The Klezmatics aren’t just the best band in the klezmer vanguard; on a good night, they can rank among the greatest bands on the planet.
- Time Out New York
The Klezmatics are Grammy-winning klezmer superstars who revolutionized Yiddish music. Emerging from New York City’s East Village in 1986, they infused Eastern European Jewish roots with bold contemporary themes like human rights and anti-fundamentalism. Their eclectic sound blends Latin stomps, jazz riffs, and rhythms from the Balkans, Middle East, Africa, and America.
For nearly 40 years, The Klezmatics have reimagined klezmer, inspiring generations of musicians. Their achievements include 13 acclaimed recordings, tours across five continents, and collaborations with artists like Itzhak Perlman, Tony Kushner, Chava Alberstein, and Arlo Guthrie. They are the only klezmer band to win a Grammy, earning the 2006 award for Wonder Wheel: Lyrics by Woody Guthrie.
Their music has enriched theater, dance, film, and television, appearing in A Dybbuk, Pilobolus Dance Theatre’s Davenen, and PBS’s Great Performances. They’ve reached millions through shows like Late Night with David Letterman, NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion, and HBO’s Sex and the City.
The Klezmatics have performed in 20+ countries at venues and festivals like Carnegie Hall, WOMAD, Colours of Ostrava, and Yiddish Summer Weimar. Honors include the German Critics Award, New York Jewish Music Award, a GLAMA, and multiple Billboard World Music chart-toppers.
Through their vibrant, danceable music, The Klezmatics transcend labels, redefining Jewish culture and leaving a lasting mark on global music.
40TH ANNIVERSARY
In 2025, The Klezmatics are excited to be gearing up for their milestone 40th anniversary. The band is planning the reissue of their landmark recordings, augmented with previously unpublished material, and new albums are in the works, including a tribute collection featuring an impressive roster of The Klezmatics’ long-time musical partners and friends. A worldwide anniversary tour is on the horizon, along with unique collectible merchandise and an exhibition of artifacts curated from the band’s four-decade history. The Klezmatics: Socially conscious ecstatic klezmer music celebrating Yiddish culture and fighting injustice since 1986.
The Klezmatics: Transforming Klezmer, Redefining Boundaries
Bio
by Jeff Tamarkin
Since their emergence more than 30 years ago, the Klezmatics have raised the bar for Eastern European Jewish music, made aesthetically, politically and musically interesting recordings, inspired future generations, created a large body of work that is enduring, and helped to change the face of contemporary Yiddish culture. Often called a “Jewish roots band,” the Klezmatics have led a popular revival of this ages-old, nearly forgotten art form.
They have performed in more than 20 countries and released 11 albums to date—most recently the album Apikorsim (Heretics), produced by Danny Blume (who helped the band win a Grammy in 2006) and the first of the band’s albums to feature only the 6 members. On their Grammy-winning 2006 album Wonder Wheel, the Klezmatics set a dozen previously unsung Woody Guthrie lyrics to music, widening their stylistic base by largely diverging from klezmer. They have also recently served as the subject of a feature-length documentary film, The Klezmatics: On Holy Ground.
During their third-of-a-century existence the Klezmatics have collaborated with such brilliant artists as violinist Itzhak Perlman, Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner and Israeli vocal icon Chava Alberstein, plus many other prominent artists working within multiple genres.
Today, with three original members—Lorin Sklamberg (lead vocals, accordion, guitar, piano), Frank London (trumpet, keyboards, vocals) and Paul Morrissett (bass, tsimbl, vocals)—still on board, alongside longtime members Matt Darriau (kaval, clarinet, saxophone, vocals) and Lisa Gutkin (violin, vocals), the Klezmatics are without a doubt the most successful proponents of klezmer music in the world.
The Klezmatics’ music is rooted in but is not a strictly traditional variety of the klezmer genre. Rather it is a comfortable hybrid that appeals equally to those with no previous exposure to the music and those already familiar with it.
“Klezmer,” says London, “is the unique sound of East European Jewishness. It has the power to evoke a feeling of other-worldliness, of being there and then, of nostalgia for a time and place that we never knew.”
Although tradition is at the core of what they do, since the beginning the Klezmatics have adapted to the artistic sensibilities of a contemporary world. “Klezmer has everything you want, ethnically, and yet it’s so intertwined with American culture,” says Morrissett. “We want to make sure that we are part of a living tradition, and living traditions change; they don’t stay in a pickled form.”
Indeed, the Klezmatics are very much of the modern world. Says London, “By putting forth a consistent and coherent political and aesthetic Yiddish/klezmer music that embraces our political values — supporting gay rights, workers’ rights, human rights, universal religious and spiritual values
expressed through particular art forms — and eschewing the aspects of Yiddish/Jewish culture that are nostalgic, tacky, kitschy, nationalistic and misogynistic, we have shown a way for people to embrace Yiddish culture on their own terms as a living, breathing part of our world and its political and aesthetic landscape.”
“People are quite detached from their Jewish roots,” says Gutkin. “The Klezmatics fill an incredible void.”
