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The Klezmatics announce new album We Were Made For These Times — first single “Un Du Akerst” out now

A powerful 40th-anniversary statement, the album is a sweeping cross-cultural collaboration rooted in protest, resilience, spiritual endurance, and radical joy. Across twelve tracks, We Were Made For These Times explores migration, labor, war, belonging, and collective responsibility — weaving Jewish song traditions with Black gospel, Latin American rhythms, avant-jazz improvisation, and global roots influences to form a vibrant musical language of solidarity.

To mark the announcement, the Grammy-winning band shares the first single “Un Du Akerst,” a Yiddish workers’ anthem featuring New York’s Colombian percussion collective La Manga and the legendary Lavender Light Gospel Choir.

Written by Jewish political philosopher Chaim Zhitlowsky and inspired by the revolutionary poetry of Georg Herwegh, the song calls for dignity, solidarity, and collective power — themes that feel as urgent today as they did more than a century ago. Recorded live in the studio with musicians from multiple traditions, the track brings together klezmer roots, gospel intensity, and Latin rhythms in a striking moment of cross-cultural collaboration.

Produced by Grammy-winner Danny Blume, We Were Made For These Times features an extraordinary lineup of collaborators including Sofía Rei, Joshua Nelson, Lavender Light Gospel Choir, Enver İzmaylov, William Parker, James Brandon Lewis, Janis Siegel, and La Manga.

Released globally on May 1 — International Workers’ Day, the album continues The Klezmatics’ four-decade journey of transforming klezmer from a preserved tradition into a living, evolving musical language — rooted in history but speaking powerfully to the present moment.

The album will be released by Shamus Records in the United States and Canada, and by Asphalt Tango Records in the rest of the world.

▶ Watch the video
▶ Listen to “Un Du Akerst” on all streaming platforms
▶ Pre-save / pre-order We Were Made For These Times (out May 1)

Oléeee La Manga 💃🏽 in Chinatown! 🥭 Nos juntamos con @cristinacandela a tejer puentes a través de la sabiduría ancestral de nuestros pueblos ✨ De la Tambora del Caribe Colombiano 🇨🇴 al Flamenco en España 🇪🇸 viva la cultura, las mujeres y viva nuestra casa en el mundo Nueva York 👁️ Comparte el video y comenta que te pareció!!!!

🎥 @sebasfonseca07 💛
✂️ @akupercu

#tamboralegre #livemusic #culture #nycmusicians #flamenco #tamboralegre #musicreel #nyc #chinatown #tablao #cultura #ny #meltingpot

🎵 New El Barrio Sessions 🎵

La Manga BK reimagines Lucho Bermúdez’s classic “Prende La Vela” in this El Barrio Sessions performance, blending traditional Afro-Colombian rhythms with their own vibrant, community-rooted energy.

Watch the full performance on YouTube: linked in the bio

ROSTER
🎤 Daniela Serna- Musical Director/Vocals/Tambor Alegre
🪘Katherine Ocampo Bello- Tambora
🪘Lina Silva- Vocals/Tablitas/Llamador
🪇 Andrea Chavarro-Vocals-Maracones

Catch them performing this 10/10 at @publicrecordsnyc opening for @rumbotumba 7 PM

El Barrio Sessions feature exciting performances by a diversity of artists who join Team Belongó in the heart of Spanish Harlem. Tune in each week for newly released music, interviews, and more.

#ElBarrioSessions #LatinJazz #JazzStandards #AfroCubanJazz #Belongo #JazzFusion

🌳🎼 Mujeres, música, raices feat. @lamangabk | 6PM
Presentado por @cristinacandela

Un espacio para conversar sobre nuestras músicas, nuestras tierras y nuestras experiencias como mujeres artistas, luchadoras y migrantes. Cristina Candela, bailaora española basada en NYC invita a diferentes artistas hispanas y latinas residentes en la ciudad para compartir historias, música, baile y todo lo demás que nos trajo hasta aquí y nos hizo ser quienes somos, mujeres que no se callan, le pese a quien le pese.

Hoy, Cristina nos presenta a La Manga, una banda formada íntegramente por mujeres. Arraigada en la tradición, pero llena de energía contemporánea, la música de la Manga es una fusión de cumbia, tambora, chandé y rap. Es una experiencia que es a la vez culturalmente auténtica y universalmente atractiva.

