Argentina
Ramon Tasat
A Ladino performer from Argentina who sings in Ladino, Spanish, Italian and English.
http://www.paznet.com/ramontasat/ramontasat
Zoila
Agentinian woman presents Yiddish songs and information on her recordings.
http://www.zoila.com/frame3.html
Australia
The Melbourne Jewish Male Voice Choir
The Melbourne (Australia) Jewish Male Voice Choir has been in existence for over a year, has performed with the Johannesburg Jewish Male Choir at the Melbourne Concert Hall in June '99, and had it's own concert in December '99 at St. Kilda Synagogue. The Choir's conductor is Brett Kaye, a young South African who moved to Australia. The Choir's resident soloist is Rabbi Heilbrunn. Jack Sweetman is Secretary and may be contacted by email.
jaswe@werple.net.au
Austria
Budowitz Sacred and Secular
Budowitz is an ensemble that plays nineteenth century klezmer music on original instruments. The musicians in this group provide a sound steeped both in musicological and historical knowledge as well as the subtlety and coloration described by the reviewers as "pure emotion." Budowitz is staffed by leading lights in the klezmer world including Joshua Horowitz and Merlin Shepherd. Of special note is an interview with Budowitz as well as a history of klezmer.
http://members.styria.com/budowitz/
Canada
From Both Ends of the Earth
Hailing from Canada, this new "beyond klezmer" band fuzes folk, jazz and rhythm and blues to klezmer. Their website gives information on the performers, sample music with ra files and cd info.
The Hot Latkes Klezmer Band
Based in London, Ontario, Canada. This professional Klezmer ensemble was launched in the spring of 1993. The group has developed an extensive repertoire of Klezmer, Yiddish theatre music and Ladino.
http://www.empath.on.ca/hotlatkes/
Judith R. Cohen
Contains information about Dr. Judith R. Cohen of Canada and samples of Sephardic music. She performs and lectures and is a founding member of "Gerineldo, the internationally acclaimed Moroccan Judeo-Spanish ensemble, and is the founder-director of Nova Tradicija, an a capella ensemble specializing in Balkan singing."
http://www.yorku.ca/faculty/academic/judithc/judith_cohen.htm
Jewish-Music: An Overview by Moshe Denburg
Part of the Tzimmes group from Canada. This page attempts to put some historical context to Jewish music. There is a graphic representation that attempts to show musical influences. A brief bibliography of recommended sources is at the end. Not updated frequently.
http://www2.portal.ca/~jsiegel/about_jm.html
Raizie Benguigui
Raizie is a singer who has fused traditional lyrics with modern rhythms, singing in four languages (English, Hebrew, French and Spanish). Raizie has
performed for women audiences in Venezuela, Israel and Canada and has produced a CD for Jewish women.
http://www.raizie.com/
Shtreiml
Shtreiml is a group founded in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and features the 10-hole diatonic harmonica, piano, accordian, drums, and bass. The group mixes klezmer and hasidic music as well as jazz and 'gypsy'. The vocalist is Abby Rosenblatt. The website features biographies, some clips of music, reviews and some contact information.
http://www.shtreiml.com
Tzimmes
Tzimmes is a musical group based in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Tzimmes offers a program that "emphasizes the tremendous diversity within Jewish music." They sing klezmer tunes, Sephardic and North American folk ballads. Their programs usually include several languages. Musical samples are available at the site.
http://www.tzimmes.net/
Tsufit
Israeli born singer songwriter. Her website bio reads: "By the age of 5, Tsufit, who had already lived in three countries, was putting on shows for the neighbourhood kids. By junior high, she joined a folk club that performed for the school. At age 14, she picked up the guitar at camp and a few years later, while still in high school, she started writing her own songs and performing at local folk clubs. A vivacious actress who was often cast in comedic roles in theatrical productions, Tsufit was shy in live concert situations. She had won several talent shows by singing pretty little songs until one day a friend of her mother told her to get her face out of the guitar and talk to the audience. Tsufit developed an audience banter that eventually led to spots on national television comedy shows such as "She's so Funny" on WTN and "System Crash" on YTV on which she has a recurring role. She picked up a law degree along the way before coming full circle, back to the beautiful melodies that inspired her to become a performer in the first place, now with a confidence and warmth that has endeared her to audiences at clubs, concert halls and festivals across Canada and led to live radio appearances on such programs as CBC’s Vinyl Café with Stuart McLean."
http://www.tsufit.com/index.html
Finland
Hazamir Choir of Helsinki --Judiska Sangforeningen rf
A history of this Finnish Jewish choir online.
http://www.helsinki.fi/~aschulma/srk/choirhist.htm
France
Les Yeux Noirs
This Paris-based group has published 4 CDs with EMI records and plays Yiddish and Gypsy music. They do both traditional music and original compositions. The group consists of 8 musicians (2 violins, 1 cello, 1 bass, 1 cymbalum, 1 guitar, 1 drums and 1 accordion) 4 musicians are singing in Gypsy, Russian and Yiddish.
