Two of the most exciting ensembles in contemporary klezmer and Yiddish music come together for a rare double bill at Next Stage Arts on Friday, April 17. Doors open at 6:45 PM; the show begins at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and $10 for livestream access via nextstagearts.org.
Jake Shulman-Ment & Abigale Reisman: Two Strings
Violinists Jake Shulman-Ment and Abigale Reisman are redefining the klezmer string band tradition. Their collaboration, Two Strings, combines breathtaking virtuosity, a deep connection to Yiddish and Eastern European musical traditions, and fearless improvisation. Joined by longtime collaborators Pete Rushefsky on tsimbl and Raffi Boden on cello, Jake and Abigale present a mix of original compositions, newly set early 20th-century radical Yiddish poetry, and rediscovered works from forgotten manuscripts. Their music—haunting, ecstatic, and deeply alive—blurs the line between past and present, sounding at home in a concert hall, a wedding canopy, or a lively tavern.
Ira Temple & Michael Winograd
Brooklyn-based Ira Temple and Michael Winograd are key figures in New York City’s klezmer scene. Temple, founder of the radical Yiddish project Tsibele and longtime director of the Purimshpil Aftselakhis Spectacle Committee, blends queer and trans songwriting with Yiddish tradition. His upcoming solo album, Strange Tongue – Mistame-Loshn, reimagines classic Yiddish songs through a contemporary lens. Clarinetist Winograd, leader of The Honorable Metnshn, has collaborated with icons like Itzhak Perlman and the Klezmatics, bringing klezmer to global audiences. His upcoming release, TANZ! Live in New York City, revives the legendary 1956 klezmer album featuring clarinet masters Dave Tarras and Sam Musiker.
Together, these ensembles bridge eras of Ashkenazic musical history, offering a fresh and original soundtrack of the Jewish diaspora. This evening promises a dynamic and deeply soulful exploration of klezmer, Yiddish culture, and the boundless possibilities of string and clarinet music.
This performance is sponsored in part by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.
