Holiday season entertainment ramps up in Folsom with a world-class night of jazz fusion, soul and Christmas spirit

The holiday entertainment season at Folsom’s Harris Center continues its festive rise as the venue prepares to welcome two extraordinary artists for a special holiday performance on Friday, December 5. Two-time Grammy Award winner Bob James, a foundational figure in both smooth jazz and hip-hop sampling culture, will unite on stage with Ukrainian saxophone virtuoso Andrey Chmut for a one-night-only Christmas concert that blends jazz fusion, soul, and a powerful story of international collaboration.

For local audiences, the event promises to be one of the standout highlights of the season, pairing James’ iconic keyboard phrasing with Chmut’s expressive saxophone work. Together they will reimagine Christmas favorites while weaving in celebrated pieces from their catalogs, creating a performance filled with warmth, groove, and world-class musicianship.

James remains best known to millions for “Angela,” the nostalgic theme from the television show Taxi, along with signature works such as “Westchester Lady.” Those pieces will share the stage with richly layered interpretations of holiday classics, all shaped by the duo’s unmistakable chemistry.

For Chmut, the concert represents another chapter in a remarkable journey that began in Ukraine. A composer, producer, and saxophonist, Chmut has become one of Europe’s rising jazz talents. His debut album Smoothability, featuring the Bob James collaboration “Moving Forward,” achieved major success including a long-running rotation on Sirius XM and recognition among the top Ukrainian albums of 2019. The album also reached number four on Amazon’s list of the top 100 smooth jazz albums.

Chmut’s growing reputation has led to work with artists including Candy Dulfer, Dave Koz, Andrius Mamontovas, Tina Karol, Julio Iglesias Jr., Valery Stepanov, Eric Moore, and Eros Ramazzotti. He also remains a longtime church musician, noting that “Jesus gave me this music and my music is for Him.”

James’ own legacy spans more than six decades. Born in Marshall, Missouri, he was discovered by Quincy Jones in 1962 and became a major figure in the CTI Records era of the 1970s, carving out a fusion style that blended jazz, classical influences, and funk. His compositions later became some of the most sampled tracks in hip-hop history. Beyond his solo success, he founded the record label Tappan Zee Records, released classical works, co-founded the influential smooth jazz group Fourplay, and earned a 2023 Grammy nomination for his album Jazz Hands.

The story connecting James and Chmut is now legend among fans. In 2017, Chmut sent James a demo of his track “Moving Forward” through Facebook with little expectation. James listened, connected with the sound, and recorded a piano solo that elevated the composition and launched a creative partnership. Their first major performance together came in Kyiv in 2019 to a sold-out audience. When war erupted in Ukraine in 2022, the two reunited in Lithuania, where James invited Chmut to join his quartet. Since then, they have performed more than 300 shows worldwide, including appearances at New York’s iconic Blue Note and NPR’s Tiny Desk series, offering audiences a musical message of unity, freedom, and resilience.

Their Sound of Christmas performance brings that powerful partnership to Folsom, delivering a blend of American jazz tradition and Ukrainian soul at a moment when holiday music feels especially meaningful.

Tickets for the Sound of Christmas performance are available through the Harris Center box office, and the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Attendees may purchase tickets online here for the Dec. 5 event.

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