Lineup - Botti At Sea 2025

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An instrumentalist who can play straight-ahead as well as smooth jazz with his own personal sound and not a small amount of charisma and stage presence, Chris Botti is truly a star in the world of jazz and beyond. The trumpeter has thoroughly established himself as one of the important, innovative figures of the contemporary music world. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Botti’s career was not an overnight success. Nonetheless, he went on to release a slew of not only top-selling albums, but also Grammy award-winning ones. Since the release of his 2004 critically acclaimed album, When I Fall In Love, Chris Botti has become the largest-selling American instrumental artist. His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop music and his ongoing association with PBS has led to four #1 jazz albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum and Grammy Awards. His album, Impressions, won the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental. Performing worldwide and selling more than 4 million albums, he has found a form of creative expression that begins in jazz and expands beyond the limits of any single genre. Over the past three decades, Botti has recorded and performed with the best in music, including Sting, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Josh Groban, Yo-Yo Ma, Michael Bublé, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, Andrea Bocelli, Joshua Bell, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and even Frank Sinatra. The trumpeter has also performed with many of the finest symphonies and at some of the world's most prestigious venues, from Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl to the Sydney Opera House and the Real Teatro di San Carlo in Italy. His bands have always featured top-notch jazz players, many of whom are established leaders on their own – from Geoffrey Keezer to Billy Childs. The man seems to do it all and do it with style.

“I believe that everyone gets three rounds in their life,” says musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, producer, and recording artist David Foster. “For me, two are completed and I’m on to Round Three. I think you have to change it up every round. My mantra is retreat and attack in another direction, which I’ve done twice. Now I’m going to do it again.” Foster’s first round was as a studio musician, arranger, and recording artist. His second round was becoming one of the most successful songwriters and record producers in history — shepherding albums that have collectively sold in the hundreds of millions. This period of his four-decade career also found him creating The David Foster Foundation and volunteering his time and talent to over 400 charities, as well as becoming a household name as a performer throughout Asia where he tours annually. For his third round, Foster is gearing up to take on Broadway with several projects. These include writing the music for a new musical about the iconic, animated character Betty Boop, which will be directed by Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell. Foster seems constitutionally incapable of resting on his laurels, and his relentless drive has propelled him throughout his career. Few other individuals can claim to have their fingerprints on more major moments in all of popular music than David Foster. He has created hit songs and award-winning gold and platinum albums for a diverse array of artists including Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton, Seal, Chaka Khan, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Chicago, Hall & Oates, Brandy, ’N Sync, Boz Scaggs, and Gloria Estefan. He has escorted singers who have straddled both pop and classical styles like Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban into the mainstream. He has also created culture-defining soundtracks for blockbuster films like The Bodyguard, Urban Cowboy, and St. Elmo’s Fire; and crafted timeless holiday classics, including perennial best-sellers like Josh Groban’s Noel, Michael Bublé’s Christmas, Celine Dion’s These Are Special Times, Rod Stewart’s Merry Christmas Baby, Andrea Bocelli’s My Christmas, and Mary J. Blige’s A Mary Christmas. For his remarkable work, Foster has won 16 Grammy Awards, including three for Producer of the Year, an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and racked up three Oscar nominations for Best Original Song. He has also earned a reputation as a keen spotter of new talent, playing a key role in the discovery and career launches of Celine Dion, Josh Groban, and Michael Bublé. Recently, he has been performing with his wife—actress and singer Katharine McPhee—in a production they call The Kat and Dave Show.