Contact: Eric Slabiak. 22 boulevard saint denis - 75010 PARIS. Tel + 33145233132.
Fax:+ 33145233182.
http://www.emi.fr/lesyeuxnoirs/
Reuben Jewish Jazz Duo
The Reuben Jewish Jazz Duo is Nehama and Shimon Reuben, husband and wife professionals in Jewish music, for harp & piano. They perform traditional Jewish music, liturgical, and new compositions. They have produced several albums between 1997 and the present, and travel throughout Europe to play in festivals. They will appear in Prague at the Jewish Music Festival in summer of 2000 and on national French TV for the 2000 millenium celebrations. Shimon recently recorded a new double album CD piano jazz solo "Yom Yeroushalayim Blues", 25 compositions Nehama composed for harp solo and just published "Rhapsodia Ivria for harp" by Editions Combre - Paris. CDs are for sale at www.fnac.com
shimon-reuben.jimdo.com
nehama-reuben.jimdo.com
Germany
Di Chuzpenics
The Chuzpenics is a klemzer group performing around Germany and Poland. Their website is bilingual in German and English and has a listing of concert dates, information about their recordings and some online samples in several formats. Each of the musicians comes from different musical backgrounds.
http://www.gaarden.net/chuzpenics/start.en.html
Ensemble DRAj
A German ensemble that has put together an album of Jewish songs.
http://www.draj.de/
Fialke
A German-based klezmer band infused with the traditions of old violinists like Abe Schwartz, Leibowitz or Solinski. They play Eastern European klezmer and Monika Feil sings in Yiddish. The band consists of clarinet, violin, accordian and bass.
http://www.klein-aber-fein.de/fialke/
Klezmischpoche Luebars
Large performing group in Berlin. They have a CD called Oifn Jorid. The webpage is in German and gives some details about where and when they perform.
http://www.freilach.com/Labsaal/klezmisch.htm
Yiddish Blues
Yiddish Blues, founded in January ,2000, is a Dresden, Germany-based band consisting of Mandy Muller, violin, Bernard Muller-Weber, guitar and Reinhard John, bass. They play adaptations of early twentieth-century klezmer greats from Eastern Europe and America. They will play the standards such as hora, bulgar and chusidl, but also branch into the combo elements with swing and tango and newly composed pieces such as "The Flatbush Waltz" by Andy Statman. Their website includes nice clips of several selections and includes their CD and contact information. Additionally special is a brief history of klezmer and photos of Jewish and formerly Jewish sites in the Polish part of Galitzia and environs. the site is primarily in German. A visit to the website gallery of photos is well worth it if you want to get a glimpse how some former Jewish synagogues, mikvehs and other property are being used by Europeans today. (If anyone is interested in an entire book on this subject of former Jewish property, email me and I'll give you more info).
http://www.yiddish-blues.de/
Great Britain
Freylach Spielers
Based in Leeds, England, the five-member Freylach Spielers perform all over the United Kingdom. They perform at concerts, functions and workshops and have a CD. The band does educational work with schools promoting Jewish music.
http://www.freylach-spielers.com/frame.htm
London Jewish Male Choir
London group founded in 1926 and continuing to perform regularly throughout the UK. The choir has performed in the USA, Germany, Ireland, South Africa and Poland as well as Israel. There is a photo gallery and member bios. The group has a CD called "For All These Things". The website includes an incredibly helpful list of scores the group has used. They have a database which lists the composer,name of piece, arranger, category of use, and their latest performance pieces. Unfortunately, in order to view the scores, you must load a capella software into your computer.
http://www.ljmc.org.uk/
oi-va-voi
"Oi-Va-Voi represent the cutting edge of new wave klezmer. Their unique sound infuses the traditional music of Sephardi Jews, Transylvanian gypsies
and the Ashkenazi shtetl with the dub and breakbeats of urban London. Odessan freylekhs, Yemeni devotionals and Macedonian wedding tunes explode
effortlessly into drum and bass driven tracks.
