Leonid Ptashka, pianist and composer, was born in 1964 in Baky.

He began to study
piano at the age of 4, at the age of 14 he started performing at a professional
scene. Finished Gnessin Academy of Music in Moscow he spread far beyond in the
Russian Jazz circuit. His debut album Flight of Fantasy (1984) was a massive seller
by jazz terms.Taking jazz into the worlds of ethnic jazz and improvisation on
traditional main-stream, Ptashka has established himself as a virtuoso
instrumentalist, a brilliant performer and an artist passionately committed to his
music. Through the years, combining acoustic piano, electronics and synthesizer
keyboard instruments, he has refined his expressiveness and developed an impressive
technique. Performing as a soloist Ptashka played Recital concerts all over the
world, including solo recital in Carnegy Concert Hall New York (1988), Boston
University Concert Hall (1988), Los Angeles Country Museum of Art (1989). Later on
Leonid Ptashka continues his concert tours in France, Yugoslavia, West Germany,
Italy.
The intensive concert appearances were combined with musician's participation in
big jazz contests. By the year of his immigration to Israel (1990), Ptashka had
received 17 national awards in Jazz. At the international Pianist contest in
Kalish, Poland (1987) Ptashka was the first Soviet jazz pianist who was awarded the
second prize and got the main award of the Pagart Record Company. He won the first
prize in the Pianist Competition in Los Angeles (1988), the special prize at the
Jazz Pianist Competition in France (1989), and the first prize in Eilat Jazz
Festival in Israel (1991).
Leonid Ptashka recorded and produced 7 records in Russia, USA (Mobile Fidelity
Company), Israel 1996 (NMC Company) (see discography). Immigrated to Israel he
immediately joined the forefront of the Israeli Jazz scene, performing, teaching
and conducting. Since then he has formed and lead several bands in the country.
Leonid Ptashka is a founder & artistic director of International Jazz Festivals in
Israel that are taking place since 1994 in different cities across the country .
“Jazz in Winter” in 1998 , “Jazzland” in 2001, “25 years & only Jazz” 2002 (see
productions) were the most unforgettable ones .
In 2000 he was included into the prestigious list of “100 outstanding musicians of
the 20-th century” that was combined by the American Biographical Institute .
In 2003 he received The Medal of Israeli Parlament- Kneset as a state recognition
of his achievements & contribution to the country.
Since 2003 Ptashka is a host of popular international television Music Show “ The
Night Bird” (Ptashka in Russian is a bird) (See The Night Bird).
He continues to participate in Jazz festivals all over the world and his career
includes work with legendary musicians from the first line such as: Larry Porter,
Benny Carter, Joan Brekin, Tom Lee, James Newton, Edd Tickepen, Al Foster, Dusco
Goikovich ,Freddie Hubbard, Herb Alpert.
Leonid Ptashka plays with powerful intensity, sophisticated technique and
remarkable sensitivity.
Ptashka is constantly continuing to innovate and to renew his repertoire (see news)
and styles.