The CD title MOONDANCE speaks for itself. It's clear why it is a “dance” – stunning Maria Tarasevich engages the best tenor – saxophone player of the country. By the way, she was a Playboy Playmate (though it was just a small episode of her life) and is famous as one of the social butterflies. So Maestro was delighted and pleased to work with her. Igor and Maria have had a long-term relationship with music as a teacher and a pupil. Maria is a brilliant jazz singer and a bright artistic person. She started as a singer in MKS Big Band under leadership of Anatoly Kroll and performed at major jazz festivals in Montreux and Paris. Later she performed in the legendary Le Club and sang at the Jazz Triumph Festival with Billy Cobem. From that time a tandem of Butman and Tarasevich was only a question of time. Maria says that Igor Butman as well as Anatoly Kroll has been her jazz teachers. Maria does not strictly adhere to jazz standards in her performance. For instance, Gershwin’s ballade The man I Love sounds too rambunctious and has a dance rhythm to it. However, good taste justifies for not sticking to the standards. Even the melancholy in Autumn Leaves is more subtle. On the whole, the CD is moon like, but not too much and the most important line in it is a dance as well as heaps of swing music. Butman’s tenor-saxophone is impeccable. His long solos wonderfully complement the vocal fioriture by Tarasevich, making their tandem really successful. 

The musicians also have the wonderful support of Anton Baronin and Aleksey Bekker, who complement each composition with key elements. It’s a high quality and lively recording, which got praise even from Yuri Bashmet, who will not give his references to anything not worth it.