The Klezmorim

David Skuse, violinist, and Lev Liberman, flutist, were street performers in the mid-'70s in Berkeley, California. They were joined by David Julian Gray on clarinet, mandolin, lute, and violin, Greg Carageorge on double bass, and Laurie Chastain on violin, first becoming the Sarajevo Folk Ensemble and then, indeed, Klezmorim. One of the first bands to blend Klezmer, jazz, and improvisation with a festive and danceable approach: not surprisingly, they started out playing at parties and weddings.