KlezMeydlech is a trio of women who perform both traditional klezmer and Yiddish songs as well as Jewish music with a modern flare.
Shirlee Todd is the vocalist and leader of The KlezMeydlech. For Shirlee, music and language go hand in hand. She comes from a bilingual home where both English and Yiddish were spoken and she has been performing in both languages since childhood. She also performs in Spanish which she speaks fluently, in Ladino (judeo espanol) and Russian. She co-founded Jazmer, a Jewish-American band, in 1995 with Jazmer's clarinetist Don Jacobs. Shirlee also enjoys singing the standards of some of our greatest American composers and the music of Broadway.
Irina Kaufman, the violinist of The KlezMeydlech, is from Belorussia and she received her MA from the Conservatory of Minsk. Irina toured with various Belorussian orchestras across Eastern and Western Europe. She immigrated to the U.S. in 1995 and performed with a number of bands here in the U.S. as well as forming her own, The Irina Kaufman Orchestra. In addition to performing, she teaches violin, piano and vocal education.
Gail Mangurten is the pianist of The KlezMeydlech and she has played in various bands and ensembles including Jazmer, led by Shirlee Todd, vocalist of the KlezMeydlech. Gail is a versatile performer who is as comfortable playing Jewish music as she is playing American music in a variety of styles. Due to her versatility, she is in demand as an accompanist for both musical and theatrical productions. Gail also teaches privately and at Cappelli Institute of Music in Oak Park, IL.
From the south: Go north on Green Bay Road. Turn left on Wilmette Ave. Turn right on Park Ave. Library is located on the corner of Wilmette Ave. and Park Ave. Parking lot is on the north side of the building.
From the north: Go south on Green Bay Road. Turn right on Wilmette Ave. Turn right on Park Ave. Library is located on the corner of Wilmette Ave. and Park Ave. Parking lot is on the north side of the building.
From I-94 (Edens Expressway):from the South - exit at Lake Ave. East. Go east on Lake Ave. a little over 2 miles. Turn right on Park Ave. • from the North - exit at Rt. 41/Skokie Blvd. Turn left (east) on Lake Ave. Go east on Lake Ave. a little over 2 miles. Turn right on Park Ave.
Mass transit options include CTA, Metra, and Pace.
