Diaspora

Description

For nearly three decades, the Amsterdam Klezmer Band has been profoundly reinventing klezmer music, blending tradition with a fresh, playful energy. With their latest album, *Diaspora*, the group returns to their acoustic roots while subtly reinventing them, capturing the music in its most immediate and joyful form, with a newly highlighted role for drummer Mischa Porte.Recorded almost entirely in a single take at the Singelkerk in Amsterdam on November 26, 2025, the album radiates the raw energy of a live concert. No overdubs, no electronics, no artifice: just the band, their instruments, and the emotion of the moment. The result is warm, vibrant, and alive—a sound that reconnects the Amsterdam Klezmer Band with the foundations of klezmer music while leaving ample room for improvisation and discovery. Porte's dynamic and driving rhythms propel this traditionally drum-less band toward new horizons, subtly expanding the group's sonic palette without ever overwhelming it. Romanian and Turkish rhythms intertwine with classic klezmer songs and original compositions, creating a musical journey that is both grounded and expansive. *Diaspora* also marks a poignant moment in the band's history. It is the final recording with trumpeter and co-founder Gijs Levelt, whose sound and musical vision helped shape the Amsterdam Klezmer Band for nearly 28 years.