Tony Phillips founded the Instant Klezmer Mandolin Orchestra, and plays violin and csa-viola with the new neo-Klezmer string quartet Fidl Fir. He picked with several Bay Area bluegrass bands, and also performs old-time, swing, Mexican, Cajun and other traditional American music with the Jubilee American Dance Theatre. His work with the mandolin trio the Mandorian Candidates led to a tour in Eastern Europe with Westwind International Folk Ensemble, with whom he performed a Klezmer suite at the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival. After attending KlezKamp 1998, he joined the Red Hot Chachkas.