Ezekiel's Wheels Klezmer Band in concert

Boston based internationally-acclaimed Ezekiel’s Wheels Klezmer Band brings passion, virtuosity, and contagious energy to every performance. The Wheels improvise with the intimacy of chamber music and the intensity of a rowdy dance band. Klezmer is a Hebrew word, a combination of the words "kley" (vessel) and "zemer" (melody) that referred to musical instruments in ancient times. It became colloquially attached to Jewish folk musicians sometime in the Middle Ages. Working under various restrictions in different centuries and cultures, Jewish musicians (klezmorim) developed their own unique style out of a variety of local musical styles. Figuring most prominently are Ottoman Turkish modes and Balkan gypsy and clarinet stylings. While "klezmer" referred originally only to instrumental music, it has come to mean Yiddish vocal music as well, encompassing both folk songs and music from the Yiddish theater, which thrived in the early 20th century in both Warsaw and New York.

 

The Cape Ann Guitar Society presents Folk Week - four nights of music where we showcase some of our area’s most unique musical voices in a variety of venues on Cape Ann. Our diversity is our strength - get to know the folk music of the Puerto Rican countryside, Jewish celebrations, the Emerald Isle, Cape Ann maritime tradition, and modern Americana.