Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band

The Klezmer tradition rooted in Eastern European Jewish communities serves as the foundation for the high-velocity shows mounted by Toronto’s Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band. Trumpet player David Buchbinder directs the ensemble, which has built its identity around an exuberant reinterpretation of that heritage repertoire. The Beat characterized the group’s style as “...mixing the pinpoint precision of a symphony orchestra with a saloon air of unabashed abandon.” Band members draw on prior experience in contemporary R&B and rock; accordionist Sasha Luminsky performed for three years with the Soviet Army Orchestra, and drummer Bucky Berger logged seven years in the Toronto punk outfit Rough Trade. Although the Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band’s first three Juno-nominated albums spotlighted vocalist Adrienne Cooper, she was succeeded by Dave Wall, whose résumé includes gospel, soul, and R&B work both as a solo performer and alongside the Bourbon Tabernacle Choir. The band’s third album, Fire, captured a May 1996 concert at Toronto’s Music Gallery, with Tsirkus arriving in 1999.