Elizabeth Schwartz

Who is Elizabeth Schwartz?

American vocalist Elizabeth Schwartz specializes in klezmer music and the Romanian Yiddish dialect. She primarily records with Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi but has collaborated with notable musicians from the jazz and folk music worlds, notably Muzsikas, Damian Draghici, Alicia Svigals, Salman Ahmad, Marta Sebestyen and others. The subject of Romanian filmmaker Radu Gabrea's documentary film, "Searching for Schwartz", she was also featured in his previous documentaries "Goldfadn's Legacy" and "Romania, Romania". She also recorded music for the soundtrack of "L'Chayim, Comrade Stalin!", a documentary film directed by her husband and frequent collaborator Strom.

On March 18, 2012, Schwartz was invited to become the first woman in history to sing at the 125 year-old Eldridge Street Synagogue, effectively breaking the ban of "Kol Isha" in this landmark cultural venue.

Before becoming a vocalist, she was a Hollywood film executive - companies where she worked include Simpson-Bruckheimer Films and Morra-Brezner-Steinberg-Tenenbaum. As a writer, Schwartz collaborated with Strom on "A Wandering Feast, A Journey Through the Jewish Culture of Eastern Europe" and, with Strom and author Ellen Kushner, created the award-winning audio drama "The Witches of Lublin".