A musical mother tongue.

Klezmer has its historical roots in the music of itinerant musicians playing at celebrations in Eastern European Jewish communities. Today, this richly varied music connects audiences across religious, social and generational boundaries.

Igor (Itzik) Epstein was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, and grew up in a Jewish musical family in Rostov-on-Don. There he trained as a classical violinist and viola player, and as a jazz double bassist, graduating from the conservatory in Rostov-on-Don.

He founded Epstein’s Klezmer Tov in Cologne. His music brings together folk, jazz, Latin and classical influences with Jewish humour. Klezmer remains his musical mother tongue.

The ensemble performs traditional acoustic klezmer in line-ups from duo to sextet: violin, clarinet, guitar, double bass, accordion or piano, and percussion. The line-up may change, but the expressive melodies and vivid musical colours remain.