Hip young Londoners, Oi-Va-Voi are the subject of a recent international documentary film showcasing the best of contemporary British culture. They have recorded original music for film, theatre and BBC2's South Bank Show. The eclecticism of their music means klezmer Voi-style is not a musical
sacrament played only in hushed auditoriums. Oi-Va-Voi's musical wanderings have taken the spirit of klezmer to club nights in Amsterdam, to New York's avant-garde jazz scene, to Robert Wyatt's Meltdown at the Royal Festival Hall and to Antwerp International Festival of Jewish Music." Contact:INFO or bookings
oi-va-voi.com
Wembley Shul Choir
A temple Choir from the Wembley United Synagogue, located in Wembley, a suburb northwest of London. The site includes an interesting history of the group, a bit of philosophy on their music and audio clips of selected works.
http://www.j-geek.org/choir/index.html
The Zemel Choir
The Zemel Choir, founded in 1955 and located in London, UK, is a mixed voice choir that performs extensively in the UK, Israel and elsewhere. The repertoire is inclusive of Jewish liturgical, Israeli, madgrigals, modern and classical music. The choir has performed internationally at festivals, concerts, on the BBC and other media venues. The choir prides itself on its high musical standards.
http://www.the-zemel-choir.org/
Hungary
Budapester Klezmer Band
The first Jewish band founded in Hungary since the Holocaust, the Budapester Klezmer band was started in 1990 by Ferenc Javori. The tremendous goal they set for themselves is the reclamation of Jewish musical traditions in Hungary. The group has participated in international music festivals and has 3 CDs, one published by Harmonia Mundi.
http://www.datanet.hu/klezmer/
Israel
Daniel Akiva
Daniel Akiva, guitarist, appears as soloist, in Classical Trio (oboe, cello and guitar) and in ensembles presenting music inspired by the Judeo-Spanish tradition, with the Ladino language; a synthesis of Spanish and older Hebrew. Daniel Akiva’s repertoire includes works from the Renaissance to the 20th century. Special emphasis is placed in his programs on original music written by him or for him by Israeli composers.
http://www.monica-fallon.com/artists/daniel_akiva.htm
Evergreen
If you want to listen to Irish music, but still support a Jewish group in Israel, then this is for you. Michal and Gal Shachar, and Eitan Hoffer along with former Riverdance percussionist, Abe Doron, founded a group, Evergreen, Yarok Ad in Hebrew, that is touring Israel performing traditional Irish music. Based in Ma'ale Zvia, in the Galilee, the group plays a host of various instruments. They have also composed some original songs in the genre. The website gives some information on purchasing a CD and going to their concerts. Maybe the music will make Israel greener, (but a little more rain would help as well). One can always hope-- and that's the brilliance of planting the Irish sound in the rockier soil of Israel. Sweet.
http://www.evergreen.org.il/home.html
Achinoa Nini (Noa)
Fan site for Israeli singer Noa. Links to other fan sites and includes a biography and discography. By Aaron Rubin.
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~arubin/noa.html
Chava Alberstein: First
Lady of Israeli Song
Website for Israeli musical superstar Chava Alberstein with brief biography,
photos and discography. Startnet contains additional biographical sketches
of Israeli musicians.
http://www.aviv2.com/chava/
David Broza
Commercial site promoting the music of David Broza, popular Israeli rock star. Includes a biography and discography, quotes from critics and some sound samples.
http://Broza.com/
Essev Bar
A modern "Galilean" Israeli band with roots in world music, blending styles of many cultures. Website includes mp3 sound clips from several of their CDs.
http://www.essev-bar.co.il
Habrera Hativeet
Formed in 1977, Habrera Hativeet has performed around the world with Shlomo Bar, the founder, and features Sephardic and Eastern music fused with modern Israel. Bar, born in Rabat, Morocco, composes most of the group's songs. He plays drums and flute and also arranges much of the music. The rest of the band is: Manashe Sasson, on Santur; Nitsan-Ken Razel, violin; Samson Khamkar on violin, the sitar and the flute; Ilan Ben-Ami, guitar; Yael Offenbach, Tabla; and Yaacob Segal, piano, ud, and bass. Habrera hativeet have 9 CDs, some of which were originally released in LP. The group tours extensively world wide. The website features a video clip from The 11th Jewish Music Festival in Cracow - Poland, July 2001. Having attended a concert of this group at Brandeis, I can attest to the excitement experienced in a HH concert.
http://www.shlomobar.com/
Israel Zohar
Israel Zohar is a member and soloist of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. His webpage gives brief career highlights. Includes a listing of CDs and videos.
http://www.klezmer.co.il/
Israeli Klezmer King David Perkins
Excerpts from two CDs.
