As a young immigrant from the Soviet Union growing up in Israel, Arkadi Duchin hooked up with Micha Shitrit, bringing the band Friends of Natasha into the world. In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, the outfit made three extremely influential albums that roved between rock and prog. Duchin, the singer and keyboardist, was the harmonious and gentle yin to Shitrit's hard-rock yang. Solo work has allowed Duchin to explore his love of pure Paul McCartney-esque, piano-based love songs—he dedicated his first solo album to his childhood hero, Russian protest singer and poet Vladimir Wissotzky.