Lola's Mambo

2010 Latin Grammys

On PBS now is David Foster & Friends shot at our sister property Mandalay Bay. It's funny to see our venues on TV. I'd love to have Botti headline the Grand Garden with his gaggle but I don't think it's in the cards. He's got a standing relationship with Station Casinos and it seems to be a good fit. Then again, I kinda prefer to see him at other venues anyhow. Last thing I want to do at a Botti show is work. And I've been disappointed by too many artists or been turned off by their management/tour reps to the point that I don't even listen to the band's music anymore. I don't want that to happen to Botti... at least not yet. I'd like to think he's not that kind of guy and wouldn't surround himself with people like that but you never know. Let me get thru The Year of Botti first. Then he can turn out to be an asshole.

Botti with Guerra on 'Lola's Mambo'

I did manage to catch Botti at the Latin Grammys last November 11 at Mandalay Bay. My pals over there knew how I recently discovered him and gave me a head's up that he was performing. I love that we have such a great relationship between arenas. Anytime I need something, they're there and vice versa. It's nice to hook up people who spend every waking moment hooking other people up. It's very gratifying somehow. 


Botti opened the Latin Grammys with Juan Luis Guerra playing 'Lola's Mambo." That was juicy. Very 'Breakfast (Burrito) at Tiffany's.' He played less than a minute and absolutely killed it. I remember I was caught up in work, looked at the clock and thought, "Crap he goes on in 15 minutes." I  hopped in my car, zipped over to Mandalay and slipped in the side door for Botti's 45 second bit and then drove back to work at the Grand Garden. Membership has it's privileges.

Botti warming up at rehearsal

I caught his rehearsals the day before too. He was very low key. He carried his trumpet in a kind of worn leather backpack-ish satchel. That surprised me for some reason. I figured he'd show up with it in a hard, black rectangular case with brass flip latches like a 6th grader. It's funny the expectations we have for people. He looked a little hung over too. He probably wasn't. Probably just tired but maybe, just maybe he went out the night before and got drunk on sake. Hmmm?