Now in its 21st year, JFEST’s Klezmer Summit is a musical celebration featuring an international all-star line-up celebrating Jewish, jazz and cross-cultural music of hope.

Beloved long-time hosts Yale Strom and Hot Pstromi are joined by vocalist Elizabeth Schwartz, guitarist Fred Benedetti, bassist Gunnar Biggs, saxophonist/flautist Tripp Sprague and Irving Flores on piano. Yale Strom, the multiple gifted violinist, composer, filmmaker, writer, educator, photographer and playwright is considered a pioneer among klezmer revivalists. Featured soloist Peter Sprague is “one of the emergent great guitarists" (LA Times). 

This Summit features San Diego’s jazz giant, Gilbert Castellanos and his trio performing jazz standards by Jewish composers. With nearly 100 recording and film credits, Guadalajara-born San Diego-based musician Gilbert Castellanos has earned international recognition as a composer, curator, educator, arranger and top-call jazz trumpeter. Castellanos has spent over 30 years touring the globe and recording both as a solo artist and with the most renowned names in the industry – Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jone and Wynton Marsalis. 

San Diego dance company LITVAKdance opens the concert with an excerpt from their new work, Light, composed by Yale Strom and choreographed by Sadie Weinberg.

The concert offers a tribute to the communities of Ukraine with Efim Chorny (vocals) and Susan Ghergus (piano) from Chisinau, Moldova and jazz singer Petra Ernyei and Adam Tvrny (guitar) from Prague, Czech Republic.

This event is part of JFest 2022, the 29th Annual Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival. Celebrate Jewish music, theatre, art and culture this summer. Explore the full JFest line-up here.