An accomplished actress and singer, Katharine McPhee, first burst onto the scene during a storied run on Season 5 of American Idol (2006), finishing in second place. As an actress, she is well-known to television audiences for starring in the CBS drama series Scorpion (2014-2018), and also as one of the leads in the NBC musical drama Smash (2012-2013), executive produced by Steven Spielberg. She also starred in the Netflix comedy series, Country Comfort (2021). McPhee’s feature film credits include The House Bunny, Shark Night 3D, You May Not Kiss the Bride, and Bayou Caviar. Born in Los Angeles to a father who was a television producer and a mother who became a noted vocal coach, McPhee showed early musical talent and she was encouraged and even trained by her mother. She attended Boston Conservatory for three semesters, majoring in musical theatre, but left college before graduation and returned to Los Angeles to try out for television pilots. In March 2005, McPhee starred as Annie Oakley in a Cabrillo Music Theater production of the musical Annie Get Your Gun. But it was her successful audition and appearance on American Idol in 2006 that initially introduced her to a worldwide audience. As a singer, Katharine is renowned for her powerhouse presence and show-stopping performances. In 2006, her first single, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/My Destiny,” debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Hot Singles Sales chart. Propelled by the gold-certified single, “Over It,” her 2007 self-titled album debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200. 2010 saw the release of two records, Unbroken and Christmas is the Time To Say I Love You. That year, her rendition of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” also climbed the charts as a top-five holiday hit. She went on to independently release 2015’s Hysteria to much fan praise. In 2017, McPhee reimagined, recharged, and reinvigorated a host of timeless standards on her fifth full-length album, I Fall In Love Too Easily, produced by Don Was. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. A sought-after performer, Katharine has taken the stage for various PBS broadcasts throughout the years, including Foster and Friends, Chris Botti In Boston, and headlining her own SoundStage special. In Spring 2018, McPhee made her Broadway debut starring as Jenna in the hit musical Waitress, featuring music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles. She then moved on to originate the leading role in the West End production of the show in London from February through June 2019. She later returned to star in the show one last time during the final weeks of its original run on Broadway from November 2019 through its closing on January 5, 2020. In addition to her acting and singing career, McPhee is a passionate philanthropist, having served as an ambassador for organizations such as BuildOn, Malaria No More, and Feeding America. In recent years, she has been performing with her husband—the keyboardist, composer and producer David Foster—in a production they call The Kat and Dave Show.

Born in 1984 in Portland, Oregon, esperanza spalding (a.k.a. irma nejando) is an eaabibacliitoti* artist, trained and initiated in the North American (masculine) jazz lineage and tradition. Her work interweaves through various combinations of instrumental music, improvisation, singing, composition, poetry, dance, therapeutic research, storytelling, teaching, regenerative agriculture, urban land & artist-sanctuary custodianship, and growing in love as a daughter, sister, cousin, niece, auntie, great-auntie, friend, while collaboratively decolonizing within and through her hometown community. She co-founded and serves as lead curator for Prismid Inc., a non-profit that creates and stewards artist residency, performance, and workshop space in Portland, Oregon. esperanza continues to collaborate and perform in new productions of “…(Iphigenia)”, an opera written by Wayne Shorter, for whom she wrote the libretto and co-produced its 2021/2022 premieres // is currently developing a mockumentary in collaboration with brontë velez and San Francisco Symphony // researching and developing liberation rituals in jazz and black dance // and through the Songwrights Apothecary Lab continuing a lifelong collaboration with practitioners in various fields relating to sound, healing, and cognition to develop music with enhanced therapeutic potential. With her dance company Off Brand gOdds (co-founded with Antonio Brown) and the Songwrights Apothecary Lab she leads multi-week performance, teaching, workshop, and therapeutic-arts research residencies in collaboration with colleges and arts venues across the Americas, and throughout the world. Her forthcoming installation “I love being Black/Quit saying I’m Black” opens in a near future, commissioned and produced by institutions who do the work themselves of learning about, reaching out to, and offering comprehensive support to eaabibacliitoti (and other ancestored) artists rather than demanding we take on the burden of proving our competency and worthiness to receive the resources required to deliver our medicine - uncontorted & well-rested - to our communities/the world. *European-African ancestored being influenced by American cultures living in Indigenous Lands of Turtle Island

