American jazz musicians Allan Harris, Camille Thurman and Tierney Sutton are scheduled to perform at the Moscow Jazz Festival. The event is funded by Gazprom and the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives and is headed by Igor Butman, a Kremlin loyalist. Both organisations, as well as Butman himself, are subject to sanctions, according to an open letter published by representatives of the international movement Arts Against Aggression.
Activists point out that, under US sanctions legislation, US citizens and residents are generally prohibited from conducting financial transactions or providing professional services, including management and performance services, to sanctioned or state-affiliated Russian entities. The Moscow Jazz Festival is funded by Gazprom, a sanctioned company.
Furthermore, the activists note that the festival’s director, Igor Butman, is a member of the United Russia party. He has personally been sanctioned by Ukraine, Latvia and Canada for supporting Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
“Allan Harris and Pat Harris deserve special attention. Allan Harris has been participating in the Moscow Jazz Festival for several years, despite the escalation of Russian aggression and the expansion of US sanctions — initially concealing his involvement and only acknowledging it after criticism in the European press. Furthermore, Pat Harris, Allan’s manager, is listed on Igor Butman’s website as his current booking agent, whilst Allan Harris is listed as a client of Butman’s Russia-based JAZZ’T MUSIC AGENCY. US sanctions generally prohibit the provision of management and professional services to individuals located in Russia, making these ongoing business relationships a matter of serious legal and ethical concern,” the statement reads.
The activists also point out that participation in the festival has already led to difficulties for a number of foreign musicians who performed there in previous years.
“Following his performances at the Moscow Jazz Festival, Avishai Cohen had concerts at festivals in Warsaw, Brussels and Salzburg cancelled as a sign of solidarity with Ukraine. Richard Bona faced significant backlash and the termination of his collaboration with Leopolis Jazz Fest. Allan Harris himself was criticised in the European press for his previous performances at the festival.”