Discuss “Heinz Hall’s hot Botti”

Air molecules vibrated and grooved to the melodies and improvisation last Thursday night as Grammy-nominated artist Chris Botti, jazz trumpeter, played Heinz Hall for the first time.

With the stage backlit in a mood-setting purple and the sold-out house filled with jazz lovers, old and young alike, Botti kicked off the concert with a soulful trumpet piece accompanied solely by Andy Ezrin on a grand piano. The following two hours proceeded with Botti playing numerous original scores, along with covers of classics by Miles Davis and Stevie Wonder, with improvisation and not just trumpet, but also guitar, drum, and piano solos.

Botti’s trumpet had a tone of sweetness that even on the more lively improvisations reflected his own styling and...