Lori Lippitz , band leader, vocalist and guitarist received her BA from U. of Michigan and did graduate work in Slavic Studies at U. of Chicago.  She founded Maxwell Street in 1983, which was one of the first bands to launch the klezmer revival in the Midwest. Under the auspices of her Klezmer Music Foundation, Lori organized an annual Midwest Klezmer and Yiddish Music Institute, and organized the Maxwell Street Junior Klezmer Orchestra, a training ground for teens.  She co-founded the Yiddish Arts Ensemble, a family repertory company.  As well as being the Cantor for ten years at the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation of Evanston, Lori organized their congregational klezmer band.  She lectures on klezmer music and is a frequent guest on National Public Radio and Public Television. She also has been honored by The Guide to Jewish Chicago as being 1 of the 10 Jewish Chicagoans of 2004.  Lori appears on Maxwell Street’s four recordings. Lori, Marc Chinitz and daughter Kayla reside in Skokie, Illinois.
	Alex Koffman, violinist, Arranger, and Musical Director, was born in Minsk, Byelorus and received his Masters Degree from the Conservatory of Minsk. His musical positions included Concertmaster of the Byelorussian Pops Orchestra. In 1990, after immigrating to America, Alex studied with Albert Igolnikov of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Subsequently, Alex was introduced to the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band and became its violinist and arranger, as well as composer of the musical scores for productions of the Yiddish Arts Ensemble Theater. Alex is co-instructor of the Midwest Klezmer and Yiddish Music Institute. His non-klezmer credits include classical and show orchestras in Chicago including the Chicago Music Consortium and the Bill Porter Orchestra, the Steppenwolf Theater, movie and commercial soundtracks. In 1999, Alex was featured soloist in the world premier of “Klezmer Rhapsody” in Preston Bradley Hall at the Chicago Cultural Center. Alex has recorded three CDs with Maxwell Street and toured with the band in Germany, Austria, England and the Netherlands. Alex, Olga and daughters Hannah and Sonya live in Skokie, Illinois.
	Kimber Leigh Nussbaum, vocalist, hails from Kansas City. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a BFA in Theater and has played in venues such as the MUNY in St. Louis, Starlight Theater in Kansas City and Famous Door in Chicago. Kimber shared the stage with Theodore Bikel in Fiddler on the Roof, and has also performed in a work commissioned by the National Council of Jewish Women in Kansas City. Kimber lives in Chicago, Illinois.
	Bibi Marcell, vocalist, has been performing music throughout the world for many years, spending most of her time in the Chicago area. She began her singing career with her father and later joined the Chicago Klezmer Ensemble. In addition to performing extensively on her own, Bibi is celebrating her 11th year as a vocalist with the Maxwell Street Klezmer band. Between singing engagements, Bibi works as a cantorial soloist and Religious School Director at Congregation Hakafa and cares for her three beautiful children.
	Donald Jacobs, clarinet, began playing with Maxwell St. in 1983.  Graduated cum laude from Washington University, he has studied with clarinet masters Sid Beckerman, Richard Corpolongo, George Silfies and James Stoynoff.  He plays with M’Chaya and his own band Jazmer, and specializes in Bulgarian, Yugoslavian, Macedonian, Greek and jazz styles.  His recordings include The Jazziest Balkan Band Around, Maxwell St. Days, New Times, and Meet Your Neighbor’s Folk Music.  Don’s touring career has included two trips to Jewish festivals in London, Vienna and Germany and three Danish tours, and many festivals in the US and Canada.  With Alex, he co-directs the Annual Midwest Klezmer and Yiddish Music Institute.  Don and his wife Maria live in Chicago with their three children.
	Shelley Yoelin, saxophone, clarinet and flute, is a professor of music and the Director of Bands at Triton College in River Grove, Illinois. He has been playing with Maxwell Street since 1985. Shelley holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from Northwestern University and a MA from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. He is an instructor with the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Clinics and with the International Federation of Jazz in London, where he teaches annually. He has written arrangements and played clarinet and saxophone on three albums with Maxwell Street. He has also recorded Hora and Blue with his own Modern Klezmer Quartet. Shelley (father of three) and Pamela live in LaGrange Park, Illinois.
