The Klezmer reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Klezmer

Klezmer (כּלי־זמר) is a type of folk music, performed traditionally by Jews in Germany and Eastern Europe. It is characterized by a fast beat; the music is driven primarily by the violin and the clarinet. Since its inception, klezmer has spread throughout the globe, especially to the United States. American Yiddish folk singers were common in the vaudeville-era.

Klezmer music has become popular with avant-garde jazz musicians like John Zorn and Don Byron, who sometimes blend klezmer with jazz.

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