Sintoniza ⚡️
USA: losherederos.org/radio
International: live365.com/station/LH-Radio-a83974

#lamangabk #músicalatina #womeninmusic #queensradio

Con @lamangabk abriendo portales en New York 👁️✨📻 Sintoniza mañana @losherederosnyc radio 6pm 🗽/ 5pm 🇨🇴 vamos a chismear con @cristinacandela sobre TODO lo que se viene en el mangaverso. 🥭

👆🏽 link in bio mangasitxs!

#womenmusicians #nyc #cumbia

📢📢📢
El próximo miércoles 20 de Mayo volvemos a la radio de @lhradionyc con @lamangabk un grupo de música raizal del Caribe colombiano basado en NYC y compuesto por cuatro mujeronas poderosas con las que charlaremos de sus historias, su musica, la tierra y lo que surja
Sintonízate!!
Miércoles 6pm (hora Nueva Yoll)
En @lhradionyc
🥭🥭🥭

🥭 MANGA NEWS 🗞️ Honored to be featured on WE WERE MADE FOR THESE TIMES, the new album by the Grammy-winning band @theklezmatics — not in one, but TWO songs! ✨

🎧 Listen to “Un Du Akerst” and “Di Tsukunft / El Futuro,” where we added chandé and bunde, Afro-Colombian rhythms from Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Proud to be bring Colombian sounds to both the opening and closing tracks 🇨🇴

Shoutout to the amazing crew behind this production @rootsandchordsmusic @asphalttangorecords @shamusrecords @kaleidoscopesound @lavlightgospelchoir

🥭 MANGA NEWS 🗞️ Honored to be featured on WE WERE MADE FOR THESE TIMES, the new album by the Grammy-winning band @theklezmatics — not in one, but TWO songs! ✨

🎧 Listen to “Un Du Akerst” and “Di Tsukunft / El Futuro,” where we added chandé and bunde, Afro-Colombian rhythms from Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Proud to be bring Colombian sounds to both the opening and closing tracks 🇨🇴

Shoutout to the amazing crew behind this production @rootsandchordsmusic @asphalttangorecords @shamusrecords @kaleidoscopesound @lavlightgospelchoir

🥭 MANGA NEWS 🗞️ Honored to be featured on WE WERE MADE FOR THESE TIMES, the new album by the Grammy-winning band @theklezmatics — not in one, but TWO songs! ✨

🎧 Listen to “Un Du Akerst” and “Di Tsukunft / El Futuro,” where we added chandé and bunde, Afro-Colombian rhythms from Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Proud to be bring Colombian sounds to both the opening and closing tracks 🇨🇴

Shoutout to the amazing crew behind this production @rootsandchordsmusic @asphalttangorecords @shamusrecords @kaleidoscopesound @lavlightgospelchoir

🥭 MANGA NEWS 🗞️ Honored to be featured on WE WERE MADE FOR THESE TIMES, the new album by the Grammy-winning band @theklezmatics — not in one, but TWO songs! ✨

🎧 Listen to “Un Du Akerst” and “Di Tsukunft / El Futuro,” where we added chandé and bunde, Afro-Colombian rhythms from Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Proud to be bring Colombian sounds to both the opening and closing tracks 🇨🇴

Shoutout to the amazing crew behind this production @rootsandchordsmusic @asphalttangorecords @shamusrecords @kaleidoscopesound @lavlightgospelchoir

🥭 MANGA NEWS 🗞️ Honored to be featured on WE WERE MADE FOR THESE TIMES, the new album by the Grammy-winning band @theklezmatics — not in one, but TWO songs! ✨

🎧 Listen to “Un Du Akerst” and “Di Tsukunft / El Futuro,” where we added chandé and bunde, Afro-Colombian rhythms from Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Proud to be bring Colombian sounds to both the opening and closing tracks 🇨🇴

Shoutout to the amazing crew behind this production @rootsandchordsmusic @asphalttangorecords @shamusrecords @kaleidoscopesound @lavlightgospelchoir

🥭 MANGA NEWS 🗞️ Honored to be featured on WE WERE MADE FOR THESE TIMES, the new album by the Grammy-winning band @theklezmatics — not in one, but TWO songs! ✨

