“Ilya is a great, great trumpet player and I love his voice. He can sing the tunes

and play them; that’s the edge he’s got.” — Poncho Sanchez

 

“Ilya really is a talented trumpeter and a great singer.  This guy has got the goods.

Ilya Serov - remember that name.” — Dave Koz

 

  Award-winning trumpeter/vocalist/song writer and producer Ilya Serov has a musical vision

and passion for jazz that far transcends its traditional origins. His professional journey has led

him from performing popular standards of the Great American Songbook to creating and

producing a collection of his own original songs. Possessing both chops and charisma, Ilya’s live

performances and studio recordings are infused with imagination and energy, attracting a solid,

worldwide fan following. 

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Serov’s recently-released fourth album, Colors, has been received with much critical acclaim. A

fusion of various genres, cultures and backgrounds, this vibrant palette of soul-jazz, R&B

grooves, and Brazilian jazz instrumentals is an expansion of his already broad range. His own

composition and production skills were paired with the collaborative talents of some industry

heavy-hitters in creating the album: GRAMMY® winner Paul Brown, multiple GRAMMY®

nominee Darren Rahn, and 16-time Billboard chart-topper Adam Hawley. Illustrious

saxophonist  Jeff Ryan and keyboardist Oli Silk are featured players.

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Ilya has the credentials to back up his competence. First introduced to the trumpet at age

seven, he later studied in an intense, five-year music academy program. His earliest jazz

influences were Chet Baker, Arturo Sandoval, Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, and Nat “King” Cole,

and he eventually incorporated their sounds and vocal stylings into his own music. Serov later

established a name for himself in Los Angeles, performing at iconic clubs as both a solo artist

and big band leader. In 2014, he was awarded Best New Artist at the Hollywood International

Music Awards.

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Platinum-selling saxophone sensation Dave Koz took note of Serov’s talent. The two have

worked together in numerous settings, with Ilya notably performing on his popular,

international Dave Koz and Friends at Sea Jazz Cruise every year since 2018.

 

Other greats with whom Ilya has collaborated include Jonathan Butler, Keiko Matsui, Cory

Wong, Candy Dulfer, Haley Reinhart, BeBe Winans, Peter White and Kirk Whalum.

 

Serov regularly takes the stage at notable venues and festivals, including the Newport Beach Jazz Festival, Catalina JazzTrax Festival, Berk’s Jazz Festival, Mallorca Smooth Jazz Festival, Daytona Jazz Weekend, National Center for Performing Arts (Mumbai, India) among others. His jazz acumen has also been infused into the symphonic spectrum, with his band featured and his arrangements performed with the Riverside Philharmonic for its 2020 Celebrating America season.

 

Serov has even dipped his toes into the Hollywood film scene, co-writing with composer

Ludwig Göransson one of the main themes (Drago’s Walk Out) for the 2018 cinema

sensation, Creed II. His film recording credits include Dead Pool 2 and Addams Family 2, among

others.

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Ilya’s last two albums feature him playing a unique, one-of-a-kind instrument, the Jazzohorn,

which he invented with UK premier trumpet maker Andy Taylor. With a flugelhorn base and

saxophone shape, the Jazzohorn possesses its own compelling sound and nuanced palette.

 

Prior to Colors, Ilya broadened his traditional jazz interests by blending smooth jazz with

elements of soul and R&B, resulting in his third studio album, Just Friends (2021). The album

featured Dave Koz and other award-winning artists: keyboardist Greg Manning, saxophonist

Alex Hahn, vocalist Matt Cusson, and guitarist Kay-Ta Matsuno. Along with his renditions of

iconic Chet Baker tunes, it included three original contemporary pieces inspired by those

standards. “Chillin’,” Serov’s first original single, was composed and released in 2020 during the

isolation and introspection brought on by the pandemic. “Heat” and “Ironic” were released in

2021, receiving considerable international airplay, with “Heat” making it onto the Billboard Top

30 Smooth Jazz Chart. In November 2021, Ilya was nominated as Breakout Artist of the Year by

Smooth Jazz Network.

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Ilya’s second album, Back in Time (2018), featured classic tunes and instrumental collaborations

recorded with legendary pianist Roger Kellaway, acclaimed saxophonist Eric Marienthal, and

GRAMMY®-winning percussionist Poncho Sanchez. Preceding that, his debut album, September

in the Rain (2013), was a rousing big band outing of classic jazz standards highlighting both his

trumpet and vocal skills. 

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Today, Ilya Serov’s original music is played on SiriusXM Radio and other stations across the

globe. Always driven by his mission to engage new generations of listeners, he continues to

focus on contributing his creative voice to the world of music — honoring its past while

highlighting its ever-changing present and future. 

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For the latest information on upcoming recordings and performances, visit www.ilyaserov.com.