Elaine Hoffman Watts

• Website: http://www.phillyklezmer.com/

Elaine was a third-generation klezmer drummer and was the first female graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music in percussion in the 1950s. Growing up, she was a rarity as a female klezmer musician and was outspoken and vocal about her position. Elaine played a specific repertoire of Eastern European Jewish folk music that can be traced back to one area of 19th century Ukraine through her father and grandfather, who brought the rhythm with them to the United States. While klezmer gained mainstream popularity for a brief time in the 1970s, Elaine's family has continued to play their unique repertoire of traditional songs-no "world music" or fusion- and by doing so she helped her community stay connected to important roots and memories.

Check out Elaine's performance at Leeway's 2008 Cabaret!