🎧 Listen to “Un Du Akerst” and “Di Tsukunft / El Futuro,” where we added chandé and bunde, Afro-Colombian rhythms from Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Proud to be bring Colombian sounds to both the opening and closing tracks 🇨🇴

Shoutout to the amazing crew behind this production @rootsandchordsmusic @asphalttangorecords @shamusrecords @kaleidoscopesound @lavlightgospelchoir

🥭 MANGA NEWS 🗞️ Honored to be featured on WE WERE MADE FOR THESE TIMES, the new album by the Grammy-winning band @theklezmatics — not in one, but TWO songs! ✨

🎧 Listen to “Un Du Akerst” and “Di Tsukunft / El Futuro,” where we added chandé and bunde, Afro-Colombian rhythms from Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Proud to be bring Colombian sounds to both the opening and closing tracks 🇨🇴

Shoutout to the amazing crew behind this production @rootsandchordsmusic @asphalttangorecords @shamusrecords @kaleidoscopesound @lavlightgospelchoir

🥭 MANGA NEWS 🗞️ Honored to be featured on WE WERE MADE FOR THESE TIMES, the new album by the Grammy-winning band @theklezmatics — not in one, but TWO songs! ✨

🎧 Listen to “Un Du Akerst” and “Di Tsukunft / El Futuro,” where we added chandé and bunde, Afro-Colombian rhythms from Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Proud to be bring Colombian sounds to both the opening and closing tracks 🇨🇴

Shoutout to the amazing crew behind this production @rootsandchordsmusic @asphalttangorecords @shamusrecords @kaleidoscopesound @lavlightgospelchoir

🥭 MANGA NEWS 🗞️ Honored to be featured on WE WERE MADE FOR THESE TIMES, the new album by the Grammy-winning band @theklezmatics — not in one, but TWO songs! ✨

🎧 Listen to “Un Du Akerst” and “Di Tsukunft / El Futuro,” where we added chandé and bunde, Afro-Colombian rhythms from Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Proud to be bring Colombian sounds to both the opening and closing tracks 🇨🇴

Shoutout to the amazing crew behind this production @rootsandchordsmusic @asphalttangorecords @shamusrecords @kaleidoscopesound @lavlightgospelchoir

🥭 MANGA NEWS 🗞️ Honored to be featured on WE WERE MADE FOR THESE TIMES, the new album by the Grammy-winning band @theklezmatics — not in one, but TWO songs! ✨

🎧 Listen to “Un Du Akerst” and “Di Tsukunft / El Futuro,” where we added chandé and bunde, Afro-Colombian rhythms from Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Proud to be bring Colombian sounds to both the opening and closing tracks 🇨🇴

Shoutout to the amazing crew behind this production @rootsandchordsmusic @asphalttangorecords @shamusrecords @kaleidoscopesound @lavlightgospelchoir

🥭 MANGA NEWS 🗞️ Honored to be featured on WE WERE MADE FOR THESE TIMES, the new album by the Grammy-winning band @theklezmatics — not in one, but TWO songs! ✨

🎧 Listen to “Un Du Akerst” and “Di Tsukunft / El Futuro,” where we added chandé and bunde, Afro-Colombian rhythms from Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Proud to be bring Colombian sounds to both the opening and closing tracks 🇨🇴

Shoutout to the amazing crew behind this production @rootsandchordsmusic @asphalttangorecords @shamusrecords @kaleidoscopesound @lavlightgospelchoir

Deeply honored to open tonight for the legendary arturo O’farrill @pianitis — an artist we truly admire.
🥭 Huge thanks to @jazzartsproject for bringing us into the HAVANA NIGHTS GALA in Red Bank, New Jersey 📍@triumphbrewery — it’s going to be a mangastik night.✨🌟✨🌟✨🌟✨🌟

🥭 First set: 6:30 PM (outdoors)
🥭 Second set: 9 PM (indoors)

✨ tix available in stories 🫵🏽

#ny #culture

Deeply honored to open tonight for the legendary arturo O’farrill @pianitis — an artist we truly admire.
🥭 Huge thanks to @jazzartsproject for bringing us into the HAVANA NIGHTS GALA in Red Bank, New Jersey 📍@triumphbrewery — it’s going to be a mangastik night.✨🌟✨🌟✨🌟✨🌟

