The Klezmatics

The Klezmatics are the only Grammy Award-winning klezmer band and one of the most iconic and adventurous groups in modern Jewish music. Since emerging from New York City’s East Village in 1986, they have led a global revival of klezmer, combining centuries-old Yiddish tradition with radical contemporary sensibilities.

For nearly four decades, The Klezmatics have brought their unique sound to audiences around the world—blending klezmer with jazz, gospel, punk, classical, Latin, and Balkan styles. Their music is rooted in Eastern European Jewish tradition but embraces a progressive worldview, tackling themes like human rights, antifundamentalism, diaspora, and cultural resistance.

Their impact is unmistakable. The Klezmatics are the only klezmer band to win a Grammy Award (Best Contemporary World Music Album for Wonder Wheel: Lyrics by Woody Guthrie). They have released 13 acclaimed albums, topped the Billboard World Music Chart, and received multiple international honors, including the German Critics Award and the New York Jewish Music Award.

Their work transcends genre and platform. The Klezmatics have performed in over 20 countries and in venues from Carnegie Hall to European cathedrals to rock festivals. Their music has been featured in films, television, theater, and dance, including collaborations with Tony Kushner (A Dybbuk), Pilobolus Dance Theatre (Davenen), and the scores of films by Pearl Gluck. Their songs have appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion, and HBO’s Sex and the City.

The Klezmatics have collaborated with a vast range of artists including violinist Itzhak Perlman, Israeli star Chava Alberstein, gospel singer Joshua Nelson, Arlo Guthrie, poet Allen Ginsberg, Theodore Bikel, and more. Their Grammy-winning project with Woody Guthrie’s lyrics redefined the possibilities of Jewish-American musical storytelling.