photos by Adrian Buckmaster

The Klezmatics aren’t just the best band in the klezmer vanguard, they rank among the best bands on the planet. Jewish traditional music is just the starting point for songs that jump, rock and swing-sometimes all at the same time.–Time Out New York

The Klezmatics are world-reknown superstars of the klezmer world. They erupted out of New York City’s East Village in 1986 and revitalized klezmer for the new century. Their klezmer is one steeped in Jewish spiritualism and Eastern European tradition while incorporating more provocative themes such as social rights and anti-fundamentalism with eclectic musical influences such as gospel, punk, and Arab, African, and Balkan rhythms. Over the course of nearly twenty years, they have released six albums of wild, spiritual, provocative, reflective, and ecstatically danceable music, forever redefining and transcending traditional labels.

The Klezmatics have collaborated with numerous musical luminaries such as Arlo Guthrie, classical legend Itzhak Perlman, Israeli icons Chava Albertstein and Ehud Banay, Ben Folds, beat legend Allen Ginsberg, avant-garde experimentalist John Zorn, The Master Musicians of Jajouka (a 4,000 year old Moroccan rock ensemble), Nubian Egyptian percussionist Mahmoud Fadl, and KosherGospel singer Joshua Nelson. Their collaborations have extended to numerous theatrical, film, dance, and television projects, including Pulitzer Prize Winning playwright Tony Kushner’s A Dybbuk and It’s An Undoing World. The Klezmatics have reached millions through performances and features on Late Night with David Letterman, PBS’ Great Performances, BBC’s Rhythms of the World, BBC’s John Peel Show, various NPR programs (A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor, New Sounds Live andSoundcheck), CBS Nightwatch, FOX After Breakfast, MTV News, and Sex in the City. Additionally, their song “NY Pscho Freylks” is a theme song for Air America Radio’s The Al Franken Show. They have performed in over twenty countries at some of the most storied venues and renowned festivals worldwide, including Central Park Summerstage, Carnegie Hall, Pirineos Sur (Spain), Colours of Ostrava (Czech Republic), Pohoda Festival (Slovokia), Jazzsomer Graz (Austria), and the Heimatklnge Festival (Germany), amongst many others.