Schmaltz & Pepper
Schmaltz & Pepper is a quintet that spins Eastern European Jewish folk traditions into something entirely, irresistibly their own. The band brings together Eric Abramovitz, principal clarinetist of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra; Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist and arranger Drew Jurecka; virtuosic violinist, vocalist, and composer Rebekah Wolkstein; JUNO-nominated bassist Michael Herring; and JUNO award-winning pianist Jeremy Ledbetter.
Their repertoire is almost entirely original — drawing on Yiddish swing, jazz, Roma music, and classical sensibilities. Their debut album won the Canadian Folk Music Award for Best Instrumental Compositions in 2026. Following a sold-out 11-show tour of Florida in 2025, the band returns to Florida in January 2027 and continues touring across Canada and the USA.
Date
Carrollwood Cultural Center
What is the Carrollwood Cultural Center?
It’s where a 5-year-old girl discovers that she’s an artist, a 70-year-old man discovers he’s a musician, a 35-year-old woman learns ballet and a family grows stronger by sharing the stage together.
It’s the banquet hall where Anna married Luis. It’s the meeting room where Jennifer launched her career. It’s the stage where Oliver found a family and a Music Man traded swindling for love.
The Carrollwood Cultural Center is much more than a building. It’s the place where strangers become friends and friends become family.
Above all, it’s a place where a community came together to prove—and continue to prove–that ordinary citizens can, through their labors and generosity, determine the culture of the place in which they live out their lives.