Igor Butman is rightfully considered the main ambassador of Russian jazz art on the world stage. While still a student, Igor began to play in the ensemble of David Goloshchekin. Around the same time, Igor Butman participated in concerts and recordings of Popular Mechanics by Sergei Kuryokhin, as well as the Kino and Aquarium groups. Igor received his first recognition by jazz critics in 1981 - in the newspaper "Soviet Youth" he was named "Discovery of the Year". In 1983 he performed in the orchestra of Oleg Lundstrem, the best big band in the USSR. The following year, Igor changed alto saxophone to tenor and was invited by Nikolai Levinovsky to the Allegro ensemble, in which he played until his departure to America. In the Soviet Union, a country with a population of over 300 million, Igor Butman was considered the best tenor saxophonist, topping the charts in jazz critics' polls. When Igor came to America at the age of 26, he already had his own fan club, formed from the most famous and respected American jazzmen. So back in the Soviet Union, Igor was invited to play by touring American musicians: Dave Brubeck, Chick Coria, Pat Metheny, Gary Burton, Louis Bellson and Grover Washington. In September 1987, Igor Butman entered The Berklee College of Music. The composition "French Connection", written by Igor during training sessions, was liked by Grover Washington and he included it in his album "Then & Now" (Colombia, 1987), in the recording of which Igor took part. Igor's career in the United States continued rapidly. He performed with his band at Boston's leading jazz club, played with Pat Metheny, Joe Lovano, Artie Schepp, Rachel Z, and as a special guest soloist with the Billy Taylor Quartet, Walter Davis Quartet, and the Monty Alexander Quintet. In 1997 and 1998, Igor Butman was the producer and organizer of independent jazz festivals in Moscow, in which he combined Russian musicians with American ones in various combinations. The Moscow Association of Jazz Journalists named Igor Butman the laureate of the Jazz'Ear award for 1997 in the Man of the Year nomination. In 1999, he founded his world-famous Moscow Jazz Orchestra, Quintet and Quartet, described by Downbeat magazine as a "constellation of virtuosos". Over the course of two decades, Igor Mikhailovich, together with his bands, toured dozens of countries and performed at the largest jazz festivals in the world. Igor Butman's discography includes 18 albums, including Magic Land, recorded with Chick Corea, Jack DeJohnnett, John Patitucci, Stephon Harris and Randy Brekker. Headed by Igor Mikhailovich, the Igor Butman Music Group includes the Igor Butman Jazz Club in Moscow, the Butman Music Records record label and the largest Russian jazz concert agency IBMG, which holds 12 major international festivals in Russia and represents the best Russian artists abroad. In 2016, Igor Butman was elected President of the Authors' Council of the Russian Authors' Society. In 2018, he became the initiator and Artistic co-director of the VII International Jazz Day in St. Petersburg (together with Herbie Hancock). Since 2019, he has been the head of the first Jazz Academy in Russia. Moscow Jazz Orchestra conducted by Igor Butman Over the years of its existence, the Moscow Jazz Orchestra has established itself as one of the leading orchestras in the world and the main catalyst for the development of jazz art in Russia. For more than 20 years, musicians have regularly represented our country at the most prestigious festivals in Europe, Asia and America. In October 2017, the orchestra became the headliner of the World Festival of Youth and Students. In 2018, the Big Band became the first orchestra in the world to perform at the world's main jazz event - the All-Star Global Concert of International Jazz Day. In the past five years alone, the Orchestra, called by the famous JazzTimes magazine "a constellation of virtuosos", has given more than 500 concerts in Russia, and has also repeatedly performed in South Korea, India, China, Italy, Canada, France, Great Britain, Latvia, Germany and the USA . The orchestra has performed at the best venues on the planet with such jazz legends as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Natalie Cole, New York Voices, Kevin Mahogany, George Benson, Gino Vanelli, Wynton Marsalis, Larry Corriell, Billy Cobham, Bill Evans, Randy Brecker, Joe Lovano, Gary Burton, Toots Tielemans, Kurt Elling, Patti Austin and many others. Orchestra leader Igor Butman does not limit himself to the jazz mainstream and loves to create crossover projects: the Big Band often performs with Grammy Award-winning violist Yuri Bashmet and his Moscow Soloists chamber ensemble, and also creates programs with popular Russian artists. To date, the discography of the Moscow Jazz Orchestra includes seven albums, four of which were released on the Butman Music label: “Eternal Triangle” (“Eternal Triangle”), recorded with the participation of the famous American trumpeter Randy Brekker in August 2003 in Moscow, and mixed by the best American jazz sound engineer James Far berom in November 2003 in New York. The second album "Moscow@3am" (2009) with the music of one of the most talented contemporary jazz composers Nikolai Levinovsky and brilliant solos of the excellent American trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. Live-album "Sheherazade's Tales" (2010), with the participation of famous New York jazzmen - trumpeter Sean Jones, guitarist Peter Bernstein, vocalist Katie Jenkins and trombonist James Burton. Finally, the album "Special Opinion" (2013) by Igor Butman, Nikolai Levinovsky and the Moscow Jazz Orchestra! The fourth work in the Orchestra's discography was recorded in New York in January 2013 with American superstars: drummer Dave Weckle, guitarists Mike Stern and Mitch Stein, saxophonist Bill Evans, trumpeter Randy Brekker and bassist Tom Kennedy.