Track Listing

1. Lisa
2. Miami Overnight
3. Streets Ahead
4. Interlude
5. All Would Envy
6. Best Time
7. When I See You
8. You Move Me
9. Blue Horizon
10. Light The Stars
11. Through An Open Window
12. Easter Parade

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2299 in Music
• Released on: 2001-10-30
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
Three of the biggest instrumental pop hits ever recorded were by trumpeters Hugh Masekela, Herb Alpert, and Chuck Mangione. Botti's fourth album comes equipped with more than enough catchy and light melodies to compete with that legacy, but it will probably be "All Would Envy," one of the two vocal tunes on Night Sessions, that will help this disc dent radio and sales charts. It's a song given an irresistible Brazilian lilt by its composer, Sting, who Botti has toured with, and sung hauntingly by Shawn Colvin. Like those aforementioned horn players, Botti does put an emphasis on rhythm on upbeat groove tunes like "Miami Overnight," "Streets Ahead," and especially "Blue Horizon," which has more than a hint of Europe's drum & bass sound, and features killer keyboard work by Billy Childs and album producer Kipper. But it's the Alpert-influenced "Through an Open Window," with its rock guitars and slick melody line that many may consider the hottest track. Most of the other tracks consist of Botti's crisp clear tone cutting through the kind of atmospheric, heavily padded keyboard music that has gotten him on smooth-jazz radio and Hollywood soundtracks. --Mark Ruffin

Customer Reviews

I Shouldn't Like It, But I Sure Do...
Let's see: the cover art shouts "pretty," the music is supposedly "smooth jazz" (augh!), and the title--Night Sessions--is, well, bland.

But I'll be darned if this isn't a great CD. Botti may be pretty, but so is his playing, in the best sense of the word. And while the music may be smooth, it isn't (thank goodness) the blandly vapid stuff that usually passes for contemporary jazz. Although different in many ways, the music reminds me of Wayne Shorter's underrated and wonderful "High Life": intelligent, contemporary instrumental music that actually defies genres. Both effortless and far more complex than it initially seems, this is music that one can either relax to as background music or seriously consider right up front.

I have to agree with one of the other reviewers, who rightly points out that Dominic Miller is one brilliant player. His presence is clearly evident--and it doesn't hurt to have players like Christian McBride (who plays with Botti on Sting's latest live CD) and Vinni Colaiuta (another Sting alumni). A fine disc--I'm officially a fan.

New horizons for Bb horn playing!
I'm a Jazz trumpeter myself, and never heard anything similar to Botti's lyricism. (That's the first five stars: originality.)
Of course, listening to Chet Baker you hear the warmest and most dreamy sound one can possibly get out of a Bb horn. And Miles, late in his career, experimented with "pop" songs with lyrical melodies, but his sound was sometimes scratchy and most of the time out-of-tune (which doesn't mean that you couldn't appreciate it: that was trademark music!), and: it got pretty commercial.
The Night Sessions are "coolness" at its best, and stylistically somehow linked to both the trumpeters. Simple and straightforward phrasing, but very efficient and unique, is the biggest part of it. Then, to prevent it from getting to repetitive, Botti blends finger-knotting licks within the unruffled harmonic textures.
So far so good, really! (Let's give it two stars more... 7 ?!)
But then, listening closely, you perceive that there's little interaction between the different instruments, mainly because most of the effects were mixed in later, and because sure enough the Sessions were recorded with an ordinary studio approach: record most of the voices separately and mix them together after having them duly EQ-altered! (That's the only way I can explain his getting out-of-tune, on long notes especially! Usually flat - check track 11 "Through an open window".)
Subtract a star...
In addition to the negative aspects of the CD are some of the commercial "keyboard" harmonics, mere software pre-programmed PAD sounds or effects...
Subtract another one...

So I give this CD *****. I simply couldn't believe it was possible to mix typical Jazz trumpet-lyricism with "almost-pop" harmonic schemes and sounds in such a clean and totally convincing way.

SMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTH JAZZ!!!
I bought his first CD Slowing Down the World and instantly fell in love with him (actually his sound).
Now this cd, Night Sessions, makes me praise him even more. His soulful and tender music makes you forget the world and everyone in it. You lose yourself in the enchanting melodies of this extremely talented young man.
I compare him to people like Miles Davis, Herb Alpert and Rick Braun. Like Jim Brickman (who gives the piano so much personality), Chris makes the trumpet come alive. Chris Botti is in league with some great talent.
There is not a specific song that stands out more than the rest. Even the songs with vocals sound beautiful. The entire cd is great. It is worth every penny.
If you need to unwind; or have someone to snuggle up with; or just want to make your work time flow smoother-I highly recommend NIGHT SESSIONS by Chris Botti.
Enjoy!