text: His first few releases are often classified as smooth jazz, though critic Alex Henderson argues that Botti's music was a cut above much of the genre; reviewing his 1999 album, Slowing Down the World, Henderson writes "it would be a major mistake to lump it in with... outright elevator muzak ... Botti is capable of a lot more." That same year as well as the following year, Botti appeared as a Pennington Great Performers series artist with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra.
  On April 17, 2012, Botti released his tenth studio album Impressions. On February 10, 2013, the album received the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album.
  On August 18, 2018, PBS released Botti's third PBS project, "Great Performances: The Chris Botti Band in Concert", where he was joined on stage by vocalists Sy Smith and Veronica Swift, violinist Caroline Campbell and organist Joey DeFrancesco, along with pianist Taylor Eigsti.
  Blue Note Records and Vol. 1. (2023–present)
  Botti's debut album on Blue Note Records entitled Vol. 1 is scheduled to be released October 20.  The lead single "Old Folks" was released on August 18.
  In media
  Botti played the theme song on trumpet in closing scenes and credits in the 1998 film Playing by Heart.
  Botti was the leader of the house band on the nationally syndicated daytime talk show The Caroline Rhea Show for its only season in 2002–2003. He was named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People of 2004.