Album Notes

Arkadiy Figlin had been shifting between classical and jazz piano since his early childhood until finally after collecting several awards at both classical and jazz competitions he came up with an idea to record an album displaying both sides of his musical identity. His long-time friendship and collaboration with Alexander Rosenblatt, one of the most gifted Moscow composers of his generation resulted in such a recording. Alexander Rosenblatt was born in Moscow in 1956 and graduated from the Moscow Conservatory as a pianist and composer. His compositions include a Mass for Choir and Orchestra, seven concertos for solo instruments and orchestra, a Sextet for Winds and Piano, "Kamarinskaya" for orchestra, three piano sonatas, the Sonata for Cello and Accordion, the "Beatles Symphony," the Ballet "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland",etc...Mr.Rosenblatt has also written a great deal of theater music as well as numerous instrumental pieces, songs and choral compositions.
Very much a jazz enthusiast,Alexander Rosenblatt has worked as a composer with Oleg Lundstrem's Big Band, and as arranger for such jazz legends as Red Mitchell-bass and Horace Parland-piano.Many of Mr.Rosenblatt's works and arrangements have been performed by the "Vocal-Band," one of the winners at the 1995 Montreux Jazz Festival.In 1993 world renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma performed a program of Alexander Rosenblatt's compositions at the Concertgebow in Amsterdam. "Parts of a Whole" presents two world premieres of Mr.Rosenblatt`s works-Variations on a Themes of Chopin and Second Piano Sonata -explosive romantic virtuoso music of the young master influenced by Sergei Prokofiev, Samuel Barber and Chick Corea. And the jazz part of the album, stylish and sophisticated collection of both standards and originals, is guaranteed to bring you pleasure and desire to listen to this album over and over again.