BAYMELE

Matthew Stein - violin

Dmitri Gaskin - accordion

Misha Khalikulov - cello

Founded in 2018, Baymele — "little tree" in Yiddish — is a klezmer and Eastern European folk trio rooted in the San Francisco Bay Area on unceded Ohlone land. Avid ethnographic researchers, they perform newly rediscovered gems from Ashkenazi Jewish, Polish, Romanian, Ukrainian, and Hungarian folk music traditions, alongside original compositions.

The members of Baymele have performed and recorded with many noted artists, including Tsvey Brider, Rupa and the April Fishes, Vadalma, StringQuake, Saul Goodman’s Klezmer Band, and Mahala.

ALBUMS

SAPLING (2025)

Baymele's debut instrumental album embodies the idea of new growth from old roots. It’s a celebration of diasporic Jewish folk music, Polish folk music, and the band’s attempts to blend the two styles.

KOSMOPOLITN (2022)

Tsvey Brider’s genre-bending, lushly expressive original compositions to Yiddish poetry from the first half of the 20th century evoke a world of humor, beauty, oddity and wistfulness.

PERFORMANCES

FEB 14, 2026: Hinenu (Baltimore, MD)

FEB 15, 2026: Washington Ethical Society (Washington, D.C.)

FEB 17, 2026: Muhlenberg College (Allentown, PA)

FEB 18, 2026: TBA (Philadelphia, PA)

FEB 19, 2026: Jalopy Theatre (Brooklyn, NY)

FEB 22, 2026: The Lilypad (Boston, MA)

MUSIC

MUSICIANS

Matthew Stein (he/him) is a violinist, violist, and composer. He studied ethnomusicology and computer science at Wesleyan University, where he led klezmer, Balkan, Irish, and classical music ensembles. Matthew has performed and recorded with Baymele, Romanian band Mahala, and Eastern European band Orchestra Euphonos. Matthew was the violinist in the critically acclaimed 2022 production of Indecent at the San Francisco Playhouse.

Outside of music, Matthew is a puzzle, escape room, and immersive experience designer.

Dmitri Gaskin (he/him) is an instrumentalist, composer, and arranger specializing in klezmer, Polish, and Romanian folk music. He performs regularly with Baymele and Tsvey Brider, and has shared the stage with the Louisville Orchestra, David Krakauer, Socalled (Josh Dolgin), Kurt Bjorling, and Veretski Pass, among others.

Dmitri was the accordionist and music director for the 2022 production of Indecent at the San Francisco Playhouse. He serves as board chair of KlezCalifornia and festival director of the KlezCalYidFest. Dmitri studied accordion with Josh Horowitz and Alan Bern.

Misha Khalikulov (he/him) is a cellist and music educator based in the Bay Area. He holds a degree in Classical Cello Performance from UCLA under the tutelage of Antonio Lysy. Misha is a member of Rupa and the April Fishes, contemporary chamber/world music group StringQuake, Hungarian folk/crossover group Vadalma, and klezmer trio Baymele. He performs and records as a solo cellist, electric bassist, guitarist, in classical chamber music ensembles, and with musicians and artists covering many musical genres and disciplines.

CONTACT

Baymele is available for concerts, weddings, and other special events.

We’d love to hear from you at baymeleklezmer@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Facebook.