Igor Butman

World famous saxophone player and producer Igor Butman enjoys one of the most successful and flamboyant careers in the history of modern jazz.

Berklee alumnus runs Moscow Jazz Orchestra aka Igor Butman Orchestra and Igor Butman Quartet, their intensive schedule include regular US tours and the most important European and Asian jazz festivals (in 2013 Igor's orchestra, rendered by Downbeat as "an outfit of virtuosos", took part in Umbria Jazz Festival, Jazz à Juan and Wigan Jazz Festival while he performed as a soloist with a symphonic orchestra in Singapore and with IB Quartet in India). Downbeat magazine in his recent review of Umbria Jazz Festival compared the Orchestra to three finest jazz orchestras of all times: “The Igor Butman Big Band ... offered a 90-minute set that displayed their mastery of post-Dizzy Gillespie jazz orchestra language, rendering both bright numbers and ballads with the precision, flair and swing of the Atomic-era Basie Band on steroids and a “We will crush you” attitude reminiscent of the better editions of the Buddy Rich Orchestra...”

Internationally renowned jazzmen were excited by performing with Igor Butman Orchestra, among them are Dee Dee Bridgewater, “New York Voices”, Kevin Mahogany, George Benson, Gino Vanelli, Wynton Marsalis, Larry Corryell, Billy Cobham, Bill Evans. Joe Lovano, Gary Burton, Toots Thielemans. A big US tour of the Orchestra is scheduled for September-October 2014.

Igor Butman released more than 10 albums both as a leader and co-leader, including Magic Land (Sony Classic) with Chick Corea, Jack DeJohnette, John Patitucci, Stefon Harris and Randy Brecker which became golden in Russia and became a bestseller in the USA and Germany.

As a producer Igor runs three high scale festivals - Triumph of Jazz in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Aquajazz.Sochi jazz festival in Sochi and, a new comer on today's international jazz, World Jazz Festival in Riga, which will be held for the first time in the end of July in Latvia. The saxophonist launched two Igor Butman Jazz Club in Moscow - at Chistie Prudi (in 2006) and at Sokol (in 2011). In 2013 the clubs were included in top-150 best jazz clubs of the world by Downbeat magazine!

Igor is a the producer of his own label “Butman Music”, which releases albums of Russian-American jazz projects. In November 2013 Butman Music released a sensational new album by Nick Levinovsky and Igor Butman Orchestra! It was recorded in January 2013 with fusion and jazz rock super stars: drummer Dave Weckl, guitarists Mike Stern and Mitch Stein, saxophone player Bill Evans, trumpeter Randy Brecker and bassist Tom Kennedy.

Awards

People's Artist of Russia, 2011

Tags

Igor Butman saxophone, tenor

Album Review

The Eternal Triangle by Jack Bowers
Magic Land by Terrell Kent Holmes
Blues for 4 by Greg Simmons

"The Igor Butman Big Band, an outfit of virtuosos, offered a 90-minute set that displayed their mastery of post-Dizzy Gillespie jazz orchestra language, rendering both bright numbers and ballads with the precision, flair and swing of the Atomic-era Basie Band on steroids and a “We will crush you” attitude reminiscent of the better editions of the Buddy Rich Orchestra. Butman’s own extravagant tonal personality on tenor saxophone came through on a vibrato- laden tour de force entitled “Samba de Igor” and on Nostalgia,” on which he showcased his wide dynamic range on a creative intro solo based on “Miles’ Mode,” then stated a refrain that evoked the cool blueness of Benny Carter and Benny Golson, uncorking a long, build-to-climax statement," by Downbeat.