This will be Chris Botti’s third autumn visit to The Dakota. In each of his last two shows, we have received numerous questions about his band. “Who was that? They’re amazing!” Botti, one of the most inventive and acclaimed instrumentalists in the world, has again surrounded himself with a truly amazing band.
John Splithoff, vocals
A budding star in his own right, this Chicago-born, New York-based singer/songwriter’s original music has more than 100 million streams, reached the Top 10 on AC radio, and earned festival slots from Bonnaroo to Lollapalooza. John wrote Botti’s latest single, “Paris”, from the soon-to-be-released Vol 1.
Alicia Olatuja, vocals
Hold onto your hats: this woman can sing anything. Downbeat says “Olatuja possesses a special instrument.” She stole the show at President Obama’s second inauguration. With a Master’s in Classical Voice from the Manhattan School of Music, Olatuja crosses genres effortlessly and has worked with Chaka Khan, BeBe Winans, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and Christian McBride.
Caroline Campbell, violin
Campbell is one of the most in-demand violinists in the country. She has appeared as a classical soloist with numerous top-tier orchestras, and also duets regularly with Sting, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble, Barbra Streisand, and many others. She is part of the Sonus String Quartet, who have given many high-profile performances and have recorded several movie soundtracks.
Julian Pollack, piano
Pianist Julian Waterfall Pollack is a leading light in modern music. His original music blends multiple genres with jazz improvisation and classical composition, and he has extensive catalogs of both jazz and classical pieces. He has performed with Marcus Miller, Ledisi, Herbie Hancock, David Foster, Lisa Fischer, Kamasi Washington, and many others.
Leonardo Amuedo, guitar
Uruguayan-born guitarist Leonardo Amuedo is a cross-cultural guitar marvel. He has won five Grammy Awards as a supporting musician. During his time in Brazil, he performed with icons like Ivan Lins and Caetano Veloso. He has also worked with Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, and many others. He is currently on tour with violinist Lucia Micarelli.
Daniel Chmielinski, bass
Bassist Daniel “Chimy” Chmielinski is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music. As a performer and composer, he maintains a very busy schedule. He has performed extensively with Joey Alexander’s trio, as well as Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra w/Wynton Marsalis (who called Dan a “young star of jazz”), Brad Mehldau, and many others.
Lee Pearson, drums
Lee Pearson is one of the most well-rounded drummers working today. Broadway, jazz, hip-hop, R&B, he plays it all with a vibrant style. He has performed with Sting, Lauryn Hill, Spyro Gyra, Erykah Badu, and Kenny Garrett, and appeared in Savion Glover’s four-time Tony Award-winning Broadway show, Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk.