Aleksandr Rosenbaum Essentials

A gangster's charm can take you on a wild ride, but Aleksandr Rozenbaum never glorifies the criminals he sings about, instead using their seedy slang to expose their despair, rather than their triumphs. Rozenbaum is perhaps the most blues-influenced Russian bard singer around, with his coarse voice, themes of lost love and full backing band. Yet when playing solo acoustic, he reveals a surprisingly soft side, such as in the romantic “Boston Waltz”, a poignant dance of escaped youth. His musical storytelling is some of the most complex Russia has known in the past 30 years.