All That Jazz
Soap Opera Digest: First of all, are you familiar with the Y&R theme song, “Nadia’s Theme?”
Chris Botti: Of course. Who isn’t? I saw the Olympics.
Digest: Did you select the music that you’re performing on the show?
Botti: They let me choose and they also let me have a big say in the [music for the] wedding march.
Digest: Why did you say yes to making an appearance?
Botti: On a sort of music/artist level, it’s a great thing that a television show as big as this would reach out to jazz music to be on their show. It’s amazing exposure. Not only are they the biggest soap opera, but they’re very professional and super nice, so it’s been a lot of fun.Digest: You’ve got a pretty busy schedule.
Botti: I’m constantly on the road and I’m taping my own PBS special at the Wilshire Theater in L.A.Digest: How did you fit the Y&R gig in?
Botti: We just flew out from Florida to do these two days of Y&R, and then I’m supposed to take the red-eye tonight to Washington D.C. After that, we’re going to Maryland, then to Pennsylvania, then to New Mexico and then to New York to open for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Awards. They’ve got us bouncing all over the place, which I’m thrilled about. Digest: How do you rest up when you’re so busy and literally all over the map?
Botti: I don’t. I have to practice constantly. Unlike a singer, who has to rest [his] voice, with a trumpet you have to get in there and practice your instrument. It doesn’t care if you’re traveling, you need to practice or you will hurt bad. A lot of the stuff I do is similar to being a tight-rope walker or a ballet dancer; you have to be physically in tune. If I get into a hotel late and have had no sleep, I still need to practice. It’s really important. It makes the sound of my trumpet.Digest: Did you know you were in for long hours here since they’re taping a wedding?
Botti: Yes. I’ve done lots of different shows in television, so I’m fully aware of the hurry-up-and-wait syndrome. But you start meeting people in the cast and it’s kind of nice.Digest: Is this your first daytime appearance?
Botti: Ten years ago I was on ONE LIFE TO LIVE, again as myself. They had a fictitious jazz club and I came in with Erykah Badu and the two of us kind of alternated for a couple of days. It was really fun. It was my first album. Now, it’s many years later, we’ve sold a lot of records and it’s still fun to do.
Digest: Do you have any lines?
Botti: I do because I pulled this diva/ hissy fit — not really. I’m just kidding. I had a little bit of dialogue with Gloria [Judith Chapman]. Basically, I’m playing material off my new record and we’re promoting that and that’s what they talk about on the show as well.Digest: What’s the title of the new CD?
Botti: To Love Again. It’s the No 1 instrumental record in America by a long shot, so we’re feeling incredibly fortunate. Just to give you an example, To Love Again is the highest debuting instrumental record in probably 30 years. We got to No.18 in the pop charts. Jazz music usually never gets in the Top 300, let alone the Top 20.Digest: What kind of music is it?
Botti: It’s all classic romantic songs done in London with my favorite singers, like Sting, Gladys Knight, Michael Bublé, Steven Tyler and Paula Cole. It’s very dreamy: Miles Davis meets a glass of wine.Digest: Do you have a favorite song on this album?
Botti: Since my longest affiliation with anyone and the guy who sort of broke my trumpet sound to the whole world is Sting, he’s my bud and I’m most proud of that song [“What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life”]. But I’ve got to tell you that Steven Tyler sings the old song, “Smile” and people just cry. Nobody can believe this guy draws this sort of crooning aspect to it. So those two are my favorites.Digest: Were you recording in the studio with them, too?
Botti: Yes. We went to Sting in London, Gladys in Las Vegas, Bublé in Vancouver and Steven in Boston. So I’m very involved and I know all these people because I’ve either worked with them or they’re friends of mine. That was really the draw. A lot of times you can tell duet records are the record company saying, “Hey, you should do a song with so and so.” But I actually have a personal musical relationship with all these artists on the record. And I think it shows.Digest: Will you watch yourself when these episodes of Y&R air?
Botti: I hardly ever watch myself or watch my performance on television. I think one of the only times I watched myself was when I did OPRAH. I thought that was pretty cool. Other than that, I rarely watch myself.
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