Biography

In “Berditchever Sher,” Zoe & Cloyd seamlessly combine the old world vibes of Eastern European Jewish Dance and early Southern American Folk, in a nod to their respective backgrounds. The result is a one of a kind instrumental that is joyful and heart-warming.

Natalya Zoe Weinstien is the granddaughter of a Russian Klezmer musician, while John Cloyd Miller is the grandson of Jim Shumate, an NC heritage award recipient and part of the pioneering bands of the early versions of both Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys and Flatt and Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys.

With the rolling banjo of Bennett Sullivan, syncopated guitar from Miller and the darkly bowed bass from Kevin Kehrberg, Zoe & Cloyd carry forward their heritage with this synergic take on a Ukranian klezmer tune originating in the town of Berdichev, Ukraine.

“A ‘sher,’ the Yiddish word for ‘scissors,’ is a Eastern European Jewish dance form,” says Weinstein. “My grandfather, originally from Russia, grew up playing music and was a professional klezmer musician in Philadelphia. He likely played this song for weddings and events and we enjoyed putting our own spin on it. You probably won't find another version of this tune with bluegrass banjo!”