Kol Haruach Klezmer Band

The way this band came together is so much a part of why they play the way they do. Each member of the band is an accomplished, seasoned and successful musician with their own distinguished solo career. It all started in 2001. They came together to jam at the Lansing Michigan Jazz Festival . They liked the music, the sound and the groove so much, they decided to form a band. Brian Choper, manager of several other music groups and this band's drummer, became manager of what was then to be called the Kol Haruach Orchestra, and soon thereafter changed to the Kol Haruach Klezmer Band, or translated, "Voice of the Spirit".

Over the next twelve or so months, the six member band played various concerts and private affairs, while working behind the scenes to fine-tune their distinctive sound. The talent of the band was clear. The question was how to take advantage of it. Musically, while working with Israeli, Klezmer, contemporary Jazz, Swing and Latin, they wanted to experiment with the standards and compose their own music while providing specific moments for each member to share their individual talents in the spotlight. As they experimented, they discovered the elements that became the basis for their unique sound as well as their chemistry as a band.

Through this chemistry, the talent of the musicians and their taste for such a wide variety of music, the group developed their own sound and performance styles that have become their trademark, and became selective to include the appropriate style depending on the occasion of the performance or the atmosphere requested by the client. These include their Klezmer "hora" or energetic party style, their concert performance style where each musician takes turns soloing the melody; and their Jazz style that fortes their playfulness with improvisational American Jazz and Swing.

The hora (party) style is typically played at weddings and socials. The concert style is more arranged and formal. Designed for the stage, it allows the band and the musicians to be formally featured. The Jazz brings the band back to its roots, where both Klezmer and Jazz are played with improvisation and spontaneity. Jazz is almost always requested and is mixed into the repertoire no matter where the band plays.

The band's first album, "In The Beginning," provides an excellent example of their in concert style, while their second album, "Live In Concert -- Klezmer & Jazz -- Together At last," expresses more of their party attitude. It's a lot of fun. It is rare, in that there are very few Klezmer albums recorded live. It is Kol Haruach at their best -- live in concert!