“We were made for these times”
(“The New York Sessions”)
The Klezmatics’ 40th Anniversary Album
The New York Sessions is the boldest album The Klezmatics have created in over a decade. Marking their 40th anniversary, it is a vibrant tribute to New York City’s cultural mosaic and to the band's enduring mission: reimagining klezmer as a force for joy, resistance, and radical collaboration.
Set for release in 2026, the album features newly composed songs, multilingual resistance anthems, and stunning musical partnerships with artists from across the globe. It’s a celebration of survival, solidarity, and sound.
🌍 Tour the Music
The Klezmatics have performed in more than 20 countries—from Carnegie Hall to WOMAD, from Yiddish Summer Weimar to outdoor festivals across Europe and North America.
In 2025–2026, they’ll bring The New York Sessions on tour across the USA, Canada, and Europe—with guest collaborators joining on select dates.
🎥 Watch live demos of new songs from the album:
Ikh Ken Nit Zogn Vitsn
Elegy for the Innocents
I'm Willing
🗓 Check the Tour Calendar for upcoming shows
🌟 Featured Guest Artists
🎤 La Manga
Afro-Colombian Vocal & Percussion Collective
La Manga is a women-led powerhouse from Colombia’s Caribbean coast, blending traditional rhythms with protest and poetry. Their fierce, grounded energy brings a powerful cross-cultural dimension to the album.
🎤 Joshua Nelson
The King of Kosher Gospel
Joshua Nelson fuses Black gospel soul with Jewish liturgy in a style that is wholly his own. Joyful, soulful, and powerful—he brings deep emotion and spiritual fire to this collaboration.
🎤 Lavender Light Gospel Choir
NYC’s Black LGBTQ+ Gospel Choir
Lavender Light has uplifted generations with their rich harmonies, spiritual depth, and legacy of pride and protest. Their voices bring sacred power to The New York Sessions.
🎤 Janis Siegel
Grammy-winning jazz vocalist
Janis Siegel is a Grammy-winning American jazz and pop singer, best known as a longtime member of the vocal group The Manhattan Transfer. Renowned for her rich tone and versatility, she has also built a successful solo career, collaborating with top jazz musicians worldwide.
🎤 William Parker
A towering figure in avant-garde and spiritual jazz.
William Parker has spent decades reshaping the language of improvisation. His grounding presence, fearless creativity, and deep sense of purpose add powerful resonance to this collaboration.
Together with Frank London, they appear on the album’s opening track, “Elegy for the Innocents.”
🎤 Sofía Rei
Argentine Experimental Folk Vocalist
Sofía Rei blends South American folk, avant-garde jazz, and modern electronics into a dynamic and expressive sound. Her voice brings power, range, and unexpected magic to the music.
🎤 Ben Lapidus
A virtuoso of the tres (Afro-Caribbean guitar) and a brilliant scholar of Latin music.
Ben joins La Manga and The Klezmatics on “Di Tsukunft” and “Un du Akerst,” weaving rhythmic fire through these reimagined Yiddish
🎤 Danny Blume
Grammy-winning producer.
Danny Blume returns to The Klezmatics 20 years after co-producing Wonder Wheel, the only Klezmer album to ever win a Grammy. A versatile musician and sonic storyteller, Danny has toured and recorded with artists like Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Iggy Pop, Jewel, Medeski Martin & Wood, and Lisa Loeb. From his custom-built studio in Woodstock, NY, he brings decades of genre-crossing experience, deep musicality, and fearless creativity to We Were Made for These Times.
🎸 Enver Izmaylov
Crimean Tatar Guitar Virtuoso
Enver Izmaylov’s signature two-handed tapping technique fuses jazz improvisation with Eastern European and Turkic musical traditions. His playing bridges cultures with every phrase.
🎤 James Brandon Lewis
A leading voice in contemporary jazz.
James Brandon Lewis is known for his deeply expressive tenor saxophone sound that bridges free improvisation with gospel, hip-hop, and avant-garde traditions. His playing channels both urgency and spiritual depth, bringing raw emotion to this project.
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📩 Contact: ilya@rootsandchordsmusic.com