Klezmer Weekend Workshop, May 2023
Jimmy Austin inherited both his name and his first trombone from his paternal grandfather. He began seriously exploring klezmer music about five years ago, when he joined the band Shpilkis. In addition to playing klezmer, Jimmy performs with many other groups around the Pacific Northwest playing various combinations of funk, jazz, soul, and blues. He occasionally performs with circus and theater productions such as the award-winning musical, Dragon Lady. Jimmy also directs The Rhapsody Project's Yiddish Music and Heritage programming.
Mae Kessler has been playing violin since age 5 and has been performing in original and traditional music groups around the Pacific Northwest and internationally since 2008. She developed a deep love for klezmer music after attending KlezKamp in the Catskills in 2012 and is passionate about sharing the richness of Yiddish music and culture with people of all ages. She currently performs in the Scandinavian and klezmer duo Varda.
This workshop was co-presented with the Rhapsody Project and made possible with partial support from the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture.
