You'll recognize "Hava Nagila," of course, and "If I Were a Rich Man" from the musical Fiddler on the Roof. Most of the music on Fiddler on the Road is entirely new to me, but gorgeous -- it's not my first introduction to klezmer and Eastern European music, but it's not a genre in which I'm well versed. This album, however, went into my desktop CD player and didn't come out for a long, long time.

The Rubinstein Klezmer Project is driven by Israeli violinist Ya'akov Rubinstein, with Thomas Yehuda Martincevic Kolonomos on piano and occasional vocals, and Almir Meskovic on accordion. You might be excused for thinking there are more than three people performing, but no, it's just a trio of hard-working men making joyful, sorrowful, emotionally expressive music that is simply beautiful to hear.

The music is mostly traditional and includes "Tants Tidelekh, tants," "Odessa Bulgar," "Para Noche de Alhad/Bembasa," "Ocho Candelas" and "Hevenu Shalom aleichem." The complex melodies are performed seemingly effortlessly.

It's impossible to remain unaffected by this music, whether or not it's part of your personal heritage. Explore this album and you'll see what I mean.