Igor Butman & Moscow Jazz Orchestra

The Moscow Jazz Orchestra comprises the finest jazz instrumentalists in Russia today. Over the decades, the ensemble has established itself as one of the world’s leading big bands and the primary catalyst for the development of jazz in Russia. For more than 20 years, the Orchestra has regularly represented the country at the most prestigious festivals across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

In 2018, the Big Band made history as the first orchestra in the world to perform at the planet’s premier jazz event—the All-Star Global Concert on International Jazz Day. Described by the renowned JazzTimes magazine as a «constellation of virtuosos,» the Orchestra has performed over 500 concerts in Russia in the last five years alone, with frequent international tours to South Korea, India, China, Italy, Canada, France, the UK, Latvia, Germany, and the USA.

The Orchestra has graced the world’s most iconic stages alongside legendary figures including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Natalie Cole, New York Voices, Kevin Mahogany, George Benson, Gino Vannelli, Wynton Marsalis, Larry Coryell, Billy Cobham, Bill Evans, Randy Brecker, Joe Lovano, Gary Burton, Toots Thielemans, Patti Austin, and many others.

Maestro Igor Butman continually pushes the boundaries of the jazz mainstream, frequently initiating ambitious crossover projects. The Big Band has collaborated with numerous popular artists, as well as with Grammy-winning violist Yuri Bashmet and his Moscow Soloists ensemble, and Vladimir Spivakov’s Moscow Virtuosi chamber orchestra.

The Moscow Jazz Orchestra boasts an expansive library of music, ranging from exclusive original compositions to world-famous standards, featuring sophisticated arrangements by Nikolai Levinovsky and Vitaly Dolgov. A significant portion of their repertoire is dedicated to original concert programs that defy stylistic conventions and bridge musical worlds.