SPECIAL GUEST

Kool & the Gang's impact on the music landscape spans three generations, leaving an indelible mark through iconic tracks like Celebration, Cherish, Jungle Boogie, Summer Madness, and Open Sesame. Their enduring legacy is underscored by two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine Top Ten Pop hits, and an impressive 31 gold and platinum albums. Remarkably, the band has maintained a continuous musical journey for an unprecedented 43 years, surpassing any other R&B group in history. Their distinctive fusion of funk and jazz has rendered them the most sampled band of all time. Formed in 1964 by Khalis Bayyan (Ronald Bell) and his brother Robert "Kool" Bell, alongside neighborhood friends, Kool & the Gang initially navigated various names like the Jazziacs, The New Dimensions, The Soul Town Band, and Kool & the Flames before settling on their iconic moniker. Over the years, they honed their musical chemistry, supporting luminaries such as Richie Havens, and Richard Pryor. Their eponymous 1969 debut album marked the genesis of a theme that still resonates today: music is the message. This instrumental masterpiece introduced their signature sound and powerful horn arrangements. The subsequent years witnessed a string of albums, including the audacious Live at the Sex Machine in 1970 and the gold-certified Wild & Peaceful in 1973, catapulting them to new heights with hits like Funky Stuff, Hollywood Swinging, and Jungle Boogie. The '80s ushered in a new era with the platinum success of Ladies Night, featuring the chart-topping title track and the hit Too Hot. The decade solidified their mainstream dominance with the double platinum album Celebrate, headlined by the international anthem Celebration. Their chart-topping streak continued with hits like Get Down On It, Cherish, and Fresh from the multi-platinum LP Emergency. As the '90s embraced hip-hop, Kool & the Gang's grooves became DJ favorites, making them second only to James Brown as a source of rap samples. Today, their global fame endures, fueled by a catalog that remains a staple for artists such as Beastie Boys, Jay-Z, Madonna, and more. The band's influence spans film soundtracks, including Rocky and Saturday Night Fever. Their continued touring, collaborations with diverse artists, and accolades like the BET Soul Train Lifetime Achievement award underscore their timeless contribution to music. In October 2015, they cemented their status as American musical icons with a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame in the town they celebrated in one of their earliest hits, "Hollywood Swinging."

