THE KLEZMATICS play radical Jewish roots music for the 21st Century, reinventing klezmer as only adventurous musicians in New York City would. Their arrangements and compositions combine Jewish identity and mysticism with a contemporary zeitgeist and a postmodern aesthetic. Since 1986, THE KLEZMATICS have celebrated the ecstatic nature of Yiddish music, creating music by turns frenetic, soul-stirring, spiritual and danceable.

The vitality and joy of THE KLEZMATICS' music has uplifted sold-out audiences around the world. They've reached millions of television viewers on PBS-TV's GREAT PERFORMANCES, LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, THE BBC's RHYTHMS OF THE WORLD, and MTV NEWS, among others. Their sessions for the BBC's JOHN PEEL SHOW and National Public Radio's NEW SOUNDS earned them a place on those programs' "best of the year" lists.

Their creative collaborations have included projects with artists as varied as Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner (ANGELS IN AMERICA), classical violinist Itzhak Perlman, Moroccan folk ensemble The Master Musicians of Jajouka, poet Allen Ginsberg, avant-rockers Elliot Sharp, Marc Ribot and John Zorn. THE KLEZMATICS have provided music for works by choreographer Twyla Tharp, filmmakers Judith Helfand (A HEALTHY BABY GIRL), Jonathan Berman (THE SHVITZ), and Gregg Bordowitz (FAST TRIP, LONG DROP).

The band's latest release THE WELL (Xenophile Records) is a collaboration with the renowned Israeli diva Chava Alberstein. This powerful album of Jewish music is paired with verse by some of the 20th century's greatest Yiddish poets. Produced by Ben Mink (k.d. lang), THE WELL is a tapestry of Alberstein's lush vocals and the band's radiant musicianship.

THE KLEZMATICS' 1997 release POSSESSED (Xenophile) features guest musician John Medeski (of Medeski, Martin & Wood). The music is excerpted from their score for Tony Kushner's adaptation of the classic Yiddish stage play THE DYBBUK. The recording reached #1 on the College Music Journal World Music Charts, #3 on the European World Music Sales Chart, and was awarded the 1997 Deutsche Schallplatten Kritikspreis in Europe.

The band's 1995 release, JEWS WITH HORN (Xenophile), reached the top ten of the College Music Journal's World Music chart and the European World Music Sales Chart, the 1995 Best of the Year list in the Village Voice, and earned them a

The Klezmatics: Alicia Svigals - violin / Lorin Sklamberg - accordion, vocals, keyboards / Paul Morrissett - bass, tsimbl / Frank London - trumpet, keyboards / David Licht - drums / Matt Darriau - clarinet, saxophone

In fall 1995 THE KLEZMATICS appeared with Itzhak Perlman in his Emmy Award-winning PBS Television special "Great Performances: IN THE FIDDLER'S HOUSE." A recording of the same name was simultaneously released by EMI Classics/Angel, featuring THE KLEZMATICS accompanying Mr. Perlman on his first foray into klezmer. This album has since topped World and Classical music charts internationally, becoming one of the top selling folk albums of the past decade.

THE KLEZMATICS continue to be prolific, both collectively and as solo artists. They are active musicians on the New York music circuit, and new projects are always in the works. In August of 1998, they had the privilege of performing at Peter Gabriel's WOMAD Festival on its only American date. In addition to their own touring year round, THE KLEZMATICS will also be joining Perlman and Alberstein for concerts in 1999.