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Alternative
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Alternative
Blues
Christian
Classical
Country

Easy
Electronic
Gospel
Hip Hop
Jazz

Latin
Metal
Pop & Rock
R&B
World

Customer Reviews of This Album/CD

Easy listening taken as Jazz
Submitted on: 2009-08-02

I'm stepping on the Blu-Ray field for the first time by reviewing this `Chris Botti Live', a typical program for those who don't have anything better to be served with considering a new and astonishing technology that seems to have become popular in recent years.

It is quite similar to the DVD launching decades ago but with a big difference: old programs, mainly Jazz programs, were relatively fast and successfully remastered into DVD format so that we could take advantage of watching the Jazz greats in high quality sound and image standards. It's also important to notice that many of our Jazz greats were still well and alive there to offer new products, new shows at that time.

It seems that Blu-Ray is somewhat more complicated to have old material to be converted into.

There seems to be also a problem with the material: what industry currently calls `Jazz' is a surprise I take as not agreeable. Where are the real Jazz greats? Maybe their programs could not guarantee a fat return to the producers ...

In this scenario, I was presented to Chris Botti and Mr Botti is introduced by our Amazon Editor as a Jazz chart-topping trumpeter. It's hard to swallow comfortably.

The show final results are spectacular as far as we get drunk by the notoriously splendid image and sound quality gathered with the extraordinary American industry's expertise to put things together in this kind of production. Theater is extraordinarily beautiful.

The audience is clearly a plethora of invited people among friends and fans, so enthusiastic was their reaction even in tender situations. Passed to me the idea that the audience'a aplause was orchestrated at some 'presset' times.

The trouble with me refers to the material. Please no Jazz is offered even with the great Gil Goldstein before a great orchestra and a rhythm section trio leaded by the great Billy Childs and by guitarrist Mark Whitfield.

The program is a beautiful collection of standards, just a few 6 songs having Mr. Botti as a lead soloist. This makes us suppose a long list of invited artists, featuring Sting and Gladys Knight.

Ok to Sting and his extraordinarily cool approach to standards. How could a rock singer inject so creativeness in approaching Michel Legrand's `What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life'. Sorry that `My Funny Valentine' was reduced to a gag between Botti and Sting. Also sorry for the classical mistake in the lyrics, when Sting sings `don't change your for me' instead of the correct `don't change a hair for me'. It is too serious to play irresponsibly with `My Funny Valentine', a contextualized song from a Broadway with memorable lyrics by Lorenz Hart.

Jill Scott is a powered-voiced singer who is proper to cover some Aretha Franklin hits but not to sing Billie Holiday with that screaming voice. Beautiful woman, beautiful costumes, beautiful make-up, beautiful voice but no sense using her voice and no respect to the lyrics. You can't sing `Goodmorning Heartache' as you sing `Happy Birthday To You'.

Gladys Knight was discreet and brilliant and her final scat duet with the musicians was practically the only Jazz iceberg end in the show. Also brilliant is Ms. Renee Olstead in her near teenage and funny rendition of `Pennies from Heaven'.

Unfortunately, Mr. Botti is not a Jazz musician and no Jazz may be expected for beyond brilliant Billy Childs'solos here and there.

A long making-of extras in the program helps Blu-Ray fans and specially Botti's fans to hopefully say this is great!

Best jazz performances on dvd
Submitted on: 2009-07-14

this guy has the great talent, the discipline, the musical friends, the dignity, the beauty and grace. nothing not to like

Chris Botti live:
Submitted on: 2009-05-18

Chris Botti: Live (With Orchestra and Special Guests) [Blu-ray]

This is outstanding Blu-ray presentation. Botti is perhaps the best trumpet instrumentalist I have ever heard (seen). The concert was truly great, and the sound and video was near perfection.

Chris Botti - Live
Submitted on: 2009-05-03

Excellent CD. I love it! Received as promised, packaged great and I'm thrilled with the puchase.

Botti is LIVE
Submitted on: 2009-04-14

Long awaited, having been seen on a PBS special, the live concert by Chris Botti and friends brings both his talent and musicality to another audience. An evening of entertainment that will not be repeated, that is, unless you play the DVD over and over. In addition, an inspiration to young and not-so-young instrumentalists everywhere. Glad I got this DVD for future evenings of entertainment.

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