Klezmerized

Today I decided to learn about Klezmer music, because last night I was blown away by the band Golem from New York who play an amped up brand of punk rock infused Klezmer. The band was fantastic. I stand in awe of their musical proficiency, and also in their connection to their own cultural heritage. Being an atheist Anglo mutt from central Indiana, I posses no such thing, it's alright, I'm fine, I don't miss it, I just admire it when I see it.

Klezmer came about in around the 150's (that's it) in reference to the Klezmorim (like the Rohirrim in Lord of the Rings) who were traveling musicians who would make merry at Jewish weddings. They were mostly frowned upon by the church but eventually, like most things, got subsumed into the culture at large. It's a very rich and storied development, that I'll let you read more of on your own.

from Wikipedia