Friday, March 18, 2005 | 9:02 a.m.
People Magazine's latest "50 Most Beautiful People" list includes most of the usual suspects, Halle Berry, Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron and the like.
So just how did contemporary jazz trumpeter Chris Botti make the cut?
"It's so random," Botti said. "I just happened to be at an event in Los Angeles, walking down the red carpet, and I did an interview for People Magazine. The next day they called up and said, 'Do you want to be in the (Most Beautiful) issue?' Someone behind the camera must have liked me, and that was it."
Though Botti puts his music first, he welcomed the added exposure as a way to further his goals as an instrumentalist.
"It's such a huge hurdle to overcome when you're playing instrumental music, because all people want to hear is pop music and 'American Idol,' and those are singers-based music," Botti, 42, said. "Jazz and instrumental music takes a lot longer to break through that consciousness, so this stuff helps."
As does signing on as the opening act for a popular classical crossover headliner such as Josh Groban, whom Botti has been touring arenas with since late January.
The pair hit the Mandalay Bay Events Center at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets to the show are sold out.
"For 15,000 people to come out every night and hear music that's not on MTV is a great thing," Botti said. "So if you've checked out classical music enough to come out to a Josh show, you might like my stuff as well."
A regular on the contemporary jazz circuit since the mid-1990s, Botti gained considerable exposure last year when he spent four months touring as the support act for Sting.
As it turned out, that was nothing compared to what has happened to Botti's profile since the release of his latest album, September's "When I Fall in Love."
That disc spent much of the winter perched at No. 1 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart, quickly went platinum (for sales exceeding 500,000 units) and even reached No. 37 on the Billboard 200, primarily considered a pop chart.
"For every overnight success there's 10 years of Red Roof Inns," Botti said. "It's been a lot of hard work and a couple of lucky breaks."
Increased demand for Botti's music means more stability for his live act.
"I'm most thankful for the fact that we can just stay out on the road as a cohesive unit and work," Botti said. "Because in jazz it's not like we're U2. I'm relying on the guys having their schedules open. I've got to keep everyone working. So if we're doing 200 dates a year, that's the definition of success to me."
The sold-out headlining gigs Botti found waiting for him when he returned from Europe at the end of last year aren't bad either.
"Until then I'd do OK business, but I wasn't really used to sellouts and people hawking the tickets on eBay and stuff like that," Botti said. "It's very, very flattering that people -- not kids going to see a mosh-pit rock band -- but adults, are getting baby sitters and coming out and checking out my music."
And the trumpet player on the Most Beautiful list next to Jennifer Aniston and Jude Law.
"Our country is enamored with TV sitcom stars and movie stars, and 42-year-old jazz musicians usually don't have that kind of thing happen," Botti said. "So I think it's a cool thing."
Quick hits
A look at a few of the shows scheduled to hit Southern Nevada in the next week:
British rocker Billy Idol stops at The Joint at 8 p.m. Saturday. The 49-year-old singer is set to release "Devil's Playground" -- his first album of new material in 12 years -- next Tuesday.
Tickets are $45.
Electronic wizard Fatboy Slim will spin a late-night DJ set on Saturday at nightclub Ice (200 E. Harmon Ave.).
The British native (real name: Norman Cook) is set to go on at 1 a.m., after an 11 p.m. set by DJ Nick Warren. A spokesman for the club said Fatboy Slim might not finish until 5 or 6 a.m.
Tickets are $30 and $20 for women with Nevada IDs.
Flogging Molly, Hotwater Music and the Riverboat Gamblers team for an 18-and-over punk bill at 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $17.50 in advance and $18.50 at the door.
On sale
Stevie Nicks holds court at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on May 10, 11, 13 and 14. Tickets are $75 to $175 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Caesars Palace box office, at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 474-4000 and at www.ticketmaster.com.
Tickets for "Tiger Jam VIII" featuring Stevie Wonder and Counting Crows are $52.50 to $105 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Mandalay Bay box office and through Ticketmaster.
Fei Yu Chin plays the Mandalay Bay Events Center on May 28. Tickets are $52.50 to $176.40 and are on sale now at the Mandalay Bay box office and through Ticketmaster.
Nelly performs at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts with the St. Lunatics on May 21. Tickets are $35 to $55 and are on sale now at the Aladdin box office and through Ticketmaster.
Moby stops at The Joint on April 28. Tickets are $30 and go on sale at noon Saturday at the Hard Rock box office and through Ticketmaster.
Audioslave performs at The Joint on April 14. Tickets are $35 and go on sale at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Hard Rock box office and through Ticketmaster.
Rob Thomas plays The Joint on April 20. Tickets are $35 and go on sale at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Hard Rock Box office and through Ticketmaster.
Mudvayne lands at the House of Blues on May 1. Tickets are $22 to $30 and are on sale now at the House of Blues box office and through Ticketmaster.
George Clinton performs at the House of Blues on May 11. Tickets are $25 to $35 and go on sale at 10 a.m. next Friday at the House of Blues box office and through Ticketmaster.
The Wallflowers return to the House of Blues on June 23. Tickets are $25 to $40 at 10 a.m. next Friday at the House of Blues box office and through Ticketmaster.
Cheap Trick plays the Silverton Showroom on April 1. Tickets are $35 and are on sale now at the Silverton box office and by phone at 914-8557.
Billy Joel has canceled his scheduled March 26 show at The Joint after checking into an alcohol rehabilitation clinic. Refunds are available at points of purchase.
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