The Edmonton International Jazz Festival welcomes platinum recording artist and multiple Grammy winner Chris Botti (pronounced boat-ee) on June 26 at the Winspear.
His jazz, described as “smooth jazz with a touch of cool,” has become a best selling American instrumental commodity. Three of his albums reached the No. 1 position on the Billboard jazz albums chart.
It all started when the trumpeter quit Indiana University in his senior year to tour with Frank Sinatra and Buddy Rich before moving to New York to polish his craft as a studio musician.
By 1990 Paul Simon had discovered Botti and they started a touring and recording relationship. Through Simon, Botti met other singers such as Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Bette Middler, Joni Mitchell and Roger Daltrey.
By the middle of 2009, Botti had released 12 solo albums and was nominated for countless awards.
Tickets for the Winspear concert are $72 to $85 plus service fees. Call 780-428-1414 or online at www.winspearecentre.com.
Closing the season at Edmonton Opera is Fidelio, Beethoven’s only opera. Fidelio plays at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium April 21, 24 and 26.
With all of the composer’s emotional sensitivity, the opera tells the story of Lenore, a loving wife who disguises herself as a prison guard named Fidelio to rescue her husband from death in a political prison.
Beethoven had difficulty writing the opera and it went through extensive revisions before its topical debut in 1805. Ultimately the empowering music is an appeal to our conscience and our humanity.
A company premiere, this work features German soprano Maida Hundeling in the title role along with John MacMaster as Florestan her husband, Nathalie Paulin, Thomas Goerz, Alain Coulombe and Dean Elzinga.
Tickets start at $40 and are available at 780-429-1000 or online at www.ticketmaster.ca.
