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About Elizabeth Schwartz
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Elizabeth Schwartz is celebrated for her uniquely dusky timbre - Multiple reviews hail her "soulful", "passionate" and "penetrating" vocals.  She has drawn numerous comparisons to both Edith Piaf and Maria Tanase.  From her many appearances with Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi and as a solo artist, Schwartz has built a loyal following among fans, critics and collaborators.
elizabeth schwarts
Elizabeth in Iasi with Romani children

New York City's landmark Eldridge Street Synagogue created its first women-only event in order for Schwartz to sing there. She performs regularly across North America and Central, Eastern and Northern Europe in venues ranging from jazz clubs to synagogues to concert halls, and is proud to have concertized in the two largest synagogues in Europe (Budapest and Strasbourg). Noted collaborators include Yale Strom, Alicia Svigals, Mark Dresser, Marty Ehrlich, Salman Ahmad, Samir Chatterjee, Hungarian supergroup Muzsikas, Tsimble maestro Kalman Balogh, Romanian panflutist Damian Draghici, the virtuosic members of Hot Pstromi, and many others.

Schwartz is the subject of the documentary film, "Rumenye, Rumenye", directed by acclaimed Romanian filmmaker Radu Gabrea.

Schwartz's first recording of Yiddish, Hebrew and Ladino vocals for the Naxos World label,  "Garden of Yidn ”, debuted on Canada's Mundial Top World Music poll. It was hailed as “a landmark in modern Yiddish song” (Sing Out! Magazine). Her vocals can be heard on the soundtrack for the documentary film “L'Chayim, Comrade Stalin!”, as well as on the acclaimed Naxos World release “ Café Jew Zoo ”. Her CD, " Dveykes (Adhesion)", with Yale Strom, Marty Ehrlich, Mark Dresser and others, was released on the Global Village Records label.   Other CD projects with Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi are  "The Absolutely Complete  Introduction to Klezmer II" (Transcontinental), and "Borsht with Bread, Brothers" (ARC Music UK). 

In addition to her ongoing commitment to klezmer and Yiddish music, Schwartz has a new project with Yale Strom, Salman Ahmad and Samir Chatterjee called "Common Chords", which explores harmony, peace, understanding and great music between traditionally different cultures (Jewish, Muslim, Hindu).

Schwartz is also an independent filmmaker and former Hollywood film executive.  She produced and wrote the documentary films “L'Chayim, Comrade Stalin!” and “Klezmer on Fish Street”.  She is in pre-production on a feature film based on her own script, which she will co-direct with Yale Strom, as well as several documentary films. With Strom, she co-authored "A Wandering Feast: A Journey Through The Jewish Culture of Eastern Europe" (Jossey-Bass, 2005). 

 

Elizabeth Schwartz is an affiliate artist of the Center for Jewish Culture and Creativity


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