Klezmer

Klezmer is a type of folk music, performed traditionally by Jews in Germany and Eastern Europe. It is characterized by a fast beat; the music is driven primarily by the violin and the clarinet. Since its inception, klezmer has spread throughout the globe, especially to the United States. American Yiddish folk singers were common in the vaudeville-era. Klezmer music has become popular with avant-garde jazz musicians like John Zorn.