To Love Again

Chris Botti | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 18, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000CD0P8W
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (73 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,645 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #57 in Music > Pop > Easy Listening > Orchestral Pop
  • #79 in Music > Jazz > Smooth Jazz

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hauntingly Beautiful!, October 23, 2005

By 

Rebecca*rhapsodyinblue* (CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: To Love Again (Audio CD)

Chris Botti, a trumpeter-extraordinaire, has done it again after the success of "When I Fall In Love," my top favorite of all his albums which to date is #4 on Billboard Top 25 Albums. "To Love Again" is nothing but one of the best recordings of all-time. The CD Audio Side features Mr. Botti's thirteen attention-grabbing performances with his guest artists - Sting, Michael Bublé, Paula Cole, Gladys Knight, Jill Scott, Renee Olstead, Rosa Passos and Steven Tyler, with the London Session Orchestra conducted by Jeremy Lubbock, Billy Childs and Gil Goldstein.

The DVD Side showcases the entire CD tracks and four fabulous live performances and these are: "Flamenco Sketches" with guest saxophonist David Sanborn, "To Love Again," "I'll Be Seeing You" and "Milestones." The live performers include Billy Childs (piano), Anthony Wilson (guitar), Billy Kilson (drums) and Robert Hurst (bass). It's so nice to watch him on this DVD and see before your eyes how good he really is in his craft. He could well be in the league of the greatest trumpet players of all-time.

His most impressive trumpet virtuosity can be heard in his spellbinding renditions of all-instrumental-tracks from the repertoire: George and Ira Gershwin's "Embraceable You," the title track "To Love Again," "I'll Be Seeing You," which features Billy Childs on piano, and "What's New?" These beautiful works of art call for your welcoming ears and undivided attention to perfectly capture their charms!

Paula Cole, a Grammy awardee for the Best New Artist in 1998, steals the limelight with her emotionally-charged and superb vocals on "My One And Only Love," making it my new favorite version of this great song arranged by one of my favorite arrangers of all-time, Jeremy Lubbock. Sting shines with his outstanding rendition of one of the most beautiful compositions of the Bergmans and Legrand, "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?" His vocal artistry is just impeccable. I remember going round the bend over his version of "My One And Only Love" some years ago. It is still one of the most beautiful versions ever recorded.

Never to be outshined is Michael Bublé's refreshing take on "Let There Be Love," with fabulous arrangements by Gil Goldstein. Paul Buchanan's version of Elvis Presley's signature song "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" is so moving . . .

"Are you sorry we drifted apart?
Does your memory stray to a bright summer day?
. . . Is your heart filled with pain?"

On "Good Morning Heartache," Jill Scott is trying hard to make "heartache go away, get a job and leave her alone!" Gladys Knight sings "Lover Man" soulfully and coming from the heart.

The rest of the tracks are remarkable renditions of "Pennies From Heaven" by Renee Olstead, "Here's That Rainy Day" by Rosa Passos, and Steven Tyler's most heartfelt and moving treatment of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile," one of the most beautiful and uplifting songs of all-time.

"Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky you'll get by
If you smile through your fears and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining through for you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear maybe ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying?
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you'll . . . just smile."

This is truly one of my favorite works of art - it's hauntingly beautiful!

Thank you so much, Mr. Botti, for sharing your outstanding gift of music to the world. You are simply one of the best things that ever happened to jazz music!

Deserves my highest recommendation!

* * * * * TEN STARS * * * * *

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant album -- I'd give it 10 stars if I could!, December 22, 2005

By 

Ruth Anderson "Book Reviewer" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: To Love Again (Audio CD)

To Love Again is Botti's follow-up to last year's collection of romantic standards, When I Fall In Love. That album was primarily a collection of lushly orchestrated instrumentals that showcased Botti's breathtaking skill with the trumpet, supplemented by select duets with Paula Cole and Sting. In contrast, To Love Again features vocalists from across the musical spectrum duetting with Botti on nine of the disc's thirteen tracks. My favorite duet tracks include Michael Buble' singing "Let There Be Love" and Renee Olstead singing "Pennies from Heaven." The arrangements of both songs positively sparkle and give Botti a chance to really cut loose and swing with his trumpet. Botti's trumpet playing is often likened to Chet Baker's mellow sounds, but on these tracks I found the collaborations reminiscent of the type of recording Harry James and Tommy Dorsey used to do with their bands...the vocalists (stars in their own rights) complemented the music, and vice-versa. Olstead's performance is particularly noteworthy...her outstanding vocal skill has grown by leaps and bounds since the release of her self-titled jazz album last year. Each of the duets on this disc are perfect examples of an ideal give-and-take relationship between the vocal and the trumpet...one never seeks to overwhelm the other, which makes the listening experience absolutely intoxicating (some of Sinatra's concept albums that he recorded for Capitol Records - particularly ones arranged by Nelson Riddle - are excellent examples of this effect). To Love Again is a brilliantly executed album and I cannot wait to see the artistic heights Chris Botti takes his listeners to with his next offering!

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!!, December 17, 2005

By 

Country Woman (Kansas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: To Love Again (Audio CD)

Only recently have I discovered the beautiful music of Chris Botti. Now, I have to find all of the older cds. To Love Again is an awesome cd. What stands out is, of course, the beautiful sounds this man can get out of a horn.
There are a couple of tracks that have quickly become favorites. First, is Michael Buble's, Let There Be Love. This man has a absolutely wonderful voice. Then, there is What Are You Doing The Rest of My Life with Sting. Wonderful.
If you love beautiful music played in that smooth style of pop and jazz, you have to get this one. I know I will be listening to it for a long time.