Schmaltz & Pepper features the extraordinary talents of Eric Abramovitz, principal clarinetist of the Toronto Symphony and the Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist and arranger Drew Jurecka. It includes award-winning composer/violinist/vocalist Rebekah Wolkstein (founder/leader of the acclaimed Payadora Ensemble), JUNO-nominated bassist Michael Herring and JUNO award-winning pianist, Jeremy Ledbetter (Canefire). These artists are redefining the traditional boundaries of Yiddish music, blending classical mastery with arrangements and klezmer originals inspired by jazz, Roma, classical, and European folk music. The idea for the band came from Rebekah Wolkstein of Payadora, a world music ensemble nominated 2024 Performing Artist of the Year (Ontario Folk Music Awards) and winner of the top prize (the RUTH award) in 2024 at Germany’s largest world music festival, Rudolstadt. Along with Eric Abramovitz, they have created a whole new genre of Yiddish swing, combining different worlds with sophistication and humor.
This group sold out their 2024 Toronto Summer Music debut weeks in advance with one reviewer calling the performance “spectacular”, “inventive, adventurous and experimental”,” (Ludwig Van, July 2024) while John Gilks of Opera Ramblings declared “They are all first rate musicians; Abramowitz and Wolkstein are especially stunning…they are a brilliant band.”
Their debut performance was a live-to-air broadcast with a full house studio audience at Zoomer Hall in Toronto for Classical 96.3FM in May, 2024. Schmaltz and Pepper performances for Jewish Music Week in Toronto and Toronto Summer Music sold out weeks in advance, as well as their standing-room-only performance for Ashkenaz, North America’s largest festival of global Jewish music.
