Personnel: Ina Zdorovetchi (harp); Bonnie Bewick, Michael Rosenbloom, Lisa Crockett, Vyachaslav Uritsky, Si Jing, Ronald Khudsen, Nancy Bracken, Joseph Scheer, Ikuko Mizuno, Glen Cherry, Aza Raykhtsaum, Alexander Velinzon, Wendy Putnam, Gerald Elias, Huang, James Cooke, Tatiana Dimitriades, Sheila Fiekowsky, Jason Horowitz, Bo Youp Hwang, Elita Kang, Xin Ding, Joseph McGauley (violin); Rebecca Gitter, Marc Jeanneret, Cathy Basrak, Rachel Fagerburg, Mark Ludwig, Kazuko Matsusaka, Lisa Suslowicz, Michael Zaretsky (viola); Alexandre Lecarme, Mihail Jojatu, Blaise Dejardin, Adam Esbensen, Jonathan Miller, Mickey Katz, Ronald Lowry, Andrew Pearce (cello); Cynthia Meyers, Linda Toote (flute); Michael Wayne, Thomas Martin , Craig Nordstrom (clarinet); Robert Sheena (oboe, English horn); Mark McEwan (oboe); Gregg Henegar, Richard Ranti (bassoon); Benjamin Wright, Bruce Hall , Richard Kelley (trumpet, flugelhorn); Kate Gascoigne, Jane Sebring, Jonathan Menkis, Jason Snider (French horn); Toby Oft, John Faeita, Douglas Yeo (trombone); Dennis Nulty (tuba); Todd Seeber, Randall Zigler, Joseph Holt, James Orleans, Lawrence Wolf, Dennis Roy (double bass); Timothy Genis (timpani); Lee Vinson, Will Hudgins, Ricardo Monzon (percussion).

Audio Mixer: Allen Sides.

Audio Remasterer: Robert Vosgien.

Ensemble: Boston Pops Orchestra.

A sequel of sorts to Chris Botti's 2006 PBS special, LIVE WITH ORCHESTRA & SPECIAL GUESTS, the September 2008 event LIVE IN BOSTON found the sartorially splendid cool jazz trumpeter accompanied by the Boston Symphony and a collection of celebrity vocalists. Also available as a DVD, the concert delivers an overview of popular music, with jazz standards like "I've Got You Under My Skin" right alongside "Ave Maria" and Sting's "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You." Whether featuring rocker Steven Tyler, AMERICAN IDOL chanteuse Katharine McPhee, or pop-opera superstar Josh Groban, all the tunes are presented in Botti's inimitable, Chet Baker-influenced uber-smooth style.

Chris Botti in Boston features trumpeter Chris Botti along with a bevy of name artists performing live with the Boston Pops Orchestra at Symphony Hall in 2008. Fully documented as a concert film and album, the night is an intimate and soulful birds-eye view of the supple-toned trumpeter who has grown into his role as a virtuoso since his time backing up Sting -- who of course appears here. Perhaps it isn't surprising then the concert is subtly reminiscent of Sting's own classic coming of age concert moment Bring on the Night. If Sting's 1986 show was an attempt to reintroduce himself to the world as a pop-cum-jazz artist, then Botti's 2008 show is clearly a showcase for the one-time smooth jazz wunderkind to fully represent himself as the eye of his own crossover storm. Having never fully embraced the synthetic vibe of the smooth jazz sound, Botti has spent his time since 2004's massively popular When I Fall in Love creating his own organic, acoustic and "straight-ahead" crossover jazz. In the context of contemporary smooth jazz, Botti's retro-gesture is actually kind of innovative. Clearly owing a heavy debt to legendary trumpeter Miles Davis, Botti not only surrounds himself with the elegant, live Boston Pops Orchestra, but has hired some of the most heavy-hitting rhythm section players on the scene with drummer Billy Kilson, bassist Robert Hurst, pianist Billy Childs, guitarist Mark Whitfield, and others. The result clearly pulls much inspiration from Davis' work with Gil Evans -- he even plays "Flamenco Sketches" -- but never seems to belabor the comparison. Similarly, Botti's choice of guest artists including vocalist Josh Groban, violinist Lucia Micarelli, and even rocker Steven Tyler always appears genuinely considered based on Botti's own musical taste. And although pairing the elegant cellist Yo-Yo Ma with Botti is somewhat of a no-brainer, their work together here, much like the entire concert itself, is never less than breathtaking. ~ Matt Collar