The Klezmatics
The Klezmatics, world-renowned superstars of the klezmer world and winners of the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music for their album Wonder Wheel, appear as special guests on L.A. Holiday Celebration 2007 performing “Happy Joyous Hanuka.”
The Klezmatics 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 Generation 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 Kosher-Gospel 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’s Great Performances, BBC’s Rhythms of the World and the John Peel Show, various NPR programs such as A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor, CBS’s Nightwatch, MTV News, and the hit sitcom Sex in the City. Additionally, they provide the theme song for Air America Radio’s The Al Franken Show.
The Klezmatics have performed in more than 20 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 (Slovakia), Jazzsomer Graz (Austria) and the Heimatklänge Festival (Germany), among many others.
