Tzepl weaves together the accordion of Laurie Andres, the trombone and tuba of Jimmy Austin, and the violin of Mae Kessler into a musical braid, simultaneously harmonious and quarrelsome. They play klezmer in a mostly traditional style, but not strictly so. Their sound combines elements of nineteenth century European string players with the brassy American style of the early twentieth century, with the accordion bridging the gap. Tzepl’s music is just as pleasant for listening as it is invigorating for dancing.

Laurie, Jimmy, and Mae first began playing together in the spring of 2023 after being invited to present this music at a workshop for youth, organized by Seattle Fiddlesticks and The Rhapsody Project. Laurie Andres plays klezmer, New England folk music, and many other kinds of traditional music. He also performs in the klezmer duo, Kesselgarden, and is a highly regarded performer for contradancing. Mae Kessler has played in original and traditional music groups for many years and developed a deep love for klezmer music after attending KlezKamp in the Catskills in 2012. Mae also plays with the Scandinavian and klezmer duo, Varda. Jimmy Austin inherited his first name and first trombone from his grandfather. He also performs in a variety of situations, including the klezmer band Shpilkis, and directs The Rhapsody Project’s Yiddish Music and Heritage programming.