Formed in New York in 1986, the Klezmatics quickly built a devoted following that expanded outward once word spread about this exotic new band that was bringing klezmer back from the abyss. For some fans, the group’s appeal went beyond the music itself. “People have a need for something to hold onto,” says Gutkin. “They want to be part of something.”
Throughout the years a wide range of lyrical ideas has inhabited the Klezmatics’ songs, ranging from contemporary issues of global import facing each of us to matters of intimate love, and from leftist politics to age-old Jewish mysticism. “From early on,” says Sklamberg, “even before we made a conscious effort to make the music our own, we decided that if we sang songs, they would be ones we believed in.”
Live at Town Hall, the 2011 Klezmatics release, captures the group’s March 5, 2006 20th anniversary concert at the New York venue. Recorded in conjunction with the On Holy Ground documentary, the set features a cross-section of music from throughout the Klezmatics’ history, and includes a lengthy list of special guests, among them previous members David Krakauer and Margot Leverett, who had never recorded with the band until this gig. The repertoire draws from the group’s earliest days and material as recent as the Guthrie adaptations.
Says London, “We wanted to celebrate being together for so many years with everyone who has been part of our family.”
Indeed, the Klezmatics have always been as much about community as music. Says Sklamberg, “The energy and support we received from the local community fueled the band, rather than it being a particular sensibility. At the very least it allowed us the freedom to be us.”
Over a quarter-century after their formation, the Klezmatics remain committed to their music and to the close relationship they share with their fans. “In 1986,” says Sklamberg, “I never imagined that preserving, disseminating and helping to redefine Yiddish music would become my life’s work. “I certainly don’t think we sound like anyone else.”
Indeed, they don’t. Never have and—should the Klezmatics (hopefully) last another 30 years—it’s a safe guess that no one else ever will!
The Klezmatics: On Holy Ground
Director Erik Anjou and Frank London first began collaborating after they had been introduced by filmmaker Pearl Gluck. Frank was writing the musical score for Erik’s “A Cantor’s Tale,” the beloved documentary about Cantor Jack Mendelson. It seemed natural for Erik to start attending more and more Klezmatics shows. He was stunned by the depth and beauty of the band’s music, and the musicians’ ineffable resilience and courage. “Why isn’t anyone making a movie about these guys?” he asked.
So began a four-years plus journey of researching, fundraising, journeying alongside the band, invading the members’ apartments and private lives, filming, editing, and then fundraising, filming and editing some more.
MEMBERS
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Richie Barshay
percussion
A dynamic percussionist known for his work with the Herbie Hancock Quartet, has been hailed as "a major rhythm voice on the rise" and continues to perform, record, and lead outreach projects worldwide.
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Matt Darriau
kaval, clarinet, saxophone
Matt Darriau, a multi-instrumentalist and "musical polyglot," has infused the Klezmatics' sound with jazz, Balkan, and Celtic influences since 1995, while also leading his own genre-blending projects and earning recognition as a key innovator in modern jazz.
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Lisa Gutkin
violin, vocals
Lisa Gutkin, a versatile violinist and composer, brought her diverse musical background—ranging from classical and Irish folk to bluegrass and rock—to the Klezmatics, where she became a key creative force, even earning Pete Seeger's praise for her songwriting.
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Frank London
trumpet, keyboards
Trumpeter and composer Frank London, co-founder of the Klezmatics, has been a driving force in contemporary Jewish music, contributing to hundreds of recordings and projects that blend klezmer, jazz, and world music with bold innovation.
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Paul Morrissett
bass, tsimbl
A longtime Klezmatics member and versatile multi-instrumentalist, blends his love for Eastern European and Scandinavian folk traditions with his passion for dance music, bringing a deep rhythmic energy to the band's sound.
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Lorin Sklamberg
lead vocals, accordion, guitar, piano
Co-founder and lead singer of the Klezmatics, is renowned for his transcendent and emotionally powerful voice, which has shaped contemporary klezmer music while also influencing Jewish spiritual and folk traditions worldwide.
