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Monday, Oct 13, 2008
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Where It's At |
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| Jill Scott kicks off tour at Paramount, Oregon native Chris Botti at Jazz Alley | ||
| by Albert Rodriguez and
Richard Kennedy -
SGN A&E Writers JILL SCOTT W/ RAHEEM DEVAUGHN TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5 - 7:30 PM PARAMOUNT THEATRE $43.50 - $53.50 First off, let me tell you why Jill Scott is so damn cool! She grew up in Philadelphia and began her performing career by reading her very own poetry. The drummer from The Roots, which is one of the hippest R&B outfits to come out of the '90s, heard her and asked her to lend words and voice to some of their tracks. She scored a Top 40 pop hit with "You Got Me," which led her to collaborations with Eric Benet, Will Smith and Common. With the short amount of musical experience gained with these collaborations she released a stunning debut album, Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1. Now that I have proven her credibility, I have to say that the biggest reason I loved her debut so much is because it is the hottest contemporary "make-out" album in years! We may not have Roberta Flack, Barry White and Al Green creating sexy tunes anymore, but we definitely have Jill Scott. Her biggest hit, "A Long Walk," is seriously one of the most romantic songs ever. Other tracks like "He Loves Me," "Love Rain," and "Honey Molasses" are pure sex. Long smooth grooves and pulsating percussion with jazzy interludes combined with Scott's silky lyrics and prose. It may be a little early for Valentine's Day, but this concert screams "date night." Building steadily over the past few years, this tour is set to show an even more musically mature and confident Scott. She already has two Grammys under her belt and her newest outing, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3, has three nominations this year! She rounds out with Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Album and Best Urban/Alternative performance. Didn't I tell you she is just too damn cool? Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or head to the Paramount box office in person to avoid additional ticket fees. If it's going to be a "date night," be sure to hit Dragonfish for pre-show dinner or drinks. R. Kennedy Artist Essentials: Who is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 is one of the most incredible debut albums and any fan of soul and jazz music will fall in love with it, for sure. Be sure to check out her newest The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3. CHRIS BOTTI FEBRUARY 5 - 9 VARIOUS SET TIMES DIMITRIOU'S JAZZ ALLEY $40 Handsome, spiffily-attired Chris Botti has something in common with you and I. He's a Northwesterner. Born in Portland and raised in Corvallis, he began playing trumpet at the age of nine inspired by listening to Miles Davis' "My Funny Valentine." Most would recognize the musician from his residency on the short-lived Caroline Rhea Show, where his dimpled cheeks wooed audiences in and out of commercial breaks. That was then. Years later, Botti is wooing jazz club crowds and industry peers with a string of successful albums that include When I Fall in Love, To Love Again: The Duets, and Chris Botti Live with Orchestra and Special Guests. Top-selling positions on Billboard and Grammy nominations aside, the skilled instrumentalist has become one of music's sought-after talents, collaborating with Sting, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Jill Scott, and Diana Krall. His newest work Italia is a collection of jazz-classical songs dedicated to the European country that he called home for two years. In 2005, I attended a Chris Botti performance here in Seattle expecting something along the lines of smooth jazz. To my surprise, it was the complete opposite. This guy is the real deal, a jazzman at heart with the potential to blow away any crowd on any night. His recordings don't do him justice, what you get in concert is an entirely different experience. Often tapped to perform at special events and highbrow private parties, including a rumored Grammy appearance next week immediately following his Seattle engagement, he's known for being a smooth cat onstage and a friendly guy off the platform. At Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, Botti is not to be missed. He can easily fill the Moore Theatre, but he's decided to give his fans a more intimate experience with smaller space performances. The trumpet maestro is likely to pull material from his latest effort, the aforementioned Italia, though he's bound to sprinkle his set with favorites from previous albums. Botti isn't playing Portland on his international spring tour, which takes him to Mexico, Japan, England, and Indonesia, meaning that his Oregon supporters will make the drive to Seattle for his five-night run. The Jazz Alley has incredible food and cocktails, so make it an early Valentine's celebration with a date to see the extraordinary and easy-on-the-eyes Chris Botti. Reservations can be made at www.jazzalley.com or by calling (206) 441-9729. A. Rodriguez Artist essentials: Ear-sample tracks from Italia at www.chrisbotti.com. |
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| picture: Jill Scott | ||
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