Andrey Chmut

Andrey Chmut is a Ukrainian-born saxophonist, composer, and producer now based in the United States, whose rise in the world of jazz is the kind of story that doesn’t follow a straight line — and is better for it. Inspired early on by smooth jazz icon Dave Koz, Chmut taught himself to chase the sound he loved with relentless determination. When language barriers stood between him and his musical heroes, he found a way around them: a cold message on Facebook to jazz legend Bob James that somehow worked. James didn’t just reply — he brought Chmut out on tour with him, and their partnership grew into something that earned real recognition. Chmut appears on James’s Grammy-nominated album Jazz Hands, a credit that few players anywhere in the world can claim.

Beyond his work with Bob James, Chmut has built an impressive résumé of collaborations that spans jazz, smooth jazz, and pop. He has performed and recorded alongside Dave Koz, Candy Dulfer, Julio Iglesias Jr., Eros Ramazzotti, and Jamala, among others. His debut album, Smoothability, introduced his voice as a soloist — warm, polished, and fluent in the melodic language of contemporary jazz. Today he leads his own ensemble, the Andrey Chmut Band, and continues performing internationally.