The Klezmatics and Joshua Nelson join forces to explore the complexity of Jewish identity, Black identity, and human identity in Brother Moses Smote the Water. This vibrant and rousing live performance alternates between age-old Hebrew Passover songs, Nelson’s own brand of kosher gospel, and traditional Yiddish anthems.

The Klezmatics are world-renowned and Grammy-winning superstars of the klezmer world. They erupted out of New York City’s East Village in 1986 and revitalized klezmer for the new century. Their klezmer is steeped in Jewish spiritualism and Eastern European tradition, while incorporating more provocative themes suchas social rights and anti-fundamentalism with eclectic musical influences such as gospel, punk, and Arab, African, and Balkan rhythms. Over the course of more than twenty years they have released many albums of wild, spiritual, provocative, reflective, and ecstatically danceable music, forever redefining and transcending traditional labels.

Joshua Nelson, an African-American Jew known as the Prince of Gospel Music, has been praised by critics across the world for his unique voice, which bears a strong resemblance to the legendary singer Mahalia Jackson’s passionate vocal stylings. Melding Hebrew tunes with African soul tradition, Nelson’s unique style and compelling voice have been proclaimed “the next big thing in music” by Oprah Winfrey.