BOSTON, MA — The world-renowned, Grammy-winning Yiddish band The Klezmatics are set to bring their fearless contemporary sound to the Massachusetts capital next month. The group will perform at City Winery Boston on May 28 as part of a nationwide tour celebrating their upcoming album, We Were Made For These Times.
Ahead of the tour, the band released their latest single today: a powerful reimagining of Woody Guthrie’s “Plane Wreck at Los Gatos (Deportee).” The track features Grammy-nominated vocalist, songwriter, and producer Sofia Rei, who adds her singular voice to a trilingual (English/Yiddish/Spanish) arrangement that emphasizes the song’s enduring themes of immigration and workers' rights.
“I’ve been singing Woody’s songs since I was a kid,” said band member Lorin Sklamberg. “I never imagined that an 80-year-old song would mean so much more in these challenging times.”
The Klezmatics have long been at the forefront of the global roots music scene. Since forming in New York City’s East Village in 1986, they have transformed klezmer from a preserved tradition into a modern language, fusing Yiddish song with punk energy, jazz improvisation, and gospel intensity. They remain the only klezmer group to ever win a Grammy Award.
Their upcoming album, We Were Made For These Times, is scheduled for a global release on May 1—International Workers’ Day. The project features a diverse array of collaborators, including gospel powerhouse Joshua Nelson and jazz visionary William Parker. The album’s title and central message were inspired by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ Letter to a Young Activist During Troubled Times, serving as a musical affirmation to maintain hope and collective responsibility.
The May 28 performance at City Winery Boston offers local fans a chance to experience the band’s ecstatic live energy, which has previously graced stages at Carnegie Hall and NPR’s Tiny Desk.
Following the Boston date, the band will continue their tour through Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Brooklyn, before returning to Massachusetts on July 12 for Yidstock: The Festival of New Yiddish Music in Amherst.
Tickets for the City Winery Boston show are available now through the venue's website.
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