http://www.israelvisit.co.il/Perkins/index.html
Jerusalem Oratorio
Consisting of about 150 members, and led by director Ronen Borshevsky, the choir assembles to perform large choral works. They also work in smaller groups including six adult choirs and two children's choirs. They perform with various ensembles and symphonies around Israel. The website is in both Hebrew and English. There is information about their CDs. The Jerusalem Oratorio Choir is located at: 22 S.Y. Agnon Street, Jerusalem, Israel. Tel: 972-2-6480126. Fax: 972-2-6796652. E-mail: jerusalem_oratorio@lycos.com
http://jerusalem_oratorio.tripod.com/index.html
Michoel Streicher
A leading Orthodox performer, originally from Boro Park, but now residing in Israel.
http://www.shemayisrael.co.il/music/mstreicher/index.htm
The Jerusalem Lyric Trio
Amalia Ishak, soprano; Wendy Eisler-Kashy, flute; and
Allan Sternfield, piano are the trio's performers.
The Jerusalem Lyric Trio is an Israeli ensemble that highlights the religious and cultural heritage of the Jewish people in its performances. Since 1995, they have performed our programs throughout Western and Eastern Europe, the United States, South America, Russia, and of course, Israel.
The Trio's repertoire, in addition to familiar classical repertoire, includes works inspired by biblical texts, Jerusalem, the landscape of
Israel, the Holocaust, and familiar songs (in Hebrew, Yiddish, and Ladino). They have represented Israel in international music festivals, including
the Old Testament in the Arts (Prague), Judische Kulturtage (Munich), Musical Spring in St. Petersburg (Russia), The Eighth International New Music Festival (Riga, Latvia), Encuentros (Buenos Aires), Concentus Moravaie (Czech Republic) and the Budapest Spring Festival 2000. The Trio released a CD in 2001 entitled "If I Forget You, O Jerusalem".
For information contact:JERUSALEM LYRIC TRIO
kashy@internet-zahav.net
tel/fax 972 9 7669415
www.jerusalemlyrictrio.com
Magalnyk Klezmer Band
Website in Hebrew about a klezmer Israeli group.
The group has been performing since 1991 all over the Israel, in the States, and in Europe. Their manager is Yaron Ofer and the contact information is emailisken123@netvision.net.il And phone: 972+4+8246677 Also in Israel cell: 972+52+581967 .
http://www.ofereruim.co.il
Rahel Jaskow
Rahel Jaskow produced a CD of Jewish Sabbath songs in Hebrew and English. Day of Rest was released in November 2000 and subsequently won the 2001 Just Plain Folks music award for best CD in the ethnic music category. Her bio states that after majoring in English at the University of Rochester, Jaskow moved to Jerusalem, Israel. "She serves as a prayer leader for the women's prayer groups Shirat Sara and Women of the Wall, and also participates regularly in the Leader Minyan as a Torah reader." Ms. Jaskow's voice quality is rich, enchanting and extremely appealing as an Israeli-style "traditional folk" artist. She performs a cappella using recorded versions of herself to create a small group effect.
http://www.geocities.com/raheljaskow/
Reva L'Sheva
Israeli band weaves "spiritual lyrics with Latin,African and Middle Eastern grooves" comprised of six members living in Israel.
http://www.revalsheva.com/
Ruth Levin
Singer and actress. Ruth Levin is a leading Israeli vocalist of Jewish music. Ms. Levin is the
daughter of Leibu Levin, a well-known Yiddish composer and actor, with whom she performed in stage theater and concerts from a young age. Her programs
consist mostly of Yiddish songs, many of which are written to the finest Yiddish poetry.
http://www.monica-fallon.com/artists/ruth_levin.htm
Sheva
Musicians from Moshav Amirim in the Galilee, Israel have grouped with others to create Sheva. "As a group whose members come from different religions and different paths, we respect the cultural and traditional origin of each and every person. Jewish, Muslim, and Christian musicians from Semite religions join together in creating the music of Sheva."
http://www.sheva.org/
Tivon Chamber Choir
A 60 member choir located near Haifa. The Choir sings throughout Israel and often travels to Europe for competitions.
