro to 鈥淒anny Boy,鈥� which elevated the song from being the last on the album to the first.

鈥淚t has all this magic that David brought to it,鈥� Botti said, ticking off the guest artists that included Joshua Bell and singer John Splithoff, who will be with Botti for the Tucson concert. 鈥淚t has little surprises and gems, and yet if you put it on in your house, it鈥檚 got a really beautiful, tranquil thing. This world needs stuff like that these days. Everything is just so hyped up and this brings a really high-end version of musicians in a room to make something unapologetically beautiful.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 very, very happy with the way the record came out,鈥� he added. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to start this new chapter of my life and my career on this legendary record company .. and it felt right to call (the record) Vol. 1. Hopefully there will be a Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 shortly.鈥�

Next up for Botti, who turned 61 last week: Racing cars.

鈥淚 got addicted to race cars, and only since February,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o I really switched up my life.鈥�

Botti said he lives next to a racetrack between Los Angeles and Palm Springs and spends his off time working with coaches and racing his two Porsches and his McLaren around the track.

鈥淭his is obviously a new experience, but it is incredibly musical,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he similarities between music with the engine and the concentration and the flow is kind of similar to when the band is blazing in jazz, except the stakes are higher because, you know, you don鈥檛 want to hurt yourself. I got completely blown away at how it affected me. 鈥�

The concert, a followup to his April 2022 Tuscon show, starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Fox, 17 W. Congress St. Tickets are $20-$85 through