Jazz pianist Misha Alperin is an introspective and cerebral musician who often incorporates Jewish and Romanian folk themes into his atmospheric, forward-thinking jazz. Born in the Ukraine, Alperin is based in Oslo, Norway, and his style also fits well within the tradition of Nordic jazz. Alperin has released several albums for ECM, including 1998's North Story, 2001's At Home, and 2008's Her First Dance. ~ Matt Collar