Acclaimed trumpeter coming to Coltrane Festival

May 21—HIGH POINT — A celebrated trumpeter who originally was scheduled to be one of the headliners at last year's John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival now is scheduled to headline the final day of this year's two-day event.

Chris Botti, the Grammy Award-winning and multiplatinum-selling artist, had to back out of last year's festival at the last minute but will perform at the 2022 festival on Sunday, Sept. 4, in Oak Hollow Festival Park.

Since the release of his 2004 critically acclaimed CD, "When I Fall In Love," Botti has become the largest-selling American instrumental artist, with four No. 1 jazz albums and worldwide sales of more than 4 million albums.

While a student at Indiana University, Botti won grants to study with jazz legends Woody Shaw and George Coleman in consecutive summer sessions. He also did short touring stints with Frank Sinatra and Buddy Rich. After his college years, Botti toured with Paul Simon and Sting. He did session work with a diverse list of artists, including Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Natalie Cole and Roger Daltrey.

The festival honors John Coltrane, who began playing music as he grew up in High Point and who graduated from William Penn High School, now Penn-Griffin School for the Arts.

Organizers announced last month that recording star Patti LaBelle will headline the festival on Saturday, Sept. 3.

Ticket information and festival details are available online at www.coltranejazzfest.com.