Andy Statman Trio

Andy Statman is one of the world’s premier mandolinists and clarinetists, having first picked up his craft in the 1960s. Since then, the multi-instrumentalist has released 30 albums and performed with the likes of David Grisman, Paul Shaffer, Ricky Skaggs, and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. In June 2012, Statman was also awarded a National Heritage Fellowship, the nation's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts, by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Statman Statman spent 1969-70 at Franconia College, where he played saxophone, taught himself circular ("chain") breathing, dabbled with bagpipes, and began to play the mandolin. He first gained acclaim as a mandolinist in the pioneering bluegrass bands Country Cookin' and Breakfast Special, but soon began to delve deeper into his Jewish roots. Statman turned to klezmer, a form of traditional Eastern European Jewish instrumental music, and infused these Chassidic melodies with bluegrass and jazz along the way.

Andy Statman has collaborated with master mandolinist David Grisman on two celebrated albums. In 2007, Statman was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Country Instrumental category for his version of Bill Monroe's "Rawhide,” and his collaboration with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones on their holiday album Jingle All the Way won a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album in 2008.

In October 2011, Statman released Old Brooklyn, a two-volume album featuring elements of American roots, R&B, and Chassidic music. The album was recorded with his trio of Jim Whitney on bass and Larry Eagle on drums and percussion, with guest appearances by Ricky Skaggs, Béla Fleck, and Paul Shaffer, among others.

In their debut performance at the Englert, the Andy Statman Trio will present a one-of-a-kind blend of jazz, bluegrass, and klezmer that transcends time and culture.

This event is part of the Intimate at the Englert Series — presented by Hands Jewelers, with additional support from Little Village. Intimate events feature both the audience and the performers onstage together: the connection between artist and audience will be direct and electrifying. Want to see what an Intimate event looks like? Be sure to check out these photos on our Facebook page.