While the world hit pause at the quarter way mark of 2020, Soul singer/songwriter/musician Cory Henry, who was scheduled to be on a world tour with Lenny Kravitz, turned inward, reflecting on moments in his own life and voicing them within his music. His upcoming project Something To Say is a culmination of that, as Cory has built a solid foundation of making music that people can feel. Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, Cory Henry’s childhood existed within the pages of sheet music. “I always took an interest in music,” he fondly recalls. His mother was a multi-instrumentalist, playing the keys, organ, drums, saxophone, and bass, along with being the lead choir director at their local Pentecostal church. When Cory was just two, his mother was preparing for choir rehearsal and was practicing notes on the organ, to which he followed suit. “I played the notes right behind her,” he says. Recognizing her son’s innate ability, she sat him down at the organ and they played together. Their first song was “Amazing Grace.” By three, Cory was prolifically playing the organ at church to a pleasantly stunned congregation. Pentecostal masses on Sundays run in excess of six hours, with even weekday meetings for Bible study and choir practice. Cory was in the middle of all of it, providing the soundtrack. “Sunday was like my full-time job at the age of 5 years old,” he says with a laugh, as during the week he learned music for five different choirs, ranging from children to adult. By six, he was performing at the famed Apollo Theater. “My family strapped up the organ, put it in the van and drove it up to Harlem,” he remembers. It was clear that a star was being born. “I remember one of the ministers at the church asked if when I grew up I would play for the church or the world,” he adds. “ I yelled, ‘the world!’ Something about ‘the world’ sounded right to me.” He foreshadowed his own fate. Once he reached high school, Cory would sneak into the back of New York’s rising star venue the Village Underground to watch performances and experience a new kind of live music. “They really had me coming back because I never saw an organ outside of church before,” he explains. When a spot opened as the organist at the venue, the job was given to Cory. Celebrities were always showing up to scope out new talent, and one fortuitous evening, veteran Jazz musician Kenny Garrett took notice of Cory’s skills. He later brought him on tour with him for years. “People started seeing I was a working musician,” he says, “so I started getting calls.” More performances and tours filtered in, from Bruce Springsteen, to the Roots, Kirk Franklin and many others. In 2013 Cory joined the Grammy Award-winning ensemble Snarky Puppy where he co-wrote and performed keys on the band’s viral video sensation, “Lingus (We Like it Here)”. Later that next year, Cory released his first solo project First Steps which reached the Top 5 of Billboard’s Jazz Albums chart and gospel/jazz fusion album The Revival in 2016 featuring drummer and longtime collaborator, TaRon Lockett. That same year he formed what would become a global touring phenomenon, Cory Henry and The Funk Apostles. With performances in well over fifty countries, Cory has shared the stage with Ms. Lauryn Hill, Vulfpeck, Jacob Collier and after solidifying a close relationship with none other than Quincy Jones, Cory headlined Quincy’s living legend’s “Soundtrack of America” series and performed beside him at the Montreux Jazz Festival. In 2018 Cory Henry and The Funk Apostles the released their first album Art of Love with praise from the New York Times and Billboard and earned him a performance feature on the coveted NPR Tiny Desk Concert Series. Following the Covid-19 related cancelation of his worldwide tour and in light of racial injustices, Cory released a powerful and unifying song, “Rise” with proceeds from song going to support civil rights group, Color of Change. The song was also featured on legendary Los Angeles radio station KCRW’s coveted ‘Tuesday’s Top Tune”. The stage is now set for Something To Say. Once Cory Henry aligned with The Funk Apostles and other contributors, his music arguably changed forms, moving closer into a ‘70s Soul music direction. “I think that’s the greatest era of music,” he adds, citing inspirations like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, P-Funk, and James Brown. Something To Say, which is solely produced by Cory and features him on Vocals, Hammond B3, Moog and Harpejji, a rare electric stringed instrument that he has become the best in the world on, travels along that vein, with a sound that Cory’s christened as “Future Soul.” He tackles subjects like love, breakups, social consciousness, injustices, and the effects of being emotionally drained. The album title came from his harboring feelings that needed to come out. “It was so much that I felt like it was wrapping me up like, ‘Yeah, I’ve got something to say too,’” he expresses. While the songs will have new and returning Cory Henry fans eagerly tuned in, his main mission is to bring people together with his music. “Music is a universal language,” he says. “I’ve traveled to so many different countries where we did not speak the same language, but they identified with the sounds and it made people happy. I get instant gratification out of making people happy.” Above all, with Something To Say, Cory Henry made music to fulfill him and he’s hoping to spread that message to the world. “I feel good because all of the songs came together and they mean something to me,” he humbly advises, “so I hope they mean something to other people.”

