Make Music Portland featuring The Casco Bay Tummlers

Make Music Portland, part of the international Fête de la Musique, is the official organizer of Make Music Day Portland, a festival of sound. Occurring annually on June 21, Make Music Day is a free event to attend and participate in and is open to all ages, genres, styles, and abilities. During this daylong celebration, the city comes alive with music. Performances take place on city sidewalks, in parks, patios, and even on back porches.

Make Music Day Portland is a community event that aims to strengthen social and cultural ties, elevate the profile of our city internationally, and support amateur and professional musicians. Our music festival falls annually on the summer solstice and is organized by the Make Music Portland board. Together with cities around the world, Portland rings in the first day of summer and the longest day of the year by celebrating the transformational power of sound.

This year’s performance in Congress Square Park on Make Music Day featured The Casco Bay Tummlers!

Based in Portland, Maine, The Casco Bay Tummlers have been performing klezmer music since 1988. The band’s repertoire is versatile, ranging from original music to traditional dances and songs of the Yiddish theater and Jewish ghetto – all with original arrangements.

The Tummlers have a unique sound and a stage performance that features all members of the band. Steve Gruverman brings an extensive background in ethnic dance music to his soulful clarinet playing. Carl Dimow has developed a unique klezmer flute style, making the instrument an equal solo voice in the music. John Clark is an incredibly versatile bass player–everything from symphony to surf–perfect for the Tummlers eclectic approach to klezmer. Nancy 3. Hoffman brings a playfulness which audiences love to both her accordion playing and her singing. Peter McLaughlin keeps the traditional role as drummer happening with elements of jazz and improvisation.

The Tummlers have toured in Germany where they performed to sold-out houses at the Hackesches Hof Theater in Berlin and at the ninth annual Festival of Jewish Culture in Chemnitz. They have also traveled to Lithuania and performed in Pakroijis, Linkuva, Kaunas and Druskininkai and were the first klezmer band to perform at the Skamba, Skamba Kankliai folk festival in Vilnius. They have released three recordings and were featured performers on the LL Bean Holiday CD.