Botti promises surprise treats

When the 46-year-old modern-day jazz heartthrob closes his eyes and leans back for a solo of his old standbys, My Funny Valentine and Ennio Morricone's theme from Cinema Paradiso, the romance is complete.

Since the release of his first solo album in 1995, Chris Botti has built up an image of brooding romance, achieving stardom in contemporary pop. His jazz-inflected style, heavily influenced by Miles Davis, overflows with melody and mood.

But he doesn't want to be classified as just a jazz artist or as just an instrumentalist. Instead, he wants to take his music to as many listeners as possible. "Jazz and pop are like two roads running parallel," he says. "My music style has them crossing and blending."