Chris Botti is internationally known as a jazz trumpeter. Over the past 30 years, he’s recorded and performed with a broad range of musicians, including Frank Sinatra, Sting, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, Paul Simon, John Mayer, Andrea Bocelli and Joshua Bell. 

Botti grew up in Corvallis, Oregon and studied jazz at Mt. Hood Community College. He credits Portland jazz legend Ron Steen with helping him develop his chops as a performer and a jazz musician — but it wasn’t always easy.

Last spring, he visited his hometown for the first time in more than a decade and performed two sold-out shows with the Corvallis-OSU Symphony Orchestra. While he was in town, he sat down with Oregon Art Beat’s Katrina Sarson for an interview. Get a sneak peek by watching the video and look for the full interview to air on the new season of Oregon Art Beat this fall.