He studied piano at the local music college of Nizhny Novgorod and at the Moscow Conservatory.
He worked as an accompanist with a number of celebrated Soviet pop singers, including Isabella Yuryeva, Klavdiya Shulzhenko, Lyudmila Zykina, Marina Gordon, Vadim Kozin, Mark Bernes, Iosif Kobzon and others.
In 1964 he and violinist Naum Latunsky performed in an episode of the film The Garnet Bracelet, which was an adaptation of the celebrated novella of the same name by Alexander Kuprin.
He was made People's Artist of Russia in 1996.
He was a Russian-Jewish pianist, accompanist and composer.