Mike Perlmutter, originally from the greater Boston area, has made his home by San Francisco Bay since 1998.  He performs klezmer, Balkan, and Jewish ritual music on clarinet, bass clarinet, and saxophone for Chochmat Halev, Saul Goodman’s Klezmer Band, and Inspector Gadje.  Mike seeks to connect his music to the full range of feeling and expression of spirit, mind, and body – from the deeply contemplative, to the ecstatic.  Mike loves bringing this intention to musical services at Chochmat Halev, where the teachings, text, and liturgy, the music, and the participation of the congregants come together so uniquely and deeply to touch so many levels of human feeling.  Outside of music he is committed to his family (wife and toddler daughter), the environment, and his work supporting volunteer efforts to clean, green, and beautify the City of Oakland. He’s also known for his pickling.