Chris Botti Turns the Paramount Into a Cathedral of Sound
With a new album, a milestone birthday, and an all-star lineup, the Grammy-winning trumpeter delivers a lush, crowd-pleasing return to Denver.
Trumpet virtuoso Chris Botti had much to celebrate at the Paramount Theatre last Sunday night. The Grammy Award winner recently turned 61, and his first album in a decade, Chris Botti Vol. 1 (Blue Note Records), was released just two days earlier. Those twin milestones lent the concert a sense of occasion, balancing polish, sentiment and showmanship—and reaffirming Botti’s enduring appeal to a devoted audience.
It had been 20 years since Botti last performed in Denver, and he returned with an exceptional quartet: drummer Lee Pearson, bassist and synthesizer player Daniel “Chimy” Chmielinski, guitarist Ben Butler, and pianist Julian Pollack. The core band was augmented by guest artists, including violinist Ania Filochowska, neo-soul vocalist Sy Smith, and indie-pop singer John Splithoff, who appears on Botti’s new release.
The set leaned heavily on material tied to Botti’s romantic, cinematic aesthetic. It opened with a reverent rendition of the traditional Irish ballad “Danny Boy,” establishing a contemplative tone. Botti and Pollack traded lead lines as Botti’s horn—bathed in just enough reverb—filled the historic theater with cathedral-like resonance.
Ania Filochowska. Photo: Steve Roby
Filochowska soon joined them for Ennio Morricone’s “Cinema Paradiso,” stepping onstage in a glittering gown. The Polish-born violinist, who began playing at age 6 and later studied with Itzhak Perlman at Juilliard, matched Botti phrase for phrase. Later in the evening, the two took their performance into the aisles, creating an intimate, up-close moment that delighted audience members seated along the route.
Botti paid tribute to Tony Bennett with an up-tempo reading of “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” a song the two performed together in 2018 at Bennett’s Library of Congress Gershwin Prize celebration. The extended arrangement showcased the band, particularly Chmielinski, who moved fluidly between upright bass and electronics, and Pearson, whose 13-minute feature included a fiery drum solo punctuated by theatrical flourishes.
Vocalist Sy Smith took center stage for the next portion of the set, delivering a jazzy, up-tempo version of “Feeling Good.” Smith was most compelling when she leaned into her strength—sustained, soaring high notes that evoked Minnie Riperton’s vocal finesse.
Next came John Splithoff, the New York-based singer-songwriter featured on Botti’s new album. He performed “Raye” and “Paris,” the latter inspired by an idealized vision of the city. His understated delivery contrasted with Botti’s lush arrangements.
The full ensemble reconvened to close the main set with a spirited rendition of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Shining Star,” sending the audience to its feet. Botti returned for a two-song encore, culminating in “What a Wonderful World,” highlighted by a surprise Louis Armstrong vocal turn by drummer Lee Pearson.
Program Notes
Artist: Chris Botti
Venue: Paramount Theatre
City: Denver
Date: Oct. 22, 2023
Set List: “Danny Boy”; “Cinema Paradiso”; “When I Fall in Love”; “You Don’t Know What Love Is”; “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”; “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning”; “Feeling Good”; “My Funny Valentine”; “Hallelujah”; “Paris”; “Raye”; “Shining Star.”
Encore: “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”; “What a Wonderful World.”
Photos: Steve Roby
