Biography
Born during November 1961 in Leningrad in the USSR, Butman received early encouragement in music from his father, an amateur drummer and singer. Piano lessons came first, though his actual wish was to play drums. At age 11 a music teacher steered him toward the clarinet instead. A short stay at the Rimsky-Korsakov College of Music was followed by alto saxophone study with Gennedy Golstain at the Mussorgsky School of Music in the mid- to late 1970s. Toward the end of that decade he performed in a band directed by multi-instrumentalist David Goloshchokin. He next joined the large ensemble led by Oleg Lundstrem, after which he entered pianist Nikolai Levinovsky’s group Allegro. Because Allegro’s repertoire required a tenor saxophonist, Butman changed instruments once more and discovered his authentic vocation. Other ensembles in which he performed included Popular Mechanics, Kino, and Aquarium.
Self-taught in English, he could converse with visiting American musicians, among them Gary Burton, with whom he appeared during Burton’s 1982 tour with Chick Corea. Burton attempted to arrange a scholarship at the Berklee School Of Music for the young saxophonist, yet the effort did not succeed at that time. Butman’s persistence nevertheless brought him to Berklee on his own in 1987, where a two-year scholarship was promptly awarded. While there he studied with Billy Pierce, Andrew McGhee, and Joe Viola. He also led his own band that included fellow student Rachel Z. and spent time working in Rebecca Parris’ group.
After receiving degrees in concert saxophone and composition from Berklee, Butman moved to New York, where he performed with Billy Taylor and Grover Washington Jnr., including the 1988 recording Then And Now with the latter. Additional musicians with whom he worked in those years were Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, and Pat Metheny. He assembled bands for tours of his home country that featured John Abercrombie, Cindy Blackman, Joe Locke, and Adam Nussbaum. Capitalizing on his dual citizenship, Butman became co-owner of Le Club, a popular Moscow jazz club, in 1998 and leads his own big band there. Throughout the 1990s he appeared at numerous jazz festivals in the USA and Canada. He also performed at the Kremlin in Moscow at a state dinner hosted by Vladimir Putin for visiting American President Bill Clinton. In 1998 Butman served as guest soloist with Wynton Marsalis’ Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and the following year Marsalis appeared with Butman’s big band at Le Club. In 2002 Butman organized the major musical event The Triumph Of Jazz at the Rossiya Concert Hall in Moscow.
Outside his jazz activities, Butman has performed and recorded with classical violinist Yuri Bashmet and his Moscow Soloists Chamber Orchestra. Widely respected for his broad musical command, he is equally recognized for his strong enthusiasm and the energy that infuses every part of his professional work. An outstanding improviser with exceptional technique, Butman has become a leading presence in the ongoing internationalization of jazz.
Self-taught in English, he could converse with visiting American musicians, among them Gary Burton, with whom he appeared during Burton’s 1982 tour with Chick Corea. Burton attempted to arrange a scholarship at the Berklee School Of Music for the young saxophonist, yet the effort did not succeed at that time. Butman’s persistence nevertheless brought him to Berklee on his own in 1987, where a two-year scholarship was promptly awarded. While there he studied with Billy Pierce, Andrew McGhee, and Joe Viola. He also led his own band that included fellow student Rachel Z. and spent time working in Rebecca Parris’ group.
After receiving degrees in concert saxophone and composition from Berklee, Butman moved to New York, where he performed with Billy Taylor and Grover Washington Jnr., including the 1988 recording Then And Now with the latter. Additional musicians with whom he worked in those years were Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, and Pat Metheny. He assembled bands for tours of his home country that featured John Abercrombie, Cindy Blackman, Joe Locke, and Adam Nussbaum. Capitalizing on his dual citizenship, Butman became co-owner of Le Club, a popular Moscow jazz club, in 1998 and leads his own big band there. Throughout the 1990s he appeared at numerous jazz festivals in the USA and Canada. He also performed at the Kremlin in Moscow at a state dinner hosted by Vladimir Putin for visiting American President Bill Clinton. In 1998 Butman served as guest soloist with Wynton Marsalis’ Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and the following year Marsalis appeared with Butman’s big band at Le Club. In 2002 Butman organized the major musical event The Triumph Of Jazz at the Rossiya Concert Hall in Moscow.
Outside his jazz activities, Butman has performed and recorded with classical violinist Yuri Bashmet and his Moscow Soloists Chamber Orchestra. Widely respected for his broad musical command, he is equally recognized for his strong enthusiasm and the energy that infuses every part of his professional work. An outstanding improviser with exceptional technique, Butman has become a leading presence in the ongoing internationalization of jazz.
Albums