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Metro/7822/main.html
Yedid Trio
The Yedid Trio, from Israel "have established a successful concert series of Third Stream Music in Jerusalem. The aim of the series is to bring together new trends of jazz and creative classical music." The group synthesizes traditional musical patterns from the Oriental melos and contemporary western music. The group members are: Yitzhak Yedid - piano, Ora Boasson - double-bass and Adi Nedelin - drums.
http://www.monica-fallon.com/artists/yedid_trio.htm
Zlata Razdolina
A composer and singer. Most of her repertoire of more than six hundred romances and songs is composed on texts of the famous Russian classical poets, A. Akhmatova, N.Gumilyov, O. Mandelstam, M. Tsvetayeva, A. Blok, I. Severyanin, S.Yesenin and others. In Israel she has written music for symphony
orchestras, choirs and chamber ensembles. To contact her directly: razdolin@netvision.net.il
http://www.geocities.com/razdolina/
Zohar Argov
Features information about this Mizrachi and other singers. There is a picture gallery of several other performers.
http://www.speedy.co.il/zohar/
Netherlands
Amsterdams Synagogaal
Koor
Amsterdam Synagogue Choir in the Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam,
Netherlands under the direction of Barry Mehler. Includes a history of
the organization and selected excerpts of music with information about
obtaining sound recordings.
http://people.a2000.nl/rberend/
New Zealand
Jews Brothers Band
A band doing some cafes and Jewish improv in Aukland, New Zealand. Website has some real audio of cuts from their CD.
http://www.jewsbrothers.com
Spain
Trio Sefarad
A group dedicated to the revival and interpretation of Sephardi repertoire. Nora Usterman - soprano;
Ernesto Wildbaum - violín; Ricardo Barceló - guitar. Since 1994, the Trio has successfully performed at international festivals and a great number of concerts in Spain and abroad. The website is both in English and Spanish. It includes performer bios, photos, events calendar and a little history. The contact info is:
Ernesto Wildbaum
c/Fernando Alvarez Nº 19.
28280 El Escorial (Madrid)
Tel: (34) 91 8907069
e-mail: tsefarad@arrakis.es
http://www.arrakis.es/~wildbaum
Sweden
Vurma
Vurma is a klezmer sextet based in Stockholm.
http://hem1.passagen.se/vurma/
Sabbath Hela Veckan
Sabbath Hela Veckan is an instrumental sextet based in Sweden with members from Sweden, the US and Finland. Formed in 1989 their repetoire is "a musical and visual experience in Klezmer, Gypsy and east-European music."
http://www.sami.se/art/pbothen/homee1.htm
Switzerland
*PHIL-RON-CHOR Zurich
The Phil-Ron-Chor is the only mixed Jewish choir in Switzerland. It has members from the 4 Jewish communities in Zurich., i.e. religious, Orthodox, Liberal and Reform. The Choir gives concerts in synagogues, concert halls and churches. For more information, contact:
Edy Pluznik
c/o Lunetta AG
Hohlstrasse 612, CH-8038 Zurich /switzerland
E-Mail: lunetta@pingnet.ch
Kol Simcha
Kol Simcha, a Swiss ensemble formed in 1986, plays an assortment of klezmer styles from traditional to "contemporary." The website provides an up-to-date schedule, including venues in Switzerland, Germany, France and Norway. The biographies reveal that band members include both American and European trained musicians. Four CDs are featured with playlists and sound snippets.
http://www.kolsimcha.com/english/TheBand/frame_band.html
Synagogenchor Zurich
Robert Braunschweig, director. Bernard San, Chazan.
Language of site: German. The amazing thing about this website is that they've digitized their standard repertoire to make it available to their members. You can view or print from this digital music collection at their website. Website includes a schedule of their concerts and synagogue work.
http://www.synagogenchor.ch/
Turkey
Los Pasharos Sefaradis
A singing group from Istanbul, Turkey that specializes in Sephardic music. They have been acclaimed as quite authentic in terms of Sephardic and Ladino (Judeo-Spanaish) music. The website is in Turkish and English and gives information about the performers and their CDs. Real Audio files give samples of their music. Members of the group have advanced degrees in Judeo-Spanish culture and come from the academic as well as performance side of the culture.
http://www.sephardic-music.com
United States
Arbel: Philadelphia Young Adult Jewish Choir
Arbel is an acronym for Ohavei Rinah Bo-u Lashir. It is the website of the Jewish Choir in Philadelphia which provides information on concerts and connections to other Jewish choirs around the country.
http://home2.icdc.com/~arbel/
Bonnie Abrams & Allen Hopkins
Bonnie Abrams and Allen Hopkins perform acoustic folk music. Bonnie writes and sings new songs. A CD called A Sudenyu of Yiddish offers traditional and contemporary folk and theater songs in Yiddish.
http://dynrec.com/bonnieabrams/
Brandeis-Bardin Klezmer Ensemble
This loosely configured ensemble, established in 1993 under the auspices of the Brandeis-Bardin Institute, is currently based in Hollywood and Beverly Hills, California. The group is made up of professional and recording studio musicians. They perform extensively in the area and on television.
http://members.aol.com/bbiklezmer/index.htm
Brave Old World
Homepage of the Brave Old World klezmer band, this site includes both an English and German version, with complete discography, biography, contact information, tour dates and accessible sound samples. (One of my favorite groups!)
