THE KLEZMATICS - Washington Jewish Music Festival (Opening Night) June 3, 2007

OPENING NIGHT – Sun, June 3, 8 pm
Celebrate 10 and 20
THE KLEZMATICS
Post-Concert Reception
Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater
Advance Tickets: Priority Seating: $100 * General Admission: $50 *
Discounted Member, Senior and Student Price: $36

“The Klezmatics aren’t just the best band in the klezmer vanguard… they rank among the best bands on the planet.”
—Time Out New York

The J at 16th and Q celebrated its 10th Anniversary this year** and The Klezmatics are turning 20! Groundbreaking, GRAMMY Award-winning klezmer superstars, The Klezmatics erupted out of New York City’s East Village in 1986 and revitalized klezmer for the new century. Their music is steeped in Jewish spiritualism and Eastern European tradition while incorporating provocative themes such as social rights and anti-fundamentalism, and eclectic musical influences such as gospel, punk, and Arab, African and Balkan rhythms. The Klezmatics have collaborated with musical luminaries such as Arlo Guthrie, Itzhak Perlman, Chava Albertstein, Ehud Banay, Ben Folds and Allen Ginsberg. They have reached millions through performances and features on “Late Night with David Letterman,” PBS’s “Great Performances,” American Public Media’s “A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor” and “MTV News.” The Klezmatics have also appeared on HBO’s “Sex in the City,” while their song “NY Psycho Freylekhs” was a theme for Air America Radio’s “Al Franken Show.” They have topped the Billboard world music charts numerous times and most recently, their Wonder Wheel project earned a 2007 GRAMMY Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album. Savor a banquet of treats from The Klezmatics’ 20 years of exuberant music-making. www.klezmatics.com

This opening night performance is funded by the Arthur Tracy “The Street Singer” Endowment Fund. Honoring the memory and musical legacy of Arthur Tracy—the renowned radio, stage and screen singer and entertainer whose talent delighted millions around the world—the arts programs supported by this fund continue Tracy’s ability to entertain for years to come.

**In celebration of 10 years of creativity, community and connection at 16th & Q. Visit www.washingtondcjcc.org for more information on Anniversary programs.

TICKETS/INFO

Festival Tickets: Purchase tickets in advance at (800) 494-TIXS or www.wjmf.org. Tickets for Rita ONLY are available at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets go on sale for JCC members on Thursday, May 3, and for the general public on Monday, May 7. Same-day tickets are available for purchase on-site starting one hour before the event, subject to availability. All ticket sales are final. JCC members, students with ID, persons under 25, seniors over 65 and groups of eight or more may purchase tickets at discounted rates when applicable.

Ticket Prices: Range from free - $75.
Festival Passport: M/NM: $70/$100 -- ensures entry to all Festival programs. Purchase your Festival Passport by calling (800) 494-TIXS or at www.wjmf.org, and attend as many Festival events as you like for one low price—a savings of 40% on individual ticket prices. The Festival Passport includes General Admission tickets to The Klezmatics and Upper Balcony tickets to Rita. If you would like to upgrade, please contact (202) 777-3250 or info@wjmf.org.

Seating: All events are general admission except Opening Night and Closing Night. Reserved seating is available for patrons with special needs. Please call (202) 777-3250 or email info@wjmf.org for assistance

For Information: 202-777-3250 or www.wjmf.org.

Venues: Please check www.wjmf.org for all locations.

THE WASHINGTON JEWISH MUSIC FESTIVAL IS PRESENTED BY
THE WASHINGTON DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER'S
MORRIS CAFRITZ CENTER FOR THE ARTS.

The Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation is the major sponsor of the Eighth Annual Washington Jewish Music Festival. The Festival is supported, in part, by grants from the United Jewish Endowment Fund, The Jewish Federation’s Israel in DC initiative and the Humanities Council of Washington, DC. The Morris Cafritz Center for the Arts is supported by a grant from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, an agency supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, and receives support from the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation.

Official Website: http://www.wjmf.org