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The Steven Greenman Klezmer Ensemble is a dynamic virtuosic group of musicians who perform klezmer, traditional Jewish folk music of Eastern Europe, and the shared repertoire of Jews, Roma (Gypsies), Romanians, and Moldavians in 19th and 20th century Eastern Europe. Klezmer music came to the United States between 1880 and 1924, the period of heaviest eastern European Jewish immigration. As they were exposed to musical traditions in America, klezmer musicians incorporated new instruments and musical styles—salsa to jazz—but the music always incorporated a characteristic mimicking of the "sobbing," "sighing," and “groaning” of the human voice. Today’s klezmer music has elements of music traditions from around the world, but it retains its Eastern European melodies and instrumentation.

Steven Greenman (violin) is a seasoned klezmer musician, composer, arranger, lecturer and, together with Walter Zev Feldman (cymbal or hammered dulcimer), co-founded the Khevrisa ensemble (1998), a group dedicated to preserving and reviving early East European klezmer music. In addition to extensive performing careers, Walter and Steven also co-produced and are featured on the recording on the Smithsonian Folkway label “Khevrisa-European Klezmer Music.” Pete Rushefsky (cymbal) is one of a handful of young klezmer musicians dedicated to reviving the use of cymbal, which in the early 20th century had nearly died out in Jewish music tradition. A virtuoso soloist much in-demand for his sympathetic accompaniment style, Rushefsky has taught on the faculty of KlezKamp and authored a pioneering instructional book/tape entitled "The Essentials of Klezmer 5-String Banjo, Volume I." Mark Rubin (tuba, cello, string bass, kapelmeister) is best known as bassist and co-founder of Sugar Hill recording artists Bad Livers. He is a featured member of many touring and recording projects and was part of the all-star klezmer ensemble at the 1998 Smithsonian Institution's tribute to folklorist Ralph Rinzler. Don Weeda (accordion) has years of experience playing with folk dance bands in Texas, including Slavadillo, his own band in Austin. Ben Saffer (clarinet) started playing classical clarinet at the age of 9, then turned to rock and roll, and in 1997 returned to the music of his heritage when he joined the Rubinchik’s Orchestra in Austin.

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