Customer Reviews

To Love Again

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

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 * * * * *

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!

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.

I now own three (3)Chris Botti CDs: When I Fall in Love; To Fall in Love and Midnight Without you.

I will say this: No, Chris Botti is neither Miles Davis nor Wynton Marsalis! He is neither of their stature nor in their class. And, he knows this!

The truth is that when his fans compare Chris to these true Jazz Greats, it becomes way too easy to dismiss Chris as a young and much less talented "wanna be!" Thus, these comparisons are fundamentally unfair to Chris. So, stop the madness!

The real truth is that Chris Botti is a wonderful musician in his own right, in his own class, and he has his own style.

His choices of vocalists are wonderful! Sting and Jill Scott and Paula Coles just seem to belong on his CDs!

I appreciate Chris and enjoy what he is now contributing to the field of 21st Century Music!

I pre-ordered this CD and when it was delivered I immediately tried to download it into ITunes and my IPOD. My computer could not read it and on the back in small small letters was the warning. Some computers may not be able to play this CD!! I am mad that this was not brought to my attention before I paid for it. I now have a CD that I can only play in my car.

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 charted #4 on Billboard Top 25 Albums when it was released. "To Love Again" is nothing but one of the best recordings of all-time and features Mr. Botti's thirteen attention-grabbing performances with his guest artists - Sting, Michael Bublé, Paula Cole, Gladys Knight, Jill Scott, Paul Buchanan, Renee Olstead, Rosa Passos and Steven Tyler, with the London Session Orchestra conducted by Jeremy Lubbock, Billy Childs and Gil Goldstein.

His very latest offering Italia (CD/DVD digipak Fan Pack) is also making waves at the jazz scene today. Please check it out, and I guarantee you will have an exquisite listening experience. It is dramatically and irresistibly beautiful and romantic!

Chris Botti's 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 * * * * *

The front cover looks cheap and trashy. Actually, the whole booklet strikes one as excessively 'popular' in the sense of being uninformative and superficial. But please don't judge this CD by the cover! Of course it is smooth jazz. But it is truly smooth in the sense of being genuinely delicate, mellow and soothing. The record is easily accessible but not dull nor unimaginative. No categorizations like "pop" or "jazz" are required in this case. This is simply elegant, tender and relaxing music. However, Botti's previous effort "When I Fall In Love" was slightly better in my opinion. Anyway, four stars - recommended.

This is my sixth Chris Botti CD and it was a change of pace that seems to be right on time. With the duets trend hitting the charts the past few years (Kenny G, Herbie Hancock, Ray Charles and Jim Brickman to name a few) one has to wonder if we are starting duet overkill. So I listened as Sting, Gladys Knight, Paula Cole and Michael Buble' make another contribution to a duet CD. But once again their work was very good and different from the other efforts. Then add young talented Renee Olstead and Jill Scott showing some veteran like 'jazz pizzazz' and the project comes off as poetry of pleasantry. The album picks up where Chris left off on his previous project 'When I Fall in Love', so it is only fitting that this one would be entitled 'To Love Again'. 'Good Morning Heartache' which seems to get most of the Radio air time brings out a Jill Scott that I never knew. The non-vocal cuts show the versatility and Miles Davis like talent Chris possesses. The mellowness and range of `Embraceable You' definitely highlights his skill with notes. For easy listening or just entertaining friends with soft background sounds `To Love Again' is right on time. ~the JazzeOne

I am a Chris Botti fan and despite this album continue to be. Recently saw him in person and thought he put on an excellent show. Dynamite female vocalist with the band. But this was one too many album of standards played in a pretty standard fashion. Good in it's own right, I suspect, but not much jazz to it. The dual disc actually has a couple of tunes that are not included in the regular CD, that are much more in the jazz idiom that I thought were quite good and I'd recommend. Just would have much rather had a whole album of those, rather than what was served up here.

Chris, time to get back to where you came from.

Chris Botti's trumpet playing makes him one of the greatest trumpet players of all time. Chris's sense of timing, his sensitivity when he plays and his energy all combine to create a brilliant experience; and with the vocalists on this CD Botti shines like never before.

The CD opens with an instrumental track, "Embraceable You." The other musicians play well in both major and minor keys as they support a flawless performance by Chris Botti. I know you'll like it! Sting joins Chris on "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?," a stunningly beautiful number that never fails to move me. Sting sings with panache and his excellent diction bolsters his performance. Moreover, listen also for Michael Bublé to join Chris Botti as they deliver a pretty awesome rendition of "Let There Be Love." Love that percussion on "Let There Be Love," too!

Jill Scott turns in a wonderful performance as she sings "Good Morning Heartache" while Chris plays his trumpet so well. The overall musical arrangement for "Good Morning Heartache" is much more modern, hip and overtly jazzy to embellish this standard blues number.

"Pennies From Heaven" features Renee Olstead singing her best and swinging gently; Chris's trumpet solo sparkles like gold and the arrangement makes good use of the brass, too. The CD concludes with another incredibly moving number, "Smile" by Charlie Chaplin. Steven Tyler sings this without a superfluous note and Chris Botti's trumpet couldn't have been any better. "Smile" touches me deeply with its message. Steven Tyler, a hardcore rocker, interprets this with so much sensitivity I have to marvel at Steven's genius.

The liner notes give the song credits and the artwork impresses me.

Chris Botti plays the trumpet so very, very well he's right up there with greats like Louis Armstrong; and when his peers join him for some vocals on these numbers their positive energy shines even brighter. I highly recommend this for Chris's fans; and people who enjoy classic jazz and pop vocals will surely love this album.