Max Epstein (1913-2000)

[Sapoznik <Sapoznik...>]

Max Epstein, famed veteran klezmer clarinetist and member of the well known 
Epstein Brothers Orchestra died in Florida yesterday. He was 87.
As the only acknowledged Amercian born equal of such European klezmer players 
as Dave Tarras and Naftule Brandwein, Epstein enjoyed unparalled success as a 
working member of New York's Yiddish music community during its heyday in the 
1930s and 1940s. He and his brothers recorded a number of records including 
the classic "Dukes of Freilachland" LP in the late 1950s.
Moving to Flordia in the 1960s, the fame of the brothers diminshed and was 
only rekindled with the renewed interest in klezmer music in the 1970s. Their 
retirement was ended by keyboard player Pete Sokolow who encouraged Epstein's 
appearance at KlezKamp in 1991 where he met clarinetist Joel Rubin.  Rubin 
orchestrated the Brothers' successful tours resulting in the documentary film 
 "A Tickle in the Heart". The Epsteins were later awarded a National Heritage 
Folklife Award by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1998. 
Max Epstein is survived by his wife and brother, drummer Julie. 


Henry Sapoznik
Author
"Klezmer! Jewish Music 
>From Old World to Our World" 
(Schirmer Books)

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