​​​Can you explain your music background and what brought you to klezmer?

I am trained as a classical musician, but I was born into a family with a real love for music, and especially Jewish music. My grandfather was a big Jewish music enthusiast and would collect Jewish records. As a boy, I would spend summers hanging out at the dacha (summer home), and he would play those records for me. He explained to me that I needed to listen to these recordings because it is the music of our people, which excited me. And when the family got together, we would sing and dance to these songs.

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This story is from when I was a little boy. I learned these Jewish songs, and if I saw that this party wasn’t taking off (because I am always waiting for the moment when people drink a little bit and then start singing, and I couldn’t wait any longer), I would start singing myself, “taking the stage,” as they say. I would stand up on a chair and start singing, getting everyone’s attention, and then they would start singing with me. It’s like igniting the party–I would set it on fire.  

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So I was always looking for a way to express my love for this music. The first opportunity came when I was studying in the [Minsk] Conservatory of Music. Somebody brought in a collection of Jewish folk songs by the Ukrainian collector Beregovsky. It was rare to have a collection of Jewish melodies because it was prohibited to read “propaganda” by the government. So after the Conservatory was almost empty, I would get together with other Jewish guys and we would just play this music for ourselves, just to learn a little bit about what it sounded like.  

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I never planned on playing Jewish music professionally, but–again opportunity called, and it became my destiny. What happened was this: Back in 1990, as an immigrant, I didn't think that I was going to be able to play violin professionally in the US. A friend and recent immigrant heard about a klezmer band that played Jewish music–openly (!) in a public cafe. I couldn't believe my eyes–I said, “It’s a lie!” but he said, “No it’s not, let’s go and check it out.”  It was Maxwell Street Klezmer Band playing at the Cafe Continental, and they invited me on stage to play Czardas Monti. I was definitely there at the right place and at the right time, and the rest is–as they say, is history. 

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Because I was classically trained, I started writing some arrangements for the band. Although the other musicians were learning from me, I was also learning from them. ​The wonderful thing about it is that Maxwell Street musicians were all very accomplished and mostly came from jazz backgrounds, but also theatrical backgrounds mixed with classical music, and so everything kind of worked out. My little niche inside of the band formed quickly, probably as a result of total happiness and the understanding that this  actually could be something I would love doing, that it would make me happy and make other people happy–and I could make a living from it. 

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Another piece of that excitement came from a lawyer who met me at the Cafe Continental. I didn't have a good violin [immigrants were not allowed to leave the USSR with good instruments], so he invited me over to his home, and then he lent me his excellent instrument. We became friends, and once at dinner, he said to me, “You just started life in the United States, so let me tell you something: You probably would like to make a living, have a family, and so on. If you are doing something that you love, you are already on the right track. And if you are happy, happiness will start coming to you from different directions, so grab this opportunity to build your life.” 

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Once he confirmed my intuition, that I want to do something that I really love rather than just programming computers, life became just amazing: many concerts. I began to lay down my roots–to American audiences, Jewish and non-Jewish, in different parts of the country, and then abroad. I wrote more arrangements and compositions which became a new album. In 1998–we got noticed, and then we went to Carnegie Hall, and had a big tour of Europe, and I couldn’t have been happier–it was like ten out of ten. In the middle of realizing all of these dreams, including financial stability, I married and we started a family. I was the only breadwinner, and it was just enough for basically four of us for a long time.  

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Why do you enjoy playing with Maxwell Street?

I have a very special feeling about the band–it feels like family, everyone is intertwined into each other's character, we have traveled together and been through a lot, we understand each other. The band is like my second family, 100%.  

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It fits so well because the constellation of the characters is so beautiful. Every person that plays in Maxwell Street (or that played–some of them have unfortunately passed away), I’m carrying a little piece of each of these beautiful souls with me. Whenever we play together on the stage, I remember why I love it so much.

 

It’s an incredible energy that the band is able to produce because of those long friendships, because of the love for each other, because of the way that we are always covering each other on stage if something happens, if somebody misses a note, or–it’s just, it’s amazing. And the same thing when we are traveling together: we take care of each other and help each other out, bringing food or coffee, taking care of whatever we can. These relationships are the most beautiful thing.  

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What do you enjoy about playing at life cycle events? 

We are bringing back the music that was played at life cycle events in the shtetl. The birth of the child, then the bris, then bar and bat mitzvah, then the wedding, and then even the funerals: that is what makes the whole circle go around. The music is part of the community: it was created by the community, for the community, and the musicians are the conduits that it flows through.

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This is an important connection between people, beyond prayers–prayers are good, nobody wants to take the praying away because it is important–but I think that sometimes people underestimate how important it is to be connected by the same dances, the same music, by singing together. It comes to us from centuries ago, and not carrying it on to the future would be a big, big mistake. I feel that it’s my mission–and Lori feels the same way. That’s why I work easily with Lori–we are of the same mind and mission. 

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I think sometimes people say “it’s a wedding band,” and you kind of feel they are not giving us big kavod (Hebrew for honor), but when you play a Jewish wedding, it is very important because you are setting up the tone, you are tuning to the people–people’s hearts, and it’s very hard work and very special.  We always feel like we are part of this family when we play. We are not playing like a band hired by the family–we never have that feeling, and I think that this is a very special thing about Maxwell Street. When we play at a wedding, I feel no less achievement than I do at a successful concert. 

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Tell us about mentoring the Junior Klezmer Orchestra musicians?

I am so happy doing it! First, I really love kids, I love working with them. Second, I feel I didn’t have a chance to be raised in that environment [learning Jewish music], so when I teach the kids and I see how their eyes light up, and that they are actually growing right in front of my eyes like mushrooms after a warm rain on the sunny day, I feel like I am giving my heart to them, and hoping that they will carry it on, and pass it down to their kids.

 

These guys go to college, and they form their bands, and they play Jewish music together, and they report back to me. So it’s not only a really great thing, it’s also a unique thing–I don’t know another junior klezmer band playing at that level, that receives the special attention we are giving to them. 

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Are there a few highlights or funny moments from performances with Maxwell Street Klezmer Band that you'd like to share?

I had a funny experience in my early days: I was invited to play a duet in someone’s home far away on the South Side, and I realized that I had forgotten my violin.  It was horrible–but they were so nice, the people were so welcoming, nobody decided to go home, just waiting for me to go back, get the violin, and play.

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Before GPS existed, we were touring Florida and we needed to drive five hours from the East side of the state to the West side. The client misheard our location and gave us an incorrect travel time as a result, so we were all in one van together, driving so fast, scaring these old Floridians who were going 40 MPH on a 70 MPH highway. We arrived after the concert was supposed to start, but no one left–they wanted to hear us, so when we finally arrived we were greeted like heroes, and as soon as we started playing, they were so enthusiastic and welcoming.  

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Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Giving my best wishes to everything that we’ve ever played for, and I very much hope that all the work we’ve done not only stays on our recordings, but also will be a continuation of these traditions–that musicians will pick it up and be proud of being closer to their culture and understanding who they are.