Alexander Tsfasman (1906-1971) was a pioneering Soviet jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader. A pivotal figure in early Russian jazz, Tsfasman's sophisticated arrangements and virtuosic piano playing helped popularize the genre within the Soviet Union. He founded the "AMA-Jazz" ensemble in the late 1920s, one of the first professional jazz bands in the USSR, and later led the State Jazz Orchestra of the USSR. His compositions often blended American jazz idioms with Russian folk melodies, contributing significantly to the development of a unique Soviet jazz sound. Tsfasman's work laid essential groundwork for subsequent generations of Russian jazz musicians.