# The Klezmatics

The Klezmatics are an American klezmer music group based in New York City, who have achieved fame singing in several languages, most notably mixing older Yiddish tunes with other types of more contemporary music of differing origins. They have also recorded pieces in Aramaic and Bavarian.

## Personnel

Current members include composers Matt Darriau, alto saxophone, clarinet, and kaval, and Frank London, on trumpet and keys, Paul Morrissett playing bass and tsimbl cimbalom, vocalist Lorin Sklamberg on accordion and piano, Lisa Gutkin on violin and vocals, and David Licht or Richie Barshay on drums.
Past members include David Krakauer, Margot Leverett, Kurt Bjorling and Michael Lowenstern on the clarinet, Alicia Svigals on violin, and David Lindsay on bass. In addition, Boo Reiners, Susan McKeown, Joshua Nelson, Chava Alberstein, and Aaron Alexander have frequently collaborated with the band.

## History

The group formed in New York's East Village in 1986. They have appeared numerous times on television, including on the PBS Great Performances series with Itzhak Perlman. They have collaborated with the Romani virtuoso Ferus Mustafov, Israeli singers Chava Alberstein and Ehud Banay, American singer Arlo Guthrie, and Moroccan musicians The Master Musicians of Jajouka. In Berlin, they worked with poet Allen Ginsberg. Trumpeter Frank London composed the score for Pilobolus Dance Theater's work, Davenen, which the band performed. The members come from different musical backgrounds. Drummer Richie Barshay plays jazz with Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea. Violinist Lisa Gutkin came from a predominantly Celtic background before joining the band.
The Klezmatics' 20th anniversary concert took place at New York City's Town Hall on March 5, 2006. That event is included in the documentary chronicling the band's history and significance, The Klezmatics: On Holy Ground (2010). Five years later, they recorded a 25th anniversary CD at the same location.

## Recordings

The Klezmatics have recorded for Rounder, Piranha, Xenophile, Flying Fish, and the now-defunct Jewish Music Group.
Wonder Wheel, released in 2006, showcased lyrics by American folk icon Woody Guthrie, selected by the band from the Woody Guthrie archive. Although the music draws primarily from a wide range of Americana, not klezmer, the album won a Grammy in the category of Best Contemporary World Music Album. Another album of Guthrie material, with music drawn from the band's more usual Yiddish, Eastern European Jewish music roots, Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah, was released the same year. Guthrie's granddaughter, Sarah Lee Guthrie, has appeared with them. Other key collaborations include the music to Tony Kushner's adaptation of The Dybbuk, ""A Dybbuk: Between Two Worlds”", The Well: Klezmatics with Chava Alberstein in which poetry by several prominent Yiddish poets was set to music, and Brother Moses Smote the Water with Jewish gospel-style singer, Joshua Nelson.

## Discography

* 1989 – Shvaygn = toyt (Piranha Musik)
    Track # Title 1Ershter Vals 2A Glezele Vayn 3Tantst Yidelekh 4Russian Shers 5Bilovi 6Dzhankoye 7Ale Brider 8Czernowitzer Bulgar 9Mazl Tov, Zeydns Tants 10Schneider-Zwiefacher 11Rebns Khasene / Khasene Tants 12Di Zen Vet Aruntergeyn
* 1990 – Rhythm and Jews (Piranha Musik)
* 1995 – Jews with Horns (Flying Fish)
* 1997 – Possessed (Xenophile)
    Track # Title Notes 1Shprayz Ikh Mir 2Kolomeyke 3Moroccan Game 4An Undoing World 5Mizmor Shir Lehanef (Reefer Song)Mizmor Shir Lehanef is the first Yiddish anthem written about marijuana. 6Shvartz Un Vays (Black and White) 7Lomir Heybn Dem Bekher 8Sirba Matey Matey 9Mipney Ma 10Beggars' Dance 11Shnaps-Nign 12Interlude 13Dybbuk Shers 14Fradde's Song 15Der Shvatser Mi Adir (The Black Benediction) 16Hinokh Yafo 17Mipney Ma (reprise) 18Eyn Mol
* 1998 – The Well: Klezmatics with Chava Alberstein (Xenophile)
* 2003 – Rise Up! Shteyt Oyf! (Rounder)
    Track # Title 1Klezmorimlekh mayne libinke 2Kats un Moyz 3Loshn-Koydesh 4Tepel 5I Ain't Afraid 6Di Gayster 7Yo Riboyn Olam 8Bulgars #2 9Barikadn 10Davenen 11St. John's Nign 12Hevil iz Havolim 13Makht oyf! 14Perets-Tanst 15I Ain't Afraid (English edit)
* 2004 – Brother Moses Smote the Water (with Joshua Nelson & Kathryn Farmer; Piranha Musik)
    Track # Title Notes 1Eyliyohu Hanovi2:38 2Elijah Rock9:17 3Ki Loy Nue6:40 4Shnirele Perele 5Walk In Jerusalem 6Go Down Moses 7Moses Smote The Water 8Oh Mary Don't You Weep 9Didn't It Rain 10Ale Brider
* 2006 – Wonder Wheel (Lyrics by Woody Guthrie) (JMG)
* 2006 – Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah (JMG)
* 2008 – Tuml = Lebn: The Best of the First 20 Years (Piranha Musik)
* 2011 – Live at Town Hall (Klezmatics album) (independent release, double album)
    Disc # Track # Title 11Man In A Hat 12Bobe Tanz (feat. Margot Leverett) 13Dzhankoye 14Rhythm / Jews With Horns Medley: Fun Tashlikh / Fisherlid (feat. David Krakauer) 15Dybbuk Suite: Mipney Ma / Beggars' Dance / Shnaps-nign / Di Gayster / Fradde's Song / Der Shvartser Mi Adir / Hinokh Yafo / Mipney Ma 16Di Krenitse 17St. John's Nign 18Brother Moses Suite: Eyliyohu Havnovi 19Brother Moses Suite: Elijah Rock (feat. Joshua Nelson) 21Davenen 22I Ain't Afraid (feat. Adrienne Cooper) 23Gonna Get Through This World (feat. Susan McKeown) 24Holy Ground 25Moroccan Game 26Hanuka Gelt 27Medley: Lolly Lo / NY Psycho Freylekhs 28Shnirele, Perele 29Ale Brider 210Tepel
* 2016 – Apikorsim (World Village)