Jake Shulman-Ment and Raffi Boden: Klezmer String Duo
Schedule
Wed, 29 Apr, 2026 at 08:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
1105 S Washington Ave, Lansing, MI, United States, Michigan 48910 | Lansing, MI
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8PM show, 7:30 PM doors$20 advance, $25 at the door
BYOB: You can bring beer or wine from Sleepwalker (next-door to The Robin) to this show. Outside, non-alcoholic beverages are also allowed.
Violinist Jake Shulman-Ment and cellist Raffi Boden are two of the most highly regarded contemporary klezmer musicians on the planet on the road in Michigan for a special duo tour. Their newly released album with Abigale Reisman, Two Strings, is a brand-new powerhouse string band album that unites their stunning virtuosity, deep roots in traditional Yiddish and Eastern European musical idioms, and fearless sense of exploratory improvisation. With striking authenticity as instrumentalists and vocalists, they weave together a rich tapestry of original compositions, original settings of early 20th century radical leftist Yiddish poetry, and recently rediscovered pieces from forgotten manuscripts. Haunting and ecstatic, the sound blurs lines between old and new. Two Strings is equally at home under a Jewish wedding canopy, in a grand concert hall, or in a drunken tavern.
Jake Shulman-Ment is a leading voice in contemporary klezmer - a violinist and composer who bridges centuries of tradition with bold, boundary-pushing performance. He currently tours and records internationally as a soloist, and with Midwood, Daniel Kahn, Abigale Reisman, and many others. Known for his fierce improvisations, rich tone, and unflinching virtuosity, Jake’s performances move effortlessly from haunting laments to foot-stomping celebrations. He was featured in Csaba Bereczki's full-length documentary film Soul Exodus, and performed on screen in HBO's Succession and Martin Scorcese's The Irishman. He collected, studied, performed, and documented traditional music in Romania as a Fulbright scholar, and has lived and traveled in Hungary and Greece, learning traditional violin styles. In 2018 he received the prestigious NYSCA/NYFA Fellowship in Folk/Traditional Arts.
Raffi Boden has forged his own expansive style on the cello, combining his fluency on the instrument with a reverence for folk traditions and a flair for experimentation and improvisation. Since graduating from the Juilliard School, Raffi has cultivated a multi-dimensional career as a NY-based freelance musician, performing in ensembles from experimental chamber trios to raucous klezmer big bands and in venues ranging from intimate neighborhood haunts to Carnegie Hall. Raffi plays with the Magid Ensemble, Levyosn, The Golden Thread Ensemble, Tsvey Strunes (Jake Shulman-Ment and Abigale Reisman), contemporary classical quintet the Riwaya Ensemble, and chamber-jazz ensemble Simone Baron & Arco Belo, all of whom have albums coming out in 2025 and 2026.
https://www.jakeshulmanment.com/
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Where is it happening?
1105 S Washington Ave, Lansing, MI, United States, Michigan 48910Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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