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Klezmer music is traditional Jewish music. It originated in Eastern Europe in the 19th century where musicians known as klezmorim would play for weddings and other celebrations. Bands would consist of instruments such as flute, clarinet, violin, accordion, and double bass.
In the late 19th and early 20th century many Jewish people emigrated to New York. Musicians were influenced by American jazz and the traditional dance music evolved into what we know today as Klezmer.
Although the flute was widely used in the early Klezmer bands, it was replaced in later bands by the louder and more penetrating sound of the clarinet. A well-known klezmer flautist is Adrianne Greenbaum, who has done a lot of work to revive the flute as a klezmer instrument. Here’s a clip of her performing a on a boxwood flute:
Well-known klezmer bands include: The Klezmer Conservatory Band, The Klezmatics, Brave Old World and The Maxwell Street Klezmer Band. Check out these youtube videos of some great klezmer musicians performing: