Dear Yelena,

I enjoy having your CDs, rather than only as digital media, because of the artwork you include. Blooming Tall Phlox, for instance, is a lovely personal family memoir – all your albums are personal of course – and though the memories are not mine, I can relate to those Proustian moments, while they hover lightly in the twilight realm of nostalgia. 

The individual song titles are strikingly concrete and increase my interest while listening to them. On the summer disc, my favorite piece is perhaps Wildflower Meadows, where piano and drums both drive the theme; the melodic structure is simply wonderful, with the interchanging trumpet, vibraphone and alternating arco/plucking bass. I very much like the winter side, too, particularly Grandpa Lera’s Bookcase (I am a bit bookish myself), Talks Over Hot Tea, and Aunt Galya’s Perfume (which very remotely reminds me of your more recent Abba Museum).

In fact, your album brings to mind some of the Russian films I have enjoyed, notably Nikita Mikhalkov’s Burnt by the Sun or even more so Andrei Tarkovsky’s films. I recall being stunned when I first watched Stalker, the depth of emotion and thought was nearly overwhelming.  Many years ago in Berlin, I had the pleasure of meeting his widow at a retrospective of his films. She told me that Andrei wrote out all the tiniest details before beginning the actual filming. That is, I suspect, also how you develop your musical projects.

Wishing you strength and enough time for your many projects. 

Warm regards. 
Horst