Seth Kibel

Seth Kibel

Musicians | Instrument: Clarinet | Location: Baltimore

Woodwinds extraordinaire Seth Kibel has proven to be one of the best entertainers of our day.

—Kris Belgica, Baltimore Jazz Alliance

Updated: August 21, 2023

Born: August 17, 1974

Seth Kibel is one of the Mid-Atlantic's premier woodwind specialists, working with some of the best bands in jazz, swing, and more. Wowing audiences on saxophone, clarinet, and flute, Seth has made a name for himself in the Washington/Baltimore region, and beyond. He is the featured performer with The Kleztet, Bay Jazz& Project, Music Pilgrim TrioThe Natty Beaux, and more. Winner of 28 Washington Area Music Awards (Wammies), including "Best World Music Instrumentalist" (2003-11) and "Best Jazz Instrumentalist" (2005, 2007-8, 2011-14). His most recent recording, "Clown With A Stick," was released in May 2023 on the Azalea City Recordings record label. He's won numerous prizes in the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest (MASC) including the Grand Prize in 2016 and a Gold Prize in 2022.

He is the leader, clarinetist, and composer for The Kleztet, a genre-bending klezmer band he founded in the Baltimore/Washington area. The band's four albums (released under the name "The Alexandria Kleztet"), Peace, Love and Coffee (2009), Close Enough for Klezmer (2005), Delusions of Klezmer (2002) and Y2Klezmer (1999) are all available nationwide. All four recordings received the Washington Area Music Association's (WAMA) award for Best World Music Recording following their release. Additionally, Seth was named "Best World Music Instrumentalist" by WAMA every year from 2003 through 2011. In 2012, he was bestowed the honor of "Emeritus" status in this category. In 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2011-14 he was also named "Best Jazz Instrumentalist."  In 2017, his song "New Waltz" took home the Grand Prize in the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, sponsored by the Songwriter's Association of Washington (SAW).

In addition to his activities with The Kleztet, Seth has fronted a variety of swing and jazz groups, including Bay Jazz Project. In 2002, he was commissioned to write, perform, and record an original score for Dreams in the Golden Country, an original theatrical production at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. In January 2004, Seth released his first jazz CD, Nuts and Bolts. His second solo album, The Great Pretender, was a blues/jazz project released in July 2007 on the Azalea City Recordings record label. His third solo record, Phonin' It In with Seth Kibel and Bay Jazz Project, is a straight-ahead acoustic jazz record released on Azalea City Recordings in July 2011.  In April 2014, he released a "Jazz for Kids" album, Jazz For People Who Are Shorter Than Me, which was named "Best Children's Music Recording" for 2014 by the Washington Area Music Association.  In 2018, he released a collection of jazz and Jewish standards, When You're Smiling.

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Album Review

Seth Kibel: Clown with a Stick

Read "Clown with a Stick" reviewed by Jack Bowers


A stick? Most definitely. A clown? Most definitely not. Seth Kibel is far more virtuoso than court jester, especially on his main axe, the clarinet (sometimes referred to as a liquorice stick), as he proves time and again on this inclusive and thoroughly delightful album. Okay, so the music is for the most part more swing/klezmer/folk than jazz; that hardly matters when Kibel is in charge. While he may not improvise often, he is no slouch when ...

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Primary Instrument

Clarinet

Location

Baltimore

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Concerts

  Thu, Apr 4
Washington, DC
"Seth Kibel Trio, ft. Flo...
Mr. Henry's Restaurant
Thu, Apr 4. 6:00 PM

Music

The Gaisin Shuffle

From: Clarinetflix & Chill
By Seth Kibel