Pete Sokolow (1940-2022) was an icon of klezmer music, a musician, author and teacher who bridged musical eras. Known as the ¨youngest of the old guys,¨ the Brooklyn-born Sokolow built his reputation performing in the Jewish Catskills, and became the first-call pianist for a coterie of leading New York klezmer musicians including Dave Tarras, the Epstein Brothers, Rudy Tepel, Paul Pincus, Ray Musiker, Sid Beckerman and Howie Leess.

On the bandstand, Sokolow’s prodigious musicianship and ability to tastefully synthesize elements of jazz with klezmer and Hasidic music was indispensable. For young musicians participating in klezmer’s celebrated revival since the 1970s, Sokolow served as the consummate elder statesman and ambassador for the music’s rich heritage. He championed the artistry of the older masters, coaxing a number of retired colleagues back onstage while mentoring several generations of revivalists, including long-time collaborator Henry Sapoznik.

Sokolow’s towering legacy lives on in the continuing creative development of klezmer, numerous performances and interviews preserved in film and sound recordings, a corpus of published writings authored by or about him, and of course, in the cherished family he raised with Vera– their sons Michael and Daniel now lead growing families of their own.

CTMD and Yiddish New York celebrated Pete’s remarkable life and legacy in an online program that took place live on Zoom on December 19, 2023, and we are pleased to archive it here. This special program is hosted by klezmer revival hero Henry Sapoznik and features reflections by members of Sokolow’s family and a number of musical colleagues.

You can watch the video by clicking here.