WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Anastasia Sheveleva — Cultural exchange and the great music of jazz can improve ties between the American and Russian peoples during a period of political tensions, Russian jazz legend Igor Butman told Sputnik.
“It is very important that at such a difficult period of time we [musicians] unite people,” Butman said at the Russian Embassy in Washington, DC.
The iconic Russian saxophonist brought his Moscow Jazz Orchestra to perform in a number of cities on the US East Coast. Their repertoire mainly includes original tracks composed by the band’s musicians.
“It’s great to come here, especially with my orchestra, to show what we have accomplished, to meet our colleagues, to perform with our colleagues, to record some pieces,” he said.
The jazz musician continued, “Only one god rules here [at the concert], and that is music. If we play well, Americans may look at us from a different angle, they may say, ‘You are not so distant, so different from us’.”
“We are coming [to the United States] more often, we have a good reputation, we have a full house. The other day we were in Florida, and we didn’t have a single empty seat,” he said.
The saxophonist, who produces jazz festivals and clubs in Russia, explained that they try to contribute to the development of jazz and cultural exchanges by inviting US musicians to play with their Russian colleagues.
“We [Americans and Russians] have differences, but also qualities that make us respect one another. For me in the first place it is the outstanding American music, which gave us jazz that I have been playing for many years [and] that I cultivate in Russia,” Butman noted.
Igor Butman’s Moscow Jazz Orchestra will also perform in Pittsburgh and in New York City on Friday.
The event at the Russian embassy was sponsored the Carmel Institute of Russian Culture and History at the American University in Washington, DC.
