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Chris Botti Tours With Paul Simon, Records With Bob James
06/08/1999 4:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Craig Rosen
(6/8/99, 1 a.m. PDT) - Paul Simon, who is touring with fellow icon Bob Dylan, kicked off his current tour this past weekend, and trumpeter Chris Botti is once again part of Simon's band. Nine years ago, Botti toured with Simon, and the two artists have remained friends--the trumpet player appears in the Simon long-form videos Paul Simon's Concert In The Park and Born At The Right Time. Working with Simon has had a tremendous impact on Botti, the trumpeter says. "Whether it's African or Brazilian or folk music, or all this stuff that he may or may not surround himself with behind the stage, he always makes the song speak," Botti explains. "You're always in touch with the song, and that is something that many artists lose way before they get to the level he's at. It's his drive and perseverance, and always being focused on himself in that way, that I took from him...He's very driven, very inquisitive...and it makes his musical mind really active." Simon's tour continues through early August. After that wraps up, Botti will launch his own trek to promote his new album Slowing Down The World, which is due on June 22. Botti will hit the road with Al Jarreau and Dave Koz when that tour begins Aug. 5 in San Diego. Although keyboardist Bob James won't be joining Botti on the road, the pair have managed to hook up in the studio. James appears on Slowing Down The World. "I have a song on my record which features Bob that I call 'The Open Touch,' which is really about his feel--it's about his Fender Rhodes playing, basically," Botti says. Botti returned the favor by putting in a guest appearance on James's upcoming album, Joyride, which is due in August. Botti and James recorded the tune for the latter album with renowned bassist Nathan East (James's Fourplay bandmate) and producer Marcel East, Nathan's brother. To read a Chris Botti feature, click here. -- Lucy Tauss, New York Got news tips, comments, or questions? Send them to newstips@launch.com.
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