Klezmer Gold Album Notes We are fortunate that Dave Tarras was heard prominently both as a soloist and accompanying player on nearly 70 years of Jewish and Yiddish recordings. Much information about his long life and career can be found on the Internet. Suffice it to say that this Ukrainian emigre is widely considered to be the greatest American exponent of the Klezmer clarinet. He is heard here as the nominal leader of an ensemble that undoubtedly included some of his finest New York Klezmer contemporaries with whom he constantly performed. Along with Dave Tarras and Sam and Ray Musiker's family, the Epstein brothers were also prodigious recordings artists in the Jewish and Yiddish markets, for which we are also fortunate. The brothers were recorded here as the "Dukes of Freilachland," an affectionate play on words of their popular and well recorded contemporaries, the Dukes of Dixieland. That said, the brothers were also referred to as the Kings of Freilach land, a well-deserved accolade. As a change of pace, four tunes are included by the violin based Allen Street Gypsies, whose blend of Klezmer and Romish styles fascinates and entertains. Tunes 1-8 are played by the Dave Tarras Orchestra; 9-13 are the Allen Street Gypsies; 14-23 are the Epstein brothers.