Bands and orchestras are living ensembles that must continue to evolve artistically and musically while remaining connected to society. The Klezmer Company Jazz Orchestra (KCJO), formerly KCO, was founded on that principal in 1997 by Aaron Kula with a mission to reimagine vintage melodies for the next generation and perform multi-cultural interdisciplinary music. The ensemble performs a unique blend of folk and ethnic jazz as well as classical and musical theatre, using a roster of accomplished musicians. In 2009, KCJO released its award-winning album Beyond the Tribes, which was selected in 2011 by the Library of Congress (LOC) for inclusion in the Copyright Acquisitions Division. The juried committee stated that this creative work represented an important cross section of American culture and would “enrich the collections.” In 2012, Mr. Kula and the band released its second studio produced album titled Klezmerology, and in March 2016, released its newest album called JubanoJazz, celebrating the fusion of latin jazz and vintage klezmer melodies.
Having toured in 2011 and 2014, Mr. Kula led KCJO on concert tours to California, Arizona, and New England Rhode. In 2015, KCJO was invited to perform in Canada at the Ashkenaz Festival in Toronto and the Montreal Jewish Music Festival.