“I’m telling a multitude of stories with this project and I suppose that’s an overarching story; that everyone has a story worth listening to if you take the time to hear them. And that story might come through words or sounds or body movements or other forms of expression. With the three guitarists I’ll be sharing timeless stories from many cultures by performing pieces from the jazz, nueva cancion, chanson, pop and bossa nova traditions.”
There are certain elements that are always associated with a Chris Botti performance: lush orchestrations, elegant presentation, luxury, coolness. But in the end it is all about musicianship.
It was fascinating to watch such a powerful voice emanate from Kristin Berardi’s delicate frame.
Kamasi Washington, a bona fide jazz superstar, is coming back to Australia. Part of his appeal and impact comes from the way that he combines two african-american traditions, jazz and hip hop. This is not just a musical game.
“I noticed a few themes emerging as I was writing and have just finished cataloguing all the pieces to try and select a cohesive set to record. While going back over them, I was surprised how much the songs were like a diary, reflecting my daily life as I moved through the project. I was more often than not writing about imaginary characters, but I still ended up with a lot of myself in the songs.”
There’s a reason Chris Botti has become so popular and his showmanship is definitely a factor. Here’s the trumpet player introducing Kathrine McPhee in a flirtatious rendition of a Cole Porter classic, mostly associated with Frank Sinatra.
Nancy Ruth combines different elements – her classical training, her dramatic flair, her adventurous spirit, her sense of ‘duende’ – to create a sound where genres such as pop, jazz, flamenco and latin co-exist and dissolve into each other.
