A Jumpin' night in the garden of Eden

For nealy a millenium, vigorous and soulful klezmer music was an integral part of Jewish life in Eastern Europe. In the early decades of this century, this musical tradition continued to flourish in America. Klezmer musicians learned tunes by ear and adapted Gypsy, Ukrainian and Greek melodies as well as the jazz heard in the U.S. Assimilated and commercialized, however, this musical expression of Jewish culture was virtually extinct until a mid-70's revival. This film traces the efforts of two contemporary groups, Kapelye and the Klezmer Conservatory Band to recover a lost history. The camera follows members in rehearsal, taking Yiddish lessons, meeting with elderly klezmer musicians, attending a Jewish wedding, studying at a klezmer camp, and appearing at a live radio concert on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion.