In retrospect, Chris Botti’s third album was full of foreshadowing. The charismatic trumpeter was the featured soloist in Sting’s band at the time of its 1999 release; here, his then-boss sings on a spacy, keyboard-infused version of “In the Wee Small Hours of the Night," the first of many standards Botti has since recorded. Six tracks, including the peaceful album opener “Irresistible Bliss” and the melodic “Drive Time,” feature subtle accompaniment (another future trademark) by the London Sessions Orchestra. Members of Botti’s live band at the time (including bassist Jon Ossman, guitarist Shane Fontayne, and keyboardist Harvey Jones, who co-produced) can be heard throughout. And Botti himself gives a rare vocal performance on a version of Randy Newman’s haunting “Same Girl.”
Other Versions
- 2012
- Michael Whalen
- Rick Braun
- Jeff Kashiwa
- Eldar Djangirov
- Brian Simpson
- Marc Antoine
- Marion Meadows