AwardsGRAMMY® Award — Best Contemporary World Music Album — for Wonder Wheel with guests Susan McKeown and Boo Reiners (2006)
Hungarian Order of Merit Knight’s Cross (Hungarian Consulate Award) — presented to Frank London for his service as a cultural ambassador for Hungarian and Hungarian-Jewish music (2016)
YIVO Lifetime Achievement Award (YIVO Institute for Jewish Research) (2013)
Premio Tenco Prize for Achievement in Songwriting (Italian Club Tenco) (2012)
Preis der Deutsches Schallplattenkritik (German Critics’ Award)
GLAMA (Gay and Lesbian American Music Award) — for The Well with Israeli folk singer Chava Alberstein (1998)
Top 10 Billboard Magazine World Music chart
Top 10 European World Music chart
Top 10 College Music Journal chart
Musical CollaborationsFilmmaker and multimedia artist Péter Forgács on “Letters to Afar“
Pianist and composer Arturo O’Farrill on “Havana Nagila“
Classical icon Itzhak Perlman
American folk singer Arlo Guthrie
Israeli singer Chava Alberstein
Israeli singer Ehud Banai
Kosher Gospel African-American Jewish singer Joshua Nelson
Jazz singer/organist Kathryn Farmer
Avant-garde jazz keyboardist/vocalist Amina Claudine Myers
Singer-guitarist Raul MidÃ
The Master Musicians of Jajouka
NYC avant-rockers Elliot Sharp, Marc Ribot and John Zorn
Philadelphia jazz statesmen Bootsy Barnes and Sam Dockery
Folk icon Theodore Bikel (co-founder of the Newport Folk Festival)
Members of the Flying Karamazov Brothers
Ben Folds Five‘s Whatever & Ever Amen, Steven’s Last Night in Town (SONY/550)
Nubian Egyptian percussionist Mahmoud Fadl
Beat Poet Allen Ginsberg
Poet Jerome Rothenberg
John Medeski (of Medeski, Martin & Wood)
Canadian political folk band Moxy Früvous
Pop music icon Neil Sedaka
New York City cult girl group BETTY
Theatre CollaborationsScore for Pulitzer Prize winning author Tony Kushner‘s (Angels in America) adaptation of the classic Yiddish drama “A Dybbuk, or Between Two Worlds” (New York Public Theater, Hartford Stage)
Composed/performed music for Kushner’s work-in-progress “It’s An Undoing World, or Why Should It Be Easy When It Can Be Hard” at its premiere at Los Angeles’ John Anson Ford Theater
Acclaimed performance piece “The Third Seder” (a multi-media Passover extravaganza featuring the Klezmatics and other cutting edge New York Jewish artists) staged at New York’s Jewish Museum and La Mama Theater
“2000 Years” by Mike Leigh
Film CollaborationsJonathan Berman, “The Shvitz”
Gregg Bordowitz, “Fast Trip, Long Drop”
Judith Helfand, A Healthy Baby Girl, broadcast on PBS television series “P.O.V.”
“Then She Found Me” starring Helen Hunt
“My Mexican Shivah” directed by Alejandro Springall
Dance CollaborationsScore for the Pilobolus Dance Theatre’s Davenen (premiered at Washington, DC’s Kennedy Center and continues tbe shown internationally)
Provided music for new work by choreographer Twyla Tharp in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Martha Graham’s birth
Dance Theater of Harlem - rework of Ballymouk featuring new arrangements of existing melodies
Notable PerformancesCross-cultural project and Central Park Summerstage performances with the Master Musicians of Jajouka (a 4000-year old Moroccan ensemble known as the world’s oldest rock and roll band)
Sold-out performances in Paris, London, Berlin, Stockholm, Helsinki, Prague, New York, Washington DC and Los Angeles with Chava Alberstein
First annual Heimatklänge Festival (1988)
Sold out Carnegie Hall performance with Arlo Guthrie
Sold out Carnegie Hall performance with Neil Sedaka
Concert at Berlin’s historic New Synagogue with Israeli singer Chava Alberstein and Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary), Summer 2001
Tanglewood and Ravinia with Itzhak Perlman
TV ShowsPBS Emmy-Award winning special “Great Performances: In the Fiddler’s House” with Itzhak Perlman
CBS’s “Late Night with David Letterman”
Conan O’Brien Show - celebrating Happy Joyous Hanukah
CBS’s “Nightwatch”
Fox’s “After Breakfast”
BBC’s “Rhythms of the World”
MTV News
Original Klezmatics score for a cartoon narrated by comedian Jackie Mason on talk show host Rosie O’Donnell’s TV special “Kids Are Punny”
Nickelodeon television jingle: Klezmatics version of the jingle animated and broadcast in regular rotation
PBS’s internationally aired Voices: A Musical Celebration, with Israeli singer Chava Alberstein and Peter Yarrow
HBO’s “Sex and the City” — on-screen appearance as Charlotte’s wedding band
RadioBBC’s John Peel Show
Regularly featured on National Public Radio’s (NPR) New Sounds and New Sounds Live, both with host John Schaefer
Regular guests on NPR’s Soundcheck
Regular guest spots on NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor
WV Public Radio’s Mountain Stage, broadcast nationally
MiscellaneousTwo Yiddish dance standards recorded with klezmer clarinet legend Ray Musiker for Ellipsis Arts disc Klezmer Music: A Marriage of Heaven and Earth
Two remixes on the Shanachie cd collection Klezmania: Klezmer for the New Millennium
Mash-up of ska rhythms for a cover of “Dthe Ska (KlezSkaLypso)” on the Skatalites tribute CD Freedom Sounds (Shanachie)
Collaboration with actor/clown Bill Irwin on I Do! Me Too, a CD benefiting the restoration of the oldest US church organ at New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine
Featured on two of the Knitting Factory’s Jewzapalooza/Klezmer Festival CDs, including a collaboration with Anthony Coleman and poet Aloll Trehorn on “Ode to Karl Marx”
Previously unreleased track included on the Six Degrees CD compilation Festival of Light
In the Fiddler’s House (the Itzhak Perlman CD on which he plays original Klezmatics arrangements and compositions and shares writing credit with the band) has topped world and classical music charts internationally and became one of the top selling folk recordings of the past decade. Live in the Fiddler’s House, a second album, was recorded at Radio City Music Hall.