About Us

Click here to see our Mission Statement

The way the Band initially started is an essential part of why they play the way they do. Each member of the band is an accomplished, seasoned and successful musician in his/her own right. It all began in 2001 when they came together to jam at the Lansing Michigan Jazz Festival . They liked the music, the sound and the groove so much, they decided to form a band. Brian Choper, manager of several other music groups and this band's drummer, became manager of what was then to be called the Kol Haruach Orchestra, and soon thereafter changed to the Kol Haruach Klezmer Band; Kol Haruach translates to "Voice of the Spirit".

Over the next year, the band played various concerts and private affairs, while working behind the scenes to fine-tune their distinctive sound. The talent of the band was clear; the question was how to take advantage of it. While they worked with Israeli, Klezmer, contemporary Jazz, Swing and Latin, they wanted to experiment with the jazz standards and compose their own music so as to provide specific moments for each member to share their individual talents in the spotlight. As they experimented, they discovered the elements that became the basis for their unique sound as well as their chemistry as a band of musicians.

Kol Haruach’s performance style has become its trademark; the Band choses the appropriate style depending on the occasion of the performance or the atmosphere requested by the client. These include their Klezmer "hora" or energetic Jewish party style, their concert performance style where each musician takes turns soloing the melody; and their Jazz style that shows off their playfulness with improvisational American Jazz and Swing.

The hora (party) style is typically played at weddings and other simchas. The concert style is more arranged and formal. Designed for the stage, it allows the individual musicians to be specifically featured. The Jazz brings the band back to its roots; Kol Haruach plays with improvisation and spontaneity - never arranged. Jazz is almost always requested and is mixed into the repertoire no matter where the Band plays.

People say that we breathe life into our performances through our witty commentary and interactions with the audience which often dances in the aisles.

See our mission statement.

To see a list of some of the songs we perform click here.

For more information call Brian at 301-441-8899 or 301-792-2738

For your convenience, we do accept VISA and MASTERCARD.