http://braveoldworld.com/
Casco Bay Tummlers
A website for the klezmer group Casco Bay Tummlers located in Portland, Maine, is now available online. The group includes wonderful photos of their recent trip to Vilna, Lithuania. The website contains contact information, reviews, interviews, articles, contact information and links to other sites.
http://www.cascobaytummlers.com
The Cincinnati Klezmer Project
This site is mounted by a band founded by students at of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion who play Jewish music with others affiliated with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Unusual at this site is an index of downloadable arrangements of klezmer music.
http://members.aol.com/klezme2/
Davka
A three person group of violin, cello and doumbek that intertwines musical traditions of Classical, Middle Eastern and Klezmer with a twist of jazz. They have two CDs, Davka and Lavy's Dream.
http://www.mv.com/ipusers/benj/lavys.html
The Diaspora Yeshiva Band
This band, formed in the 1970's at the Diaspora Yeshiva in Jerusalem, combines American bluegrass, rock and country music with the chassidic nigun. They gained fame after garnering prizes at the Chassidic Music Festival in Israel in the late 1970's. Today the band consists of eight members and has produced six albums including Melave Malke, At the Gate of Return, The Diaspora Yeshiva Band, and Land of Our Fathers. Samples of their style are available in Real Audio on their website. They sing in both Hebrew and English.
http://www.rockinrabbi.com/diaspora/
Divahn
All woman's quartet of Sephardic and Middle Eastern Jewish music, using tabla, cello, rabel, and other acoustics, plus vocals in Hebrew, Judeo-Spanish, Persian and Aramaic. Galeet Dardashti, leader, is the granddaughter of Yona Dardashti, one of the most famous singers of Persian classical music in Iran, and daughter of Hazzan Farid Dardashti. Lauren DeAlbert, percussion; Michal Raizen, cello; Emily Pinkerton, violin, rabel, banjo, and secondary vocals. Group based in Austin, Texas. The group has produced a CD by the same name.
http://www.divahn.com/
Even Sh'siyah
Six musicians from Chicago got together and are creating original music, some lyrics taken from traditional texts. Musical influences are eclectic, reflecting "rock, folk, reggae, bluegrass, Middle Eastern, and jazz."
http://www.TheWayJewsRock.com/frameset.htm
The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
This band plays Yiddish, Klezmer, Celtic and Balkan tunes. The five-member band also writes original compositions and performs primarily in Northern California and Oregon.
http://www.jps.net/morissa/freilach.htm
Halevi Choral Society
The Halevi Choral Society is a professional Jewish choir located in Chicago, IL under the direcction of Judith Karzen. Founded as a community chorus in 1926 by Harry Coopersmith and Hyman Reznick, the choral group, devotes its entire repertoire to Jewish music. Styles include liturgical, Israeli, Yiddish, Ladino and secular Jewish music. The Choral group presents many new works and commissions compositions. The website includes contact information, a history, a mission statement and a concert schedule.
http://www.vjc.org/halevi/
Joy Katzen Guthrie
A cantorial soloist and performer in Florida for over 18 years, Ms. Guthrie concertizes widely and has seven recordings. She writes many original works which are included in her CD's. "Her concerts include liturgical music of the Jewish Kabbalists, Israeli and Yiddish folk tunes, musical stage and film works, and original songs, all of which she uniquely weaves together with history, storytelling, and song." Her website is up-to-date and inclusive of booking and travel information, as well as a bio and CD's, including some lyrics to her albums.
http://www.joyfulnoise.net/Joy.html
Judy Frankel
Judy Frankel's page includes a brief biography, discography, reviews and a catalog of her recordings. Real Audio samples are available.
http://www.rahul.net/hrmusic/artists/jfart.html
Jewish Chamber Orchestra of Boston
The Jewish Chamber Orchestra is in its third season. It is a community orchestra performing in the Boston area. They perform classical works with Jewish themes, music by Jewish composers and original compositions. Rehearsals are on Monday evenings in Brookline, MA and led by Gilbert Trout. For more information, please contact Gilbert at trouts@peapod.com OR call 617-232-5035. Gilbert is also currently looking at new compositions by Jewish composers for future concerts. If you are writing music or know someone writing Jewish music for chamber orchestra, tell them to call or email. This may be a good opportunity to have a piece performed in and/or around Boston.
