About the Band
Experience the energetic and emotional music from Yiddish folk, Russian, Ukrainian, and Israeli traditions.
Millie and the Mentshn is a group of classically trained musicians, which includes an unusual combination of instruments, creating a beautiful sound that has been described as "chamber Klezmer" music. The music ranges from Prokofiev to Gershwin; from classic Yiddish art songs to raucous dance in the aisle Klezmer, swing, tango, and jazz; and speaks to audiences of all cultural backgrounds.
Millie and the Mentshn was founded in 2002 when Millie became inspired by journals written by her grandfather's cousin, Morris Tenenbaum, born in 1896 in Lithuania. Morris kept detailed journals documenting his family's history, from his parent's arranged marriage, to their arrival and early life in the United States.
They had such incredible struggles (surviving pogroms and traveling in the steerage compartment of a freighter carrying along jars of chicken schmaltz that was mixed with hot water and hard bread for kosher food on the very long journey to America), and yet the music and dancing described seemed to make their lives better. The descriptions were so vivid that Millie started to research the melodies that must have been playing in the background throughout their lives and she began to set the stories to music.
Since 2002, we have developed a number of programs of varying lengths, from dance music, to musical entertainment with stories, to a full multimedia presentation of music, stories, and slides. Although we are based in Bellingham, WA, our performances have been well received in such locations as St. Paul, Minnesota (Concert at St. Paul JCC), Anchorage, Alaska (Concert at Congregation Beth Sholom), and Fairbanks, Alaska (Concert for the Fairbanks Symphony Association). Local performances include concerts at The Whatcom Museum of History and Art, The Roeder Home, The Willows Retirement Center, The Samish Island Concert Association, and Klezfest Seattle.
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