If you don聮t know his music, maybe you聮ll remember his face. Chris Botti is something of a day-time TV fixture, a modern-day Ed McMahon, except definitely prettier (he聮s been one of People聮s 50 Most Beautiful People), and much handier with a trumpet. And if his set Monday night at the Royal Theatre was any indication, he聮s smooth enough to work any audience.Botti spent the first part of his career honing his chops as a touring trumpet for hire. He聮s accompanied Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Sting. He聮s even worked with Frank Sinatra (he dropped out of college to do it, he told the audience).In some ways, it聮s hard to imagine him in the background. All it took was a few extended lung-breaker notes on opener Ave Maria, and the ladies were yelping. The gents, too 聴 breathless no doubt from his piercing trumpet, clear and controlled enough to leave your ears tingling.Mind you, it聮s when Botti聮s in the background that he聮s the smoothest. He聮s an exceptionally gracious bandleader, giving plenty of space 聴 whether that means literally taking the sidestage to dig them from the wings, or riffing with them mid-song 聴 for his talented band to cook. The band keeps him from getting quagmired in that 聯smooth jazz聰 Kenny G. style that his music is often criticized for. The program of old favourites led him into risky territory. Familiar jazz standards from When I Fall in Love to My Funny Valentine and pop instrumentals such as Leonard Cohen聮s Hallelujah are always crowd pleasing, but often bland. But the fun Botti聮s band was having on stage made up for it. During the second song, When I Fall in Love, Botti began with a melodramatic trumpet solo. It was perfect for the many couples canoodling in the theatre, but that聮s about it. His tempo switched as soon as drummer Billy Kilson聮s sticks hit the snare. Kilson looked like he was dancing behind his kit, his legs like rubber and his sticks moving so fast it looked like he was swatting his drums with fans. Soon, Botti was joining him with a screaming rat-a-tat trumpet. Those sort of surprises made the night. So much for the elevator music.
