Chris Botti at Strathmore

This will go under the category of Briefly Noted. I have nothing clever or original to say about jazz trumpeter Chris Botti, except he's a masterful musician in the best way that jazz creates music. His solo work is spectacular, but his duets are inspired.

At the Strathmore in Bethesda on Thursday, he singled out the members of his six-piece band when they were featured (drummer Billy Kilson held out for his killer solo till near the end of the set). Guest artists were violinist Caroline Campbell and vocalist Sy Smith, both of whom are impressive artists that Botti let shine on their own. But when he joined them, pure magic. Caroline and Chris are so physically well matched, it was like watching Torvill and Dean. And Sy's scatting matched Chris's notes effortlessly, like they could read each other's minds.

Caroline Campbell and Chris Botti in 2011. Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images North America, via Zimbio

Sy Smith and Chris Botti with New York Pops (2013). Uncredited photo via Broadway World

The cool thing about live performances is seeing how the artists work the audience--and the stage. When the house lights went down and the band entered, Botti was ready to begin, but the stage lights weren't! He calmly called for the lights, and quipped, "We're moody, but not that moody."

The first number, "En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor," had me grinning, and my joy never let go throughout the nearly two-hour set. The Aranjuez piece, of course, is a jazz take on Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, and different enough from the Jim Hall version to remind me again that jazz is probably the most creative of all the living arts. Creativity, improvisation, is what it's all about, as Botti and band demonstrated again in their take on Miles Davis's "Flamenco Sketches."

Other standout pieces were Sting's "La Belle Dame Sans Regrets" and "Cinema Paradiso" from the When I Fall in Love album and "The Very Thought of You" from Italia. Now that I'm scanning the tracks, I don't see that he did that much other than Aranjuez from his latest CD, Grammy-winning Impressions, which I bought at the concession stand before the show (on faith, just from sampling my beloved Aranjuez). No matter, I'm hooked. I see another Christmas CD (December) heading toward my Amazon shopping cart!

Chris Botti at Major League Baseball All Star Game 2012. Photo by Rick Swig via ChrisBotti.com

You see I was good and didn't take any Botti clack. *g*

Love, hosaa

jazzed up