trouts@peapod.com
Judy Caplan Ginsburgh
Professional Singer/Recording Artist/Educator.She majored in Vocal Performance from the Indiana University School of Music. Ginsburgh "presents over 100 concerts a year in schools, libraries, community centers, museums and festivals throughout North America." She has been a Louisiana State Roster Artist since 1988 and was named the Louisiana Professional Artist of the Year in 1999. "Judy is a three time Parents Choice Foundation Award winner and she has received a Seal of Approval from the National Parenting Center. Judy is a three time Parents Choice Foundation Award winner and she has received a Seal of Approval from the National Parenting Center."
http://www.judymusic.com/
Kabalas Klez-Kat Korner
Exhuberant local site promoting the music of a youthful set of musicians from Moline, Illinois (Quad Cities) described by local press as a "vaudeville inspired, polka-delic klezmer act."
http://www.qconline.com/kabalas/index_a.htm
Kame'a Media
The website of Wolf Krakowski promotes his recordings which incorporate Yiddish and modern musical elements. Musical samples are available at the site.
http://www.kamea.com/
Kaskeset
The SUNY Binghamton a capella group, made up of very enthusiastic college students who love to sing Jewish music. Their website includes discography, news, reviews and links. It looks like they're having a lot of fun out there.
http://www.hillelatbinghamton.org/kaskeset/index.html
Klez Dispensers
Princeton University's brand new Klezmer Band founded in the Fall, 1998. The web presentation has a wonderful history of klezmer written by Evan Variano.
http://www.princeton.edu/~klez/
Klezical Tradition
The Klezical Tradition is a klezmer band based in western New England.
http://members.aol.com/klezical/tradition.html
The Klezmer Connection
A musical quartet called The Klezmer Connection now has a website advertising the group, with Iosif Zilberman, violin; Dimitry Cernavski, clarinet/saxophone; Michele Levine, vocalist and pianist/keyboardist and Andrea Valentini, percussion. They perform in the New York, New Jersey, Connecticut area. The Klezmer Connection specializes in klezmer, Yiddish and Israeli music, as well as American standards such as Broadway showtunes and lots of swing music. Klezmer Connection has "performed throughout the US, Europe and Israel at concerts, music festivals, and, most joyously, bar/bat mitzvahs and weddings." They are often joined by Jim Gold, a folk-dance teacher and leader. Contact Michele Levine: 914-328-3408 or email:klezmerconnection@hotmail.com
http://klezmerconnection.com/
The Klezmer Conservatory Band
Now in its fourteenth season and based in Boston, the Klezmer Conservatory Band has performed concerts from coast to coast and has seven albums: Yiddishe Renaissance, Klez, and A Touch of Klez , Oy Chanukah, A Jumpin' Night in the Garden of Eden, OldWorld Beat and their latest release, Live!
http://www.aaronconcert.com/acm/kcb.htm
Klezmos: World-Klez Music
The Klezmos webpage provides a calendar of upcoming programs, information on group members and contact information.
http://www.dc.net/wendy/klezmos.html
Kol B'yachad
Brown University a capella singing group.
http://www.brown.edu/Students/Jewish_Student_Union/
Committees/Kol_bYachad/pages/home.html
Los Angeles Jewish Symphony
The Los Angeles Jewish Symphony is a professional organization that performs serious works by Jewish composers or music based on Jewish themes. Under the direction of Noreen Green, the group scheduled four major performances in the 1999-2000 season. The website offers concert schdules and ticket information, contact information and a list of officers.
http://lajs.home.att.net/index.html
Mappamundi
Bringing Jewish music to Virginia, North and South Carolina. Their repertoire includes Yiddish and Ladino tunes. Jane Peppler is the contact person in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Write or call 919-383-8952 (fax: 919-382-8601). Jane Peppler, 5301 Cedronella Drive, Chapel Hill NC 27514.
http://www.mappamundi.com/jewish.html
Mark Bloom
A Minnesota musician has mounted a website about his programs, recordings and band. Sample reviews are offered as references about the quality of his work.
http://www.markbloom.com/
Maxwell Street Klezmer Band
A Chicago based klezmer band. Site lists the band's upcoming concert dates and some CD's. It includes a nice page with bios of the musicians.
http://www.klezmerband.com/
The Miami Boys Choir
This website features information about Yerachmiel Begun and his current albums, a clearly arranged listing of concert schedules, music samples and enthusiasm in a visual site.
http://www.ybandmbc.com
The Music of Abraham Fried
Presents an interview with Avraham Fried and also online samples of music from his CD's. Quite a bit of online music available. One of the top Orthodox music composers with a rock sound to texts in Hebrew, Yiddish, and English. Blends traditional and popular music.
http://www.thinkjewish.com/fried_music.html
Nashir Choral Ensemble--University of Judaism
As part of the University of Judaism campus, the Nashir Choral ensemble performs Jewish and non-Jewish works. The Jewish music portion is primarily arrangements of Israeli tunes, liturgical works and compositions by Jewish composers.
