The Klezmatics Bring Hanukkah Celebration to SFJAZZ

On Monday, December 15, the Miner Auditorium at SFJAZZ becomes the heart of a musical celebration spanning four decades and multiple cultures. The Klezmatics, the world’s only Grammy-winning klezmer band, return to San Francisco to perform their "Happier Joyous Hanukkah" show. This event marks a major milestone in the band's history, coinciding with their 40th anniversary and the vinyl reissue of their landmark collaboration with the Woody Guthrie estate. For Bay Area music fans, this concert provides a rare chance to see a band that remains as lively and revolutionary today as it was when it first started in New York’s East Village. (Click play to listen.)

Roots in the East Village Avant-Garde

To understand the energy The Klezmatics bring to the stage, it is essential to grasp the unique cultural ecosystem from which they emerged. Formed in 1986, the band resulted from a specific artistic convergence in New York City where genre boundaries dissolved. Trumpeter and keyboardist Frank London reflects on the "spark" that enabled the band to blend centuries-old Jewish traditions with a radical, modern attitude.

I believe two factors come together... in that time and place," London explains. "On one hand, you had a gathering of musicians, venues, and clubs... it wasn't about genre. You had salsa, jazz, and rock musicians, all exploring history and moving forward. Everyone lived and worked here. There were countless venues, from CBGB to La MaMa. It was all so vital, and there was a real fluidity to it.

This environment cultivated a sound that honored tradition without being limited by it. London highlights the geographical significance of their roots: "The Lower East Side... is the old Jewish neighborhood with all these synagogues and old remnants of a specific time, place, and history... There was a sense of rootedness in the place itself, and at the same time, a desire to celebrate that rootedness while still moving forward."

This release expands on the Hanukkah-themed lyrics Woody Guthrie wrote, creating a holiday classic that combines klezmer with American folk and other genres.

“Woody Guthrie just worked nonstop... He is like the Jack Kerouac of songwriters," London says. "Nora was going through stored boxes... she found many song lyrics while sorting through them... Woody must have performed, but we don't know what melodies he performed them to because they were never recorded.” - Frank London

The Woody Guthrie Connection

The focal point of the upcoming SFJAZZ performance is repertoire from Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah. The project started when Nora Guthrie, Woody’s daughter, found a collection of lyrics her father wrote in the 1940s while engaged with the Brooklyn Jewish community through his mother-in-law, the Yiddish poet Aliza Greenblatt.

“Woody Guthrie just worked nonstop... He is like the Jack Kerouac of songwriters," London says. "Nora was going through stored boxes... she found many song lyrics while sorting through them... Woody must have performed, but we don't know what melodies he performed them to because they were never recorded.”

The collaboration started after a chance encounter at Tanglewood. "She met us when we were playing... with Itzhak Perlman, and she asked us if we were interested in working on these lyrics of Woody's," London recalls. "We're like, 'yeah, what do you think? We're crazy, of course we are!'—the greatest thing in the world."

London’s research into the archives revealed how deeply Guthrie engaged with the holiday. "Woody would write dates on these pieces of paper, and all Hanukkah songs would be grouped together around one particular week in December... he must have said, 'Oh, I'll just write some Hanukkah songs.'"

A Unique Sonic Experience for SFJAZZ

While The Klezmatics are known for their dance-worthy rhythms, their show at the Miner Auditorium promises a particular sonic quality designed for the venue’s acoustics and the audience's preferences. The band plans to use the listening setting to delve into the jazz aspects of their sound.

"We've played SFJAZZ a few times, and for me, it's a very special venue," London says. "The sound is wonderful. The audience is wonderful... But one thing you should know about The Klezmatics is that the six of us do not share a single unified musical background."

London emphasizes that the band’s diverse background—covering folk, classical, rock, and jazz—produces a unique live sound. "Three of the six of us have a strong jazz background. Myself, our saxophonist Matt Darriau, and our drummer Richie Barshay," London notes. "When we play SFJAZZ, we deliberately... really allow ourselves to dive fully into the jazz and improvisational parts of our music... We tend to go a little over the top, and our solos are usually longer. We include more pieces that involve improvisation."

Music for These Times

The concert will also act as a preview for the band’s upcoming album, We Were Made for These Times. London describes the new material as highly political and socially aware, continuing the band's tradition of activism.

"It’s not just one aspect of the recording. Almost all, I would say all, the songs are really about that," London says. He highlights the title track, a "Neo Gospel song written by Angela Gabrielle from The Poor People's Campaign," which encourages listeners to "Stay hopeful, stay strong. Lift up your voice!"

The setlist will balance these heavier themes with the holiday's inherent joy. Audiences can expect high-energy instrumentals like "Do The Latke Flip-Flip" and "Spin Dreidel Spin" alongside the new material. "We’re going to divide our repertoire between Hanukkah songs... [and] material from the new recording that people haven't heard yet," London says.

Ultimately, London hopes the audience leaves the Miner Auditorium carrying the spirit of the Festival of Lights. "Hanukkah is all about bringing light to the world, spreading happiness, and setting aside worries and troubles," he says. "I hope that people receive the message of positivity, happiness, warmth, and light... I want people to feel inspired to continue all the good work toward that goal."

TICKET INFO

Join The Klezmatics for an evening that transcends genre and history, blending the ecstatic energy of klezmer with the improvisational daring of jazz. Celebrate the Festival of Lights with one of the most vital bands performing today.

Show details: The Klezmatics, Monday, December 15, at SFJAZZ Miner Auditorium, with a showtime of 7:30 p.m. 

Tickets: https://www.sfjazz.org/tickets/productions/25-26/klezmatics/