Jay Ungar is an American musician and composer born in New York City, the son of immigrant parents from Eastern Europe. He frequented Greenwich Village music venues during his formative period, and was a founder member of Cat Mother and the all-night newsboys & the Putnam String County Band. Although he has often played with David Bromberg, he is probably best known for "Ashokan Farewell", originally composed as a waltz which was played at his "Fiddle & Dance" music camp