Arlington Jones was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1973, but his family moved to Dallas, Texas in 1976 when his father received a job transfer. His musical journey started at an early age because of his parents’ music heritage and vast album collection. He began studying piano at age eight, started playing in church, and took drum lessons as well. His extraordinary talent and great passion for music soon blossomed. Watching him play now, no one could guess that he told his parents he wanted to stop taking lessons after the first week! Yet, with encouragement from them, he persisted. Arlington’s study of classical music was later combined with jazz studies in college. He went on to receive a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University and a master’s degree from Southwest Texas State University in music, composition, arranging, performance, theory, and jazz studies. His main jazz music influences are Oscar Peterson and Duke Ellington. Claude Debussy is his favorite classical composer. Arlington expresses, “When I began taking piano lessons, I never imagined music would affect me in the way that it has. Playing music has become my destiny, my responsibility, my aspiration.” His soulful style, lush harmonies, and impeccable groove are what he is known for. Whether performing solo or with his band, Arlington Jones & The Brethren, he has the gift to take listeners of all ages on an unforgettable journey – a contagious toe-tapping, finger-snapping, hand-clapping, head-bobbing experience! Not only is he pleasing to listen to but also exhilarating to watch! Right through each note, Arlington exudes energy from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet! Notable for always being dapper, he matches vintage threads and contemporary fashion with his eclectic tie and sneaker collection. Over the years, Arlington has distinguished himself as a successful independent recording artist, composer, and producer under his label Zamaria Records. His music reveals the history of traditional and modern jazz, influenced by ragtime, stride, classical, blues, Latin, funk, and sacred styles. He has multiple album recordings and piano music books. He branded his own jazz piano techniques book, master class, and music web series entitled The Way I Hear It™. Arlington is a Steinway Artist. He tours internationally and has shared the stage with many music artists and groups. He contracts commissioned works, specializing in jazz piano concertos and modern sacred choral pieces. Performing around the world provides a constant outlook on the music industry and helps him relate to music students and aspiring musicians. Arlington has years of experience as an educator, clinician, adjudicator, and guest lecturer in all levels of elementary, secondary, and higher education. He partners with a variety of music education programs, schools, universities, and organizations. He uses his innovative hands-on teaching techniques to educate piano students, other instrumentalists, and composers of all ages and genres. He created a special interactive presentation for kids called I Can Improvise™ Youth Concert, a fun way to learn about song form, improvisation, music history, and concert etiquette. Between tour dates, Arlington is involved with arts and jazz preservation programs. He is currently the Artistic Director for the Sammons Jazz Program at the Sammons Center for the Arts in Dallas, Texas. He helped to spearhead the Dallas Jazz Appreciation Month committee. He serves on the Advisory Committee for the Cedar Valley College Music Department. His contributions in the arts and music education communities have led to great awards and acknowledgements. Arlington seeks to promote the preservation and appreciation of music as an art form by pairing energetic live performances with music education and history. He is devoted to the enrichment and empowerment of musicians and their families through master classes, clinics, workshops, and literature. Most importantly, Arlington is dedicated to creating music that speaks life to the hearts, minds, and souls of people around the world – music that will evoke joy, hope, faith, peace, healing, and love for all generations and cultures! Arlington and his wife, Hope, have a daughter, Christian, and a son, Arlington III. Together they have founded The Music Stand, a nonprofit organization. He and his family live in Arlington, Texas.

Randy Jacobs, a San Francisco native raised in Detroit, embarked on his music career at the tender age of 13. He started by working with Motown's renowned writers, producers, and artists, gaining experience while developing his unique no-plectrum playing style.

One of Jacobs' early breakthroughs was co-authoring the Top-Five R&B hit, "Wide Receiver," alongside former Miles Davis bassist and singer Michael Henderson. His journey continued with Was (Not Was), where he co-authored the Top-Ten hit "Walk the Dinosaur."

Jacobs also played a pivotal role in Soul Mission, a gospel R&B project featuring artists like Tata Vega, Mavis Staples, Booker T. Jones, and Steve Cropper, releasing a record for Sony/Epic Records.

In 1994, Randy Jacobs established his own band, The Boneshakers, where he expressed his fusion of funk, blues, R&B, rock, and soul. He released several albums, including "Book of Spells" and "Shake the Planet," featuring Sweetpea Atkinson on vocals.

Jacobs expanded his horizons by collaborating on the critically acclaimed I-10 Chronicles series and the Bill and Bonnie Hearn project. In 2005, he ventured into jazz-influenced solo instrumental music with "From Me To You," featuring notable artists.

Now, with his latest release, "The Return Of Randy Dynamite," Jacobs explores his instrumental music capabilities further. He revisits songs from his high school years and combines them with new compositions. The album, recorded live in the studio, showcases a talented lineup, including Gregg Bissonette on drums, Jervonni Collier on bass, Jon Gilutin on keys, and percussionist Lenny Castro. Renowned musicians like Rick Braun, Teddy Zig Zag, Paul Shilt's Weimar, and others contribute to the album's vibrant sound.

Randy Jacobs' illustrious career has seen him collaborate with a diverse range of artists, from Robbie Williams to B.B. King, reflecting his versatility and unwavering passion for music. His creative journey continues with "The Return Of Randy Dynamite."