New York’s own Klezmatics return to the road this December for Toward the Light, this year’s celebration of Hanukkah centered around the marriage of their soulful and ebullient melodies to American folk icon Woody Guthrie’s playful and poignant lyrics. In 1942, Woody moved to Brooklyn, New York, and soon, through raising his three children and inspired by his mother-in-law, the Yiddish poet and social activist Aliza Greenblatt, became involved with the Coney Island Jewish community. He wrote songs about Hanukkah, Jewish history and spiritual life. After his death in 1967, these treasures lay forgotten in boxes for almost thirty years, until they were rediscovered by Woody’s daughter, Nora. A chance encounter with the Klezmatics at the Tanglewood music festival inspired her to ask the band to write new music for her father’s unsung words, which resulted the acclaimed album Woody Guthrie’s Happy Joyous Hanukkah. This delightful collection of songs, including “Hanukkah’s Flame,” “Hanukkah Gelt,” “Honeyky Hanukkah” and the title tck, is among the best of Woody’s work and the Klezmatics’ musical settings have become an perennial addition to the Hanukkah song tradition. For this year's tour, the band will play additional holiday material and revisit gems from their nearly 40-year musical journey, inspired by the universal hope for the restoration of light and peace around the world. Additionally, the band is planning the release of a new Happy Joyous Hanukkah EP, featuring recently unearthed recordings of their favorite songs along with cover versions by other artists.

Since their emergence more than 30 years ago, the Klezmatics have raised the bar for Eastern European Jewish music, made aesthetically, politically and musically interesting recordings, inspired future generations, created a large body of work that is enduring, and helped to change the face of contemporary Yiddish culture. Often called a “Jewish roots band,” the Klezmatics have led a popular revival of this ages-old, nearly forgotten art form.

They have performed in more than 20 countries and released 11 albums to date - most recently the album Apikorsim (Heretics), produced by Danny Blume (who helped the band win a Grammy in 2006) and the first of the band’s albums to feature only the 6 members. On their Grammy-winning 2006 album Wonder Wheel, the Klezmatics set a dozen previously unsung Woody Guthrie lyrics to music, widening their stylistic base by largely diverging from klezmer. They have also recently served as the subject of a feature-length documentary film, The Klezmatics: On Holy Ground.

During their third-of-a-century existence the Klezmatics have collaborated with such brilliant artists as violinist, Itzhak Perlman Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner, and Israeli vocal icon Chava Alberstein, plus many other prominent artists working within multiple genres.

Today, with three original members - Lorin Sklamberg (lead vocals, accordion, guitar, piano), Frank London (trumpet, keyboards, vocals) and Paul Morrissett (bass, tsimbl, vocals) - still on board, alongside longtime members Matt Darriau (kaval, clarinet, saxophone, vocals) and Lisa Gutkin (violin, vocals), the Klezmatics are without a doubt the most successful proponents of klezmer music in the world.

The Klezmatics’ music is rooted in but is not a strictly traditional variety of the klezmer genre. Rather it is a comfortable hybrid that appeals equally to those with no previous exposure to the music and those already familiar with it.

Special Guest: Aani Kisslinger

Aaron "Aani" Kisslinger (they/them) is a vocalist, brass player, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer,  and writer born and raised in NYC. Drawing on their upbringing in the lineages of Klezmer and Balkan  Brass, they explore the connection between Jewish, Romani, Ottoman, and Arabic musics. They are the  force behind solo ElectraBrassPop project AANI, bandleader of Novi Hitovi Brass Band and Dancing Divas  Brass Band, a member of Zlatne Uste Balkan Brass, Stoop Kidz Brass Band, Git Azoy Klezmer Collective,  and queer/trans Salsa band Las Mariquitas, and a regular horn player with Slavic Soul Party!, EMEFE,  High and Mighty Brass Band, and more.

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