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?

All The Way

I'm watching Harry Connick, Jr. on PBS's Great Performances. It brings back so many great memories of following him around the country. The Year of HCJR was my first venture into traveling alone for no other reason than sheer pleasure. 

Me & HCJR

I think I was 18, sophomore in college. Dropped everything, booked a flight to NYC to see Harry. Not sure I even told my parents. When I make my mind up to do something, I do it All The Way, ad nauseam. I was underage but had a fake ID, not that it mattered to travel but I remember going by myself to a jazz club and using it to order a Cote du Rhone with dinner. I was so adult back then. I've managed to regress with age. I had a backstage pass from a prior show and used fingernail polish remover to rid the Sharpie and re-write the NYC date. I still have an autographed pic of me and Harry from that night. It hangs in my hallway between my favorite golfer, Justin Leonard and Keanu Reeves. Man, I was ballsy even at 18. It's kind of funny that I ended up working at an arena doing what I do. This is the first time I've actually thought about that.

I think I saw between 8 & 10 HCJR concerts. I honestly can't remember it was so long ago. I do remember that I discovered him just before he hit the big time with the soundtrack to When Harry Met Sally. I think that's how I got into the good graces of his management; I was a fan before it was fashionable. It's funny, my friends make fun of me with all my Chris Botti banter. It was the same back in 1990 with Harry. I wonder who it will be in 2020?

Postscript:

I just Googled Harry and Wikipedia reads Bobby Colomby recommended him to Rob Reiner for the When Harry Met Sally soundtrack. Quel coincidence. Bobby is also the manager of Botti. Maybe I should be blogging about Colomby instead.