http://www.uj.edu/studentlife/media1.html
Nefesh
Located in Southbury, Connecticut, this band serves the local communities surrounding Waterbury.
http://members.tripod.com/NefeshBand/index.htm
RebbeSoul
"The exciting six-piece, world beat band, featuring vocals, balalaika, guitars, bass, keyboards, drums, and exotic percussion, plays material from their three CDs plus traditional and new songs."
http://www.rebbesoul.com/
Rubinchik's Orkestyr
Newly formed Jewish band in Austin, Texas. Currently 7 members with a CD Flipnotics Freilachs.
http://208.21.248.179/rubinchik/
Ruby Harris Music
Ruby Harris plays the blues and "jazmer" --klezmer violin. His website has some music clips and short history of his work. Several recordings are featured. Contact Information: 6645 N. California / 303,
Chicago, IL 60645 . call 773-465-6565
http://www.rubyharrismusic.com
Safam
Safam is a vocal group that's been around for years. What's nice is, they continue to write new music, primarily in English. Yet, Safam has reached the point where you can now get "greatest hits" albums. In the world of Jewish music, this is some sort of milemarker few ever reach. The Safam website has many online clips of music from a variety of their albums, old and new, a clear and simple chart with listings of upcoming concerts, songbooks, CDs and biographies of the performers.
http://www.safam.com/safam/
Shircago
Good things are happening in the midwest.... A new young a cappella ensemble called Shircago is out there performing and recording. They have a CD called "Striking a Chord"....produced in year 2000, coming out of "the first-ever Jewish a cappella festival based in the Midwest." A Cappella groups are very popular on college campuses today.... these exuberant young people are combining some fun with Jewish music.
http://shircago.net/
Shmuel Mashiach Orchestra
A Chicago based simcha band which performs around the midwest area. The band considers their orchestrations and style updated. The site lists contact information, a history of the band and a list of their repertoire.
http://www.jewishbands.com/
Shirona
Singer, Songwriter and Teacher of Jewish Music, Shirona performs Jewish, spiritual, liturgical, Israeli, and cantorial music. She lives and works in Rye, New York. Her CD was featured in the Jewish Week's (Jewish weekly paper in the NY area) 2001 year-end "Best Jewish Recordings of the Year. Shirona composes, arranges, sings and records all of her music. For a review of this album, see:A New Liturgical Voice".
http://www.shirona.com
http://artists.mp3s.com/info/67/shirona.html
Tanja Solnik
Tanja Solnik sings traditional Jewish lullabies in Yiddish, Ladino and Hebrew.
http://www.tanjasolnik.com/
Voice of the Turtle
Voice of the Turtle is a Boston-based group specializing in the music of the Jews of Spain. The group "learns most of its repertoire from field recordings housed in Jerusalem at the Jewish Music Research Center, at Hebrew University and at the radio station Kol Yisrael. These versions were collected by radio-journalists, scholars, and ethnomusicologists from Sephardi communities in Israel,documenting many versions of the songs which have been preserved by oral tradition." Their website includes information on the performers, their instruments, and the group through FAQs. Artistic Director, Judith Wachs.
http://www.voiceoftheturtle.com
The Western Wind
An a cappella group heard for a number of years on NPR for programs such as The Birthday of the World, The Chanukkah Story and The Passover Story. Along with Jewish music they have recordings on early American folk and art music.
http://www.westernwind.org/
Yerachmiel Begun and the Miami Boys Choir
This website features information about current albums, a clearly arranged listing of concert schedules, music samples and enthusiasm in a visual site.
http://www.ybandmbc.com
Yom Hadash
A Boston based contemporary Jewish music group. A four person ensemble influenced by Craig Taubman and Debbie Friedman. They sing their own original songs which are Jewish thematically, but combine musical idioms of modern rock, blues and funk.
http://www.yomhadash.com/home.htm
Za'atar
Za'atar is a band dedicated to the performance of the vibrant music of the Jewish Mizrahi and Sephardic cultures.
http://geocities.com/soho/exhibit/3145/
Zamir Chorale
Zamir Chorale concert schedule and excerpts from recordings are available at their website. This site also contains links to Jewish music resources.
http://www.zamir.org
Uruguay
Marcelo Bruckman, Cantor
The cantor of the Comunidad Israelita del Uruguay has a webpage dedicated to his teachers and a vitae. In Spanish and English. He includes audio clips of cantor and choir with enjoyable melodies and arrangements.
http://www.arroba.nu/jazan/