Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

Chris Botti in Boston Blu-ray Movie Review

“This was the most magical and memorable nights of my life”. Chris Botti

Reviewed by Sir Terrence May 17, 2009

In the past when I reviewed concert videos, I have been usually mesmerized, in awe, excited, or rhythmically bobbed my head to what I was listening and watching on screen. I have only been emotionally moved a few times when I have watched these kinds of presentations, and this is one of those few times. Trumpet virtuoso Chris Botti and his guest artists put on one of the most heartfelt performance that I have had the pleasure to see on video. Each featured guest, starting with Sting, Dominic Miller, Josh Groban, Katherine McPhee, Yo-Yo Ma, Lucia Micarelli, Sy Smith, John Meyer, Steven Tyler, all the way to the Boston Pops Orchestra put on a superior performance. I was particularly moved by Josh Groban, Yo-Yo Ma, and Lucio Micarelli whose passion for the music could be seen on her face. This great concert performance was staged within the hollowed walls of the great Boston Symphony Hall - a venue known the world around for its great natural acoustics.

Since the release of his first album First Wish, Botti has worked with some of the most talented pop, rock, classical and jazz musicians and singers in the music business. Cutting his musical teeth with artists such as Burt Bacharach, Chaka Khan, Andrea Bocelli, Jill Scott, Michael Buble, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart, and Paula Cole, Botti has a discography that includes ten releases, and of those, two number one selling jazz releases. He has guest appeared on dozens of albums, compilations, and sound tracks over the years.

Working with some of the world's greatest musicians and singers, and drawing from wide ranging repertoire of pop, jazz and classical music, Botti rewarded the audience with two nights of pleasurable, exciting and spontaneous entertainment I am sure they will never forget.

Blu-ray Disc Tracklisting:

Ave Maria
When I Fall in Love
Caruso
Seven Days featuring Sting
Broken Vow featuring Josh Groban
Flamenco Sketches
Hallelujah
I've Got You Under My Skin featuring Katharine McPhee
Cinema Paradiso featuring Yo-Yo Ma
The Look of Love featuring Sy Smith
Emmanuel featuring Lucia Micarelli
Glad to Be Unhappy featuring John Mayer
Cryin' featuring Steven Tyler
Smile featuring Steven Tyler
Indian Summer
Shape of My Heart featuring Sting & Josh Groban
If I Ever Lose My Faith in You featuring Sting
Time to Say Goodbye

Chris Botti’s core band :

Piano: Billy Childs
Drums: Billy Kilson
Bass and Double Bass: Robert Hurst
Guitar: Mark Whitfield

This core group of musicians is augmented by the Boston Pops Orchestra, under the direction of Keith Lockhart. Recorded on Thursday, September 18, and Friday, September 19, 2008, this is a musical experience that fans are sure to enjoy.

Chris Botti in Boston Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Chris Botti in Boston graces the Blu-ray format in a visually stunning 1080p/AVC video encode, and framed at a full 1:78:1 video window. Shot with nine high definition cameras, the images exhibit a warm natural appearance that is sure to please viewers. Clarity and fine detail are first-rate, revealing fine facial features, textures in clothing, and even the names on the amps and instruments themselves. Light beams from the lightning structure cut through the air visibly, lending a vibrant and beautifully colored wash over the musicians, the music, and the entire stage. Blacks are defined and deep, with visible shades of gray well delineated. Shadow detail is excellent – giving the viewer a good view of the silhouettes of audience members in the darkness. Botti's tribute to Miles Davis on Flamenco Sketches features a nice transition from color to black and white which is well done and effective. On occasion the lighting scheme caused the picture to take on a "milky" character, but only in a few scenes. There are no compression artifacts visible in this presentation, as this is another fine example of excellent video encoding.

Chris Botti in Boston Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Featuring a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio encode at 24/96 kHz bit and sample rate, like the video the audio is marvelous. Using both a pseudo phantom and hard center combination, the soloists are recorded with fullness and clarity. The sound field puts the listener in a mid-hall perspective, with the first-rate acoustics of the Boston Symphony Hall captured in all its glory. The highs are clean, clear, sweet and airy, which lends an openness to the mix. The midrange is sublime, bringing the performers into the room in a realistic fashion. The LFE handles the bass, and it is tight, deep, and well defined without being out of control and bloated. The overall performance is focused within the frontal sound stage, with the rear channels providing a rich ambience for that "you are there" feel. Instrumental timbres in the orchestra are captured exquisitely, and provide an excellent musical foundation for the band, the artists, and Botti himself. Al Schmitt deserves a huge pat on the back for the fine live capture of the concert, and Allen Sides for the fine 7.1 mix on this disc.

Chris Botti in Boston Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Special features include a making-of documentary Behind the Scenes - Chris Botti in Boston (HD1080i 40 min) which also features a moving version of the song Fragile encoded in Dolby TrueHD 24/96 kHz 7.1 high definition audio and 1080p/24fps video.

Chris Botti in Boston Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This is a release that has something for everyone. If you are a classical music fan, there is a good song for you here. Jazz, one or two good numbers that tickle the ear. And the same goes for pop. The music is very emotional and soul stirring, and each guest artist gives us something of them we have never seen before. This makes for a fresh, well rounded high quality concert that is worth every dime it costs to own. It is so good; you can go back and view this over and over again. I have watched it twice during this review, and each time I saw or heard something I had not heard or saw the previous time. This disc is highly recommended for purchase or rental. Whichever you do, you are surely to enjoy this concert video.