Maxwell Street Klezmer Band in Concert Feb. 5th at The Old Town School of Folk Music

The Midwest’s premiere klezmer revival band for over forty years, Maxwell Street Klezmer Band, is performing Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 7:00 PM at The Old Town School of Folk Music, Maurer Concert Hall, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Tickets are $46 for General Admission (including the Old Town processing fee): TICKET LINK.

Maxwell Street Klezmer Band melds klezmer, classical, and jazz rhythms into a sound that moves and inspires audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Led by Violinist Alex Koffman and band founder Lori Lippitz, this performance features six vocalists including Cantor Pavel Roytman and special guest singer-songwriter-guitarist Rabbi Joe Black. This show will feature well-known Yiddish songs like “Bei Mir Bistu Sheyn” and “Rumania," as well as a new original composition by master klezmer violinist Alex Koffman.

"The composition "Dances of Hope" was inspired by my involvement with the Violins of Hope—a unique collection of string instruments from the Holocaust. When the exhibit came to Chicago, I had the honor of unboxing and playing these instruments. Being in their presence and hearing the stories of how these violins were saved moved me deeply. It led me to reflect on the universal human hope that unites us all through music and dance," Koffman shares.

Cantor Pavel Roytman shares, "I am truly looking forward to appearing with the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band at the Old Town School of Folk Music. It is an amazing opportunity to share the stage with the legends of Chicago klezmer music—Lori, Alex, and all the others. I have been singing with the band for almost 30 years, and while I have traveled the world and performed internationally, there is no experience more meaningful or fulfilling than bringing the joy of Yiddish song and klezmer music to both devoted connoisseurs and new appreciators of this art. For me, as a Russian/Ukrainian-born Jew, Yiddish music is the backbone and soul of my identity—the portal through which I view the world. It is also a window into my personal story and inner life, one that I am always grateful to share. Maxwell Street Klezmer Band is an extraordinary ensemble and a true Chicago tradition. I can’t wait to share the music, the Yiddishkeit, and to sing and dance our hearts out together!"

In 2023, the band celebrated their 40th “bandiversary” concert with two sold-out shows at The Old Town School of Folk Music. That concert was recorded as an album that will be released later this year. Maxwell Street is one of several ensembles supported by the Klezmer Music Foundation, which also leads community klezmer bands, the Junior Klezmer Orchestra, and other community-building projects.

Band founder Lori Lippitz finds the stage at Old Town holds special significance: "As someone who began my musical journey listening to WFMT's "Midnight Special" every Saturday night, performing at the Old Town School of Folk Music is a magical experience for me. The voices of Mahalia Jackson, Big Bill Broonszy, Steve Goodman, and my idol Pete Seeger once rang off of the rafters. I consider performing there the peak of my career."

Chicago’s Maxwell Street Klezmer Band takes inspiration from 1920s recordings combined with their own sensibility. The name Maxwell Street tips its fedora to Chicago’s lively Sunday morning market established in the late 1800’s by newly-arrived Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. Over the past four decades, the band has released six albums and collaborated with Chicago Sinfonietta, Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Goodman Theater, and singer-songwriter Rabbi Joe Black, among others. Although they have played at Carnegie Hall and at festivals throughout Europe, the band’s core mission is to revive the lost art of klezmer music in Jewish celebrations. “We are restoring a link in the chain of our heritage that was broken in the Shoah,” says Lippitz, referring to the Holocaust by its Hebrew name. “Every one of our performances is a celebration of that culture that we will never allow to perish.”

Purchase tickets for 2/5/26: TICKET LINK

"The Maxwell Street Klezmer Band conjures joy from thin air while at the same time freeing the deep waters of the soul." - Rich Warren host/producer Emeritus WFMT Radio, Chicago

Venue website: www.oldtownschool.org

Box Office Phone: (773) 728-6000

To learn more about the band, click here.