	Jeff Jeziorski, clarinet, has been playing with Maxwell Street since 1987. His Bachelor of Music Degree in Music History and Theory is from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He has played and recorded since the 1960's with Balkan ensembles at folk festivals and at venues such as Old Town Restaurant in Milwaukee, and founded the group Festival European. He has also performed with Skylight Opera. He has written the scores for musical theater productions. Jeff is featured on the band’s most recent CD and has performed twice with Maxwell Street in Europe. Jeff, Elizabeth, and sons Adam and Gregory live just outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
	Ralph Wilder, clarinet, saxophone and flute, received his musical education at Northwestern University, Evanston Illinois. For the past ten years, Ralph has been a member of Maxwell Street, as well as the leader of The Ralph Wilder Orchestra. Ralph has been a band director for High Schools and Colleges, and is Director of the Mount Prospect Community Band, which he frequently conducts. His experience ranges from symphony orchestras to jazz, pop, rock, gospel, Broadway, Dixieland and Big Band. Ralph is the father of two and lives with his wife, Lois, in Glenview.
	Gail Mangurten, piano, graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington, and has played with musical theater groups such as Tuxedo Junction.  She performs regularly with the College of DuPage Jazz Band.  She has made two recordings with Maxwell Street.  Gail, Alan and their two daughters, Rina and Eve live in Morton Grove, Illinois.
	Audrey Morrison, trombone, a native of New York City, received her musical training at the Eastman School of Music where she later earned the coveted Performer’s Certificate for excellence in performance.  Her accomplishments include Principal Trombone of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada from 1975-80, the Principal Trombone of the Elgin Symphony from 1981-present, lead trombonist with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble and numerous guest appearances with various orchestras throughout United States.  Ms. Morrison’s other credits include trombonist and leader of the Chamber Brass players Quintet for ten years and has played as a substitute/extra trombonist with the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra, Grant Park Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic and San Diego Symphony. Ms. Morrison can also be heard regularly on radio and in television jingles.
	Ivo Braun, trumpet, is a native of Prague and has been with Maxwell Street since 1993. He received his BA in trumpet performance from the University of Illinois and his MM from the University of North Texas where he performed with the school’s award-winning Two O’Clock Jazz Band. Ivo’s performance experience includes Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, the Irving Symphony in Dallas and the Symphonic Pops Orchestra of Chicago. In addition to performing, Ivo has enjoyed teaching music appreciation at the college level and he graduated from Chicago’s famous Second City Training Center. Ivo currently resides in Des Plaines, Illinois.
	Mark Ponarovsky, percussion, was born in Kiev, Ukraine, and received his BA from the Kiev College of Music.  He toured with various show orchestras in the former Soviet Union and became the percussionist of the Kiev State Circus Big Band.  After his immigration in 1989, Mark performed in Milwaukee until relocating to Chicago in 1991, when he joined Maxwell Street Klezmer Band.  Mark, Lilya and son Vlad live in Northbrook, Illinois.
	Jim Cox, bassist, played cornet in grade school and junior high band. Jim switched to electric bass in high school and played unsuccessfully with several garage bands. He then got involved in the jazz band at Champaign Central High School and purchased a double bass in 1972. Jim attended the University of Illinois in Urbana where he studied with Prof. Ed Krolick and received a bachelors degree in double bass performance in 1979. Between 1979-82 he toured with Earl "Fatha" Hines. After that, he settled in Chicago and has worked there full time as a free lance musician, playing live music of all types, teaching and recording. He works regularly with Marian McPartland, Rosemary Clooney, Michael Feinstein and Judy Roberts in the Midwest. He has also played with Phil Woods, Red Rodney, Ben Vereen, Cheri Lewis, and Harry Belefonte. He has performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival three times. He has taught at Illinois Benedictine College, North Central College, College of DuPage, and is currently adjunct faculty at DePaul University. He has recorded over 50 CDs in the Chicago area.
