A bird is also a bird of peace!

A bird is also a bird of peace!
There are women who do extraordinary things for their communities, especially during challenging times in New York City.
This is exactly the gift that the brilliant producer, music professor, and vibrant community leader Rita Kagan has prepared for all jazz lovers.
This woman knows how to ignite hearts and does everything she can to ensure the Jewish spark never fades. At her festivals, audiences don't just listen to music—they sing, dance, and become part of the shared celebration. Rita Kagan's hosting style creates a unique, incomparable aura of warmth, joy, and unity.
And it was with her help—literally—that Ptashka flew to New York from Israel. Yes, Leonid Ptashka! In these difficult times, it's no exaggeration to call the impossible a reality. The Chaverim ensemble lends a special charm to the concert—a refined, vibrant sound accompanied by saxophone and percussion. And the cantors' prayer for New York, the capital of the world, was truly touching.
Rita Kagan's Jewish music festivals are unforgettable; she has performed several concerts. Most recently, Leonid Ptashka's concerts in Israel at the Dead Sea were a huge success, followed by one in Bulgaria. Now, she has three concerts in New York and another in Philadelphia. And everywhere, there are full houses, enthusiastic audiences, and prolonged applause.
Leonid Ptashka is more than just a name in jazz. It's a state of mind and an explosion of vibrant energy on stage. Born in Baku, a city with a unique musical atmosphere, he absorbed the polyphony of cultures and rhythms from an early age, transforming them into his own recognizable style. His path to music is a story of inner freedom, courage, and an endless dialogue with the audience.
In Israel, Ptashka became one of those who transformed jazz from an elitist genre "for the chosen few" to a vibrant, passionate, accessible, and engaging art form. In the 1990s, his concerts resembled musical performances, where improvisation was born here and now, and the piano became a full partner in the audience's conversation. It's no coincidence that his expressive playing style and boundless dedication to music earned him the nickname "Piano Destroyer"—after his concerts, a piano can sometimes be difficult to repair.
Leonid Ptashka performed and recorded with world jazz legends such as Al Foster, Freddie Hubbard, and Herb Alpert. He was included in the American Biographical Institute's list of the 100 greatest jazz musicians of the 20th century—a rare and significant recognition. Ptashka is a musician of astonishing versatility: a virtuoso pianist, composer, drummer, and master of melody. But his most important skill is not his technique, but his ability to ignite hearts. His jazz is honest conversation, boundless freedom, and the very magic that makes people come to a concert and leave changed.
Marina Lagunova