The Klezmatics

History

The Klezmatics got their start in 1986, holding their first rehearsal in New York's East Village with Frank London, Lorin Sklamberg, Margot Leverett, Alicia Svigals, David Licht, and David Lindsay. TV appearances include a spot on PBS's Great Performances alongside Itzhak Perlman. Their wide-ranging collaborators span Romani musician Ferus Mustafov, Israeli singers Chava Alberstein and Ehud Banay, American folk artist Arlo Guthrie, and Morocco's Master Musicians of Jajouka. In Berlin, poet Allen Ginsberg worked with them.

Trumpeter Frank London wrote the score for Pilobolus Dance Theater's piece Davenen, which the band performed. The members bring diverse training: drummer Richie Barshay plays jazz with Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, while violinist Lisa Gutkin previously focused on bluegrass and Celtic music. A 20th-anniversary concert at New York's Town Hall on March 5, 2006 appears in the documentary The Klezmatics: On Holy Ground (2010). Five years later, they recorded a 25th-anniversary CD at that same venue.

Personnel

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

Recordings

The Klezmatics have recorded for Rounder, Piranha, Xenophile, Flying Fish, and the Jewish Music Group. Wonder Wheel (2006) featured lyrics by Woody Guthrie and won a Grammy for Best Contemporary World Music Album. Another album of Guthrie material, Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah, was released the same year. Other key collaborations include music for Tony Kushner's adaptation of The Dybbuk, The Well with Chava Alberstein, and Brother Moses Smote the Water with Joshua Nelson.