Oy Chanukah! (1987)

"The centuries-old tradition of klezmer music, originally played by itinerant Jewish musicians in Eastern Europe, is extended by saxophonist, pianist, and composer Hankus Netsky and his group, the Klezmer Conservatory Band. With songs sung in Yiddish, the band incorporates a wide range of influences into its Jewish dance music. the Klezmer Conservatory Band was formed by Netsky, chairman of the jazz department at the New England Conservatory of Music, in Boston in 1980. The grandson and nephew of klezmer musicians, Netsky was inspired by informal jam sessions of Irish music to attempt something similar with klezmer music. Originally intended for one concert, the response was so favorable that it became a permanent ensemble. Many of the bandmembers were recruited from the New England Conservatory of Music's third stream department. While lead vocalist Judy Bressler was a third-generation performer of Jewish music, most of the musicians came from a background of jazz or folk music." (Craig Harris, Allmusic)