	Steven Lee Weintraub, Traditional Jewish Dance Master, came up from Atlanta and is new to Chicago. A choreographer, performer and teacher, Steve is one of only three dancers specializing in traditional Eastern European Jewish dance. Henry Sapoznik (Yiddish Radio Project, Klezkamp) calls him “The best Yiddish dance teacher around”. Steve moved to Chicago this year (2003) and joined the staff of the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band as a performer and dance leader. Steve received his dance training in Manhattan with Alvin Ailey and Erick Hawkins, among others. He has worked with choreographers Felix Fibich and Shula Kivel, and has performed the work of Fred Berk. He choreographed a production for the Joseph Papp Yiddish Theater, and has choreographed and performed dances based on Jewish themes including the annual Workman’s Circle Third Seder in New York. In Atlanta, he choreographed Kuni Leml for the Jewish Theater of the South and Something’s Afoot for Georgia Ensemble Theater. He has been on the faculty of KlezKamp for the past 5 years and has taught at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. He has also given Yiddish dance workshops in Winnipeg, St. Louis and Washington, D.C. Steve also lectures on the history of Jewish dance, recreates "Shtetl Weddings," and leads dancing at real weddings. He also presents Jewish Folktales and Dances, a one-man show of storytelling; A History of Dance in Jewish Culture, a lecture series covering Jewish history from the Bible to the present.
	Sam Margolis Maxwell Street remembers its trombonist, a member of our band family for over 14 years. His obituary follows. Samuel M. Margolis, 67, was a man of many talents: educator, musician, vocalist, and devoted husband and father. He passed away Tuesday, October 16, 2001, at the age of 67, in Scottsdale, Arizona, shortly after moving from Northbrook, Illinois. Sam taught Spanish at Lake View High School in Chicago for over thirty years. At the same time, he played trombone and flute with many of the popular society bands in the area including the Frank Amorosi, Allan Kaye, and Ralph Wilder Orchestras. In recent years he performed with the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band. With them, he toured Europe and achieved the quintessential musician's dream: a concert in Carnegie Hall. Sam is featured on three CDs with the band: Sweet Early Years, You Should Be So Lucky!, and the band's newest CD, to be released later this year. A gifted singer, Sam's talents also found expression in Cantorial music, and he sang each fall during the High Holy Days. His mellow baritone voice was also in demand in jingles and commercials. In 1952, as a young man of eighteen, Sam took his musical talents on the road with popular dance bands, among them the orchestras of Jimmy Palmer, Les and Larry Elgart, and Tiny Hill. While attending Arizona State University, he played with the Phoenix Symphony. He also appeared in a number of movies as a band musician, including Bus Stop with Marilyn Monroe and Ring of Fear. After graduating from Arizona State, Sam joined the Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra and played throughout Europe, including a stint at the World's Fair in Brussels. Sam especially enjoyed his role in the classroom. He loved teaching and he brought out the best in young people. After retiring from Lake View High School, he continued to work as a substitute teacher throughout Northbrook, filling in at the Elementary and Middle Schools, and at Glenbrook North and Glenbrook South High School. A special pleasure for him was nurturing young musicians in the Junior Klezmer Orchestra, a project of the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band. Sam's greatest joy was raising his children and spending time with his family. He was a loving husband to his wife, Mary, and a cherished father to his son, Andrew and daughters Heidi and Natalie. He was a caring grandfather to Danielle and a devoted brother to his sister, Ruth Weiner. Sam was a kind, gentle and talented man. He leaves behind a loving family, grateful students, treasured friends, and a legacy of music that will continue to be enjoyed. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Sam Margolis Memorial Fund, c/o Glenbrook North, 2300 Shermer Rd., Northbrook, IL 60062. The fund will help provide scholarships for promising young musicians at Glenbrook North.