Isle of Klezbos

Isle of Klezbos first emerged as an organic offshoot of New York's Metropolitan Klezmer. Formed in 1998, the frolicsome six-piece women's band soon became an acclaimed, dancing-in-the-aisles hit at a wide variety of venues from Vienna to Vancouver, and sold-out shows in 2024-25 including Joe's Pub NYC, City Winery (both NYC & Boston!), and Wellfleet Preservation Hall. A versatile, neo-traditional ensemble, the group plays imaginative versions of eclectic Eastern European-rooted Jewish folk music, Yiddish swing and tango, plus an ever-expanding repertoire of vibrant originals.

The band's latest album, "Yiddish Silver Screen," was released in December 2023 and immediately hit ASCAP's holiday playlists. Special projects have included backing Jill Sobule's "Music from Yentl" at Lincoln Center & beyond, and the band will be dedicating two upcoming shows to our beloved memories of Jill, featuring two of our favorite songs this very special but lesser-known original "Yentl" repertoire that we were so fortunate to perform with her.

Isle of Klezbos has enjoyed appearances on HBO's "Just Like That," Showtime's "The L Word" & CBS "Sunday Morning," as well as recording sessions for platinum Grammy-nominee Scissor Sisters. Recent live appearances highlights include sextet concerts at NYC's Museum of Jewish Heritage and Long Island's Heckscher Park Rainbow Stage, as well as featured appearances at MoMA/PS1 for Gregg Bordowitz's extravaganza three-show run.

The sextet brings together a rare combination of talent inspired by extensive experiences in an kaleidoscopic array of styles, from klezmer to Cajun, funk, reggae, classical, punk, and Latin jazz. Their 2014 album "Live From Brooklyn" followed debut disc "Greetings from the Isle of Klezbos," including both studio tracks and live cuts from Joe's Pub and The Knitting Factory. Enthused reviews, awards, and international airplay have abounded.  Live radio broadcasts have included Northeast Public Radio, Europe's eMap fm, and NYC-area iconoclastic station WFMU, and lovely Klezbian photo spreads have graced arts sections from Jewish Week to The Advocate to Vienna's Der Kurier.

Exciting collaborations have emerged when Isle of Klezbos shares the stage and creative collaborations with like-minded creative performers. A joint creation with folk/blues star Natalia Zukerman for lap-steel arrangement of "Farlangen" (based on a little-known soundtrack gem from 1937 Polish/Yiddish cinema classic The Dybbuk) commissioned by Helix Project/Yiddishkayt has been released on video. Vintage pairings have included double bills with Sanda Weigl's "Gypsy in a Tree" (Shoko Nagai/piano & accordion, Satoshi Takeishi/percussion, Ben Stapp/tuba), the Lascivious Biddies all-female cocktail pop quartet, and Diane Nerwen's experimental film "The Great Yiddish Love." Tour highlights lately have included Portland OR's Alberta Rose Theatre, San Francisco's Yerba Buena Gardens, as well as college venues throughout the US.

The band's Yinglish/Latin groove reworking of "Comes Love" was released as the 'Klezbonus' track on Metropolitan Klezmer CD, "Traveling Show." Their film /music appearances in concert have included "The Yiddish Celluloid Closet" at The Center for Jewish History sponsored by YIVO Institute and American Jewish Historical Society, as well as "Music from Yiddish Cinema" at JxJ in Washington DC. The group also performed live in the sold-out Off-Off Broadway run of "J.Edgar Klezmer: Songs from My Grandmother's FBI Files" (book, music & lyrics by drummer/bandleader/grandchild Eve Sicular), with spin-off appearances at Centenary Theatre Company, The Emelin Theatre, JCC Manhattan, Dixon Place, and cabaret 54 Below.

Awards

Helix/Yiddishkayt David Shneer New Yiddish Culture 2020/2021 grant for "Farlangen" multimedia music/video collaboration: Music from The Dybbuk adapted by Eve Sicular and Natalia Zukerman New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Fund for Creative Communities (multiple years, 2008 - 2018) Supporting performances including "Isle of Klezbos: Isle of Manhattan! 20th Anniversary Sextet Concerts," annual KlezBiGay Pride Shows at El Sol Brilliante Garden, and "Roots & Fruits" Harvest Festival in Manhattan. Sparkplug Foundation, 2005: post-production grant Outmusic Award nom, 2004: "Greetings from the Isle of Klezbos" CD - Outstanding Producer