🥭 First set: 6:30 PM (outdoors)
🥭 Second set: 9 PM (indoors)

✨ tix available in stories 🫵🏽

#ny #culture

Deeply honored to open tonight for the legendary arturo O’farrill @pianitis — an artist we truly admire.
🥭 Huge thanks to @jazzartsproject for bringing us into the HAVANA NIGHTS GALA in Red Bank, New Jersey 📍@triumphbrewery — it’s going to be a mangastik night.✨🌟✨🌟✨🌟✨🌟

🥭 First set: 6:30 PM (outdoors)
🥭 Second set: 9 PM (indoors)

✨ tix available in stories 🫵🏽

#ny #culture

Deeply honored to open tonight for the legendary arturo O’farrill @pianitis — an artist we truly admire.
🥭 Huge thanks to @jazzartsproject for bringing us into the HAVANA NIGHTS GALA in Red Bank, New Jersey 📍@triumphbrewery — it’s going to be a mangastik night.✨🌟✨🌟✨🌟✨🌟

🥭 First set: 6:30 PM (outdoors)
🥭 Second set: 9 PM (indoors)

✨ tix available in stories 🫵🏽

#ny #culture

Deeply honored to open tonight for the legendary arturo O’farrill @pianitis — an artist we truly admire.
🥭 Huge thanks to @jazzartsproject for bringing us into the HAVANA NIGHTS GALA in Red Bank, New Jersey 📍@triumphbrewery — it’s going to be a mangastik night.✨🌟✨🌟✨🌟✨🌟

🥭 First set: 6:30 PM (outdoors)
🥭 Second set: 9 PM (indoors)

✨ tix available in stories 🫵🏽

#ny #culture

Deeply honored to open tonight for the legendary arturo O’farrill @pianitis — an artist we truly admire.
🥭 Huge thanks to @jazzartsproject for bringing us into the HAVANA NIGHTS GALA in Red Bank, New Jersey 📍@triumphbrewery — it’s going to be a mangastik night.✨🌟✨🌟✨🌟✨🌟

🥭 First set: 6:30 PM (outdoors)
🥭 Second set: 9 PM (indoors)

✨ tix available in stories 🫵🏽

#ny #culture

MEET THE ARTIST: La Manga Latin Percussion Group 🥁

April 29 | Triumph Brewery, Red Bank

This dynamic all-women ensemble brings explosive rhythms and infectious energy to our Havana Nights Gala on April 29.

One of the region's premier Latin percussion groups, La Manga represents the power, precision, and passion at the heart of Afro-Latin music.

You don't want to miss this performance.

Tickets: link in bio

#WomenInJazz #HavanaNights #AfroLatinMusic #JazzArtsProject #RedBankNJ

Tonite, Friday April 24th
La Manga

It’s Friday night and @lamangabk returns to the LunÁtico bandstand! You know what to do!

@akupercu ~ Tambor Alegre/ voice 
@retromelodies ~ Maracas / lead voice 
@katherine.ocampo.saxophone ~ Tambora / voice 
@linasingsny ~ LLamador / lead voice

***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***

LA MANGA is inspired by the spirit and ancestry of cultural manifestations from the Caribbean coast in Colombia such as Bullerengue, Cumbia and Tambora. Honoring Black and Indigenous oral traditions; connecting with the power of tambores Afro-Colombianos (Tambor Alegre, Tambora and llamador) and celebrating life through storytelling and bailes cantaos.

La Manga was recently featured at The New York Times and has performed at Joe ́s Pub, Nublu, Moma PS1, Museum of the City of New York, Museum at Eldridge Street, Queens Theater, Bronx Music Heritage Center, Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and Arrebato Queer Party. You can follow this Brooklyn-based collective on Instagram as @lamangabk

MANGAZO LUNÁTICO ALERT🌙 Back en @barlunatico one of our favorite spots this Friday APRIL 24th - 9PM 🥭 bring your mangos to la fiesta, nosotras traemos la cuuuuuuuumbia colombiana! ❤️‍🔥

#cumbia #tamboralegre #culture

The Klezmatics - Un Du Akerst live at Sony Hall featuring La Manga and Lavender Light Gospel Choir

Courtesy of South Florida PBS

Listen to the single, pre-save and pre-order the album on klezmatics.com