Isle of Klezbos

Hailed by the New York Times for her "delirious abandon" onstage, versatile soprano Melissa Fogarty began as a leading child performer at the Metropolitan Opera, making her adult debut with New York City Opera in Mark Morris' production of Purcell's King Arthur, then singing Magic Flute at Battery Park. Other acclaimed recent roles: Ottavia (Opera Omnia's Poppea at LePoisson Rouge) and NYCO Vox Fest for new opera (2007–09). A favorite of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Del Tredici, she has performed many of his works, including world premieres (written with Melissa in mind) at Symphony Space. She has also sung with Seattle Baroque, Ensemble for the Seicento, new music North/South Consonance, and Sequitur at Merkin Hall, among others. A graduate of Eastman School of Music, her debut solo CD Handel: Scorned & Betrayed won accolades including an Outmusic Award. She received the Adams fellowship at Carmel Bach Festival and Giorgio Cini fellowship for study in Venice. Vocalist for both Metropolitan Klezmer & Isle of Klezbos, she also starred in J. Edgar Klezmer. For more info: www.melissafogarty.com.

Trumpet/Flugelhorn/Kudu playerPam Fleming has toured internationally with Black Rock Coalition's Nina Simon Tribute, reggae stars Burning Spear, Maxi Priest and Dennis Brown and with global blues group Hazmat Modine, as well as nationwide with Natalie Merchant for Lilith Fair (also guest soloing with Indigo Girls, Queen Latifah and Sarah McLachlan). Broadcasts: Bonnie Raitt (VH1), Rufus Wainwright (Letterman), "Li'l" Jimmy Scott (PBS Sessions at 54th Street). Pam has also played with Government Mule, Easy Star All-Stars ("RadioDread," "Dub Side of the Moon," "Lonely Hearts Dub Band"), Cab Calloway, Bruce Springsteen, Robert Palmer, soca star Arrow, The Klezmatics, Buster Poindexter [David Johansen] and Toots & the Maytals. She composes original world jazz for her own group, Fearless Dreamer, as heard on their two recordings, Fearless Dreamer and Climb. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Fleming appeared in a recent Festival of New Trumpet Music [FONT]. She performs on all recordings by Metropolitan Klezmer as well as the band's sister sextet, Isle of Klezbos, and has composed for them as well. Her flugelhorn solo is heard in HBO's Schmatta, and she performed in J. Edgar Klezmer's hit debut. More at www.fearlessdreamer.com.

Clarinetist/SaxophonistDebra Kreisberg performs, composes, arranges and records with the NYC-based Latin jazz octet Los Mas Valientes, Brooklyn singer-songwriters Matt Singer and Steve Waitt, as well as award-winning klezmer bands Metropolitan Klezmer and Isle of Klezbos, with whom she has toured in the U.S. and in Europe. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music with an M.M. in jazz studies from Manhattan School of Music, she has also performed with avant-jazz ensemble Joe Gallant & Illuminati, accordionist/composer/performer Rachelle Garniez, Canadian cabaret Yiddish star Theresa Tova, Rochester Philharmonic featuring Natalie Cole, the NYC funk band D'Tripp, and in J. Edgar Klezmer: Songs from My Grandmother's FBI Files (Dixon Place, Puffin Cultural Forum, JCC in Manhattan). Her compositions have been heard in the documentary Making Their Mark: From German Immigrants to New York City Icons, for the German Consulate, Lincoln Center online (David Rubenstein Atrium), and in the Off-Broadway production of Yisrael Campbell's show You Can Never Be Too Jewish at NYC's Theater at St Luke's. She has been heard on CBS Sunday Morning, CNN Worldbeat and on Showtime's The L Word. In addition to her performing work, Kreisberg is managing director of educational outreach at the 92nd Street Y School of the Arts, where she develops and implements arts programming for NYC public schools and also serves on the faculty of the 92Y School of Music.

Bassist Saskia Lane, a San Francisco native, began her classical training on violin at age 4 and took up bass the day she turned 11. Her musical path eventually put her on a train bound for New York City, where she received her master's degree from the Juilliard School. The Brooklyn-based musician performs throughout the tri-state area with a variety of jazz, world, pop and classical artists. Currently, Lane tours worldwide with Dan Zanes & Friends and nationally with her critically acclaimed cocktail pop trio The Lascivious Biddies, also playing in Carnegie Hall's Neighborhood Concert Series. She can also be seen sharing the stage with the likes of Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Natalie Merchant and Enya.

Born in Nagoya, Japan, accordionist/pianist Shoko Nagai has been evolving as a professional musician and composer for 16 years. In 1999, she moved to NYC, quickly establishing herself in the downtown jazz scene with such renowned artists as John Zorn, Rasheid Ali, Ikue Mori, Cuong Vu, Stomu Takeishi, Butch Morris, Guillermo E Brown, Matana Roberts, Miho Hatori (cibomatto), Roy Champbell, Satoshi Takeishi and Greg Tardy, to name a few. The Shoko Nagai Quintet, featuring some of NYC's best musicians, has performed extensively at BlueNote, Knitting Factory, the Stone, the Kitchen, Location One, Vision Festival as well as other top clubs & concert venues. Nagai also has performed in Finland (Tampere Jazz Festival 2008), Canada (Montreal Jazz Fest '08), Italy (Catania Jazz '08) Brasil (Res '07), Germany (Moers Jazz '06), Norway (Natt Jazz '98) touring Japan, Europe, the U.S. and Israel. In 2005 she received a grant from Philadelphia Music Project for JazzJaunts, artists composing premieres with music traditions from their cultural roots. Nagai released her first CD, Two Levels Crossing, in 2000, Vortex in 2002 and Vsoon in 2003. Nagai is also in the Vortex free-improv duo with piano (Shoko) and electronics (Satoshi Takeishi). They scored Japanese feature Starfish Hotel, directed by John Williams and the documentary ANPO, which premiered at Toronto Film Fest 2010. Nagai also scored the French feature film L' Amour Cache', conducted by Butch Morris. She performs in J. Edgar Klezmer with Isle of Klezbos and with Sanda Weigl.

Drummer/bandleaderEve Sicular formed Metropolitan Klezmer octet (1994) and the Isle of Klezbos all-women's sextet (1998) and has produced their five CDs, receiving NYSCA & Sparkplug Foundation grants, Outmusic Awards and more for creative work with both bands. Her arrangements have been heard in HBO feature Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags, Showtime's The L Word, Royal Ballet's First Drafts (Covent Garden), and SITI Company's Score (New York Theatre Workshop & national tour). Her original theater piece J. Edgar Klezmer Songs from My Grandmother's FBI Files, a 2008 TimeOut NY critic's pick, supported by NYC's Department of Cultural Affairs. She played Dixon Place, the JCC in Manhattan and beyond, featuring most Klezbos bandmates in its cast. Her latest work, Krankayt! Jews, Hypochondria & Song, debuted at the JCC in Manhattan with Adrienne Cooper, Paul Shapiro, Dan Rosengard and Eve. A Harvard honors graduate in Russian history and literature, she has published and lectured on The Yiddish Celluloid Closet throughout North America and Europe, as well as working for YIVO Institute, Andy Warhol Archives and MoMA's Yiddish film series Bridge of Light. Drumming since age 8, she has also played samba, R&B, Balkan, swing, Cajun/zydeco, Middle Eastern and more with The Voodoobillies, The Mazeltones, Charming Hostess among others on both east and west coasts.