Diaspora

Description

For nearly three decades, Amsterdam Klezmer Band has been profoundly reinventing klezmer music, blending tradition with fresh, playful energy. With their latest album, *Diaspora*, the group returns to its 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 Singelkerk in Amsterdam on November 26, 2025, the album radiates the raw energy of a true live concert. No overdubs, no electronics, no artifice: just the band, its instruments, and the emotion of the moment. The result is warm, vibrant, and alive, a sound that reconnects Amsterdam Klezmer Band with the foundations of klezmer music while leaving plenty of room for improvisation and discovery. Porte’s dynamic, driving rhythms propel this traditionally drumless group toward new horizons, subtly broadening the band’s sonic palette without ever overpowering 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 Amsterdam Klezmer Band for nearly 28 years.