[HANASHIR:13638] What About Musical Fairness?

[sholom <sholom...>]

>>I've never posted to this list, but I feel compelled to do so.

I'm glad you did!  We needed a voice from the "new generation".

I'm also glad you did because some of the comments seemed eerily
reminiscent of the comments _I_ heard from my parents generation about
rock music (that it was trash, just noise, too many screamers, and so
forth).

I'll be the first to admit, I don't know a whole lot about the current
music these days.

But from what little I hear, I must say that, in terms of quality, it
doesn't seem too different than from earlier times -- and that is: a lot
of mediocrity and a couple of gems.

The modern stars?  I'm not even sure I know who they are, but Norah Jones
seems like she's following in the tradition of Bonnie Rait and Rikki Lee
Jones.

Avril Lavigne?  "Complicated" seems to be following in the tradition of a
mellower Alanis Morisette, who has obvious roots going back to the
Pretenders, which (imho) was a groundbreaking group.

John Mayer?  Is he all that different from Dave Matthews?

>>>
I do agree that rap, as well as certain artists, are demeaning toward
women.  It's a trend. Can't really help that. But I will say that I have
respect for some rappers.  The way they create rhymes is often brilliant.
>>>

I agree with this, too.  While rap and hip-hop and go go, etc., doesn't
speak to me -- I realize that this is part of a different culture, and is
a modern extention of toasting, signifying, playing the dozens, etc.  See
<http://www.crt.state.la.us/folklife/creole_art_african_am_oral.html> for
a description.

>>>
The lack of recognition for Jewish music may be rooted in the fact that
there ARE not many mainstream Jewish artists.  Or at least Jewish artists
that are trying to gain mainstream recognition.  Many people that I've
interviewed ARE Jewish, they just don't write outright religious music.
>>>

That's a good point.  I don't recall many of the top Jewish artists doing
very much Jewish stuff.  Paul Simon?  But this has always been.  Gershwin,
Loeb, Rodgers, Hammerstein, Hart, and Sondheim were/are Jewish, too.  Same
thing, even more so, with Hollywood.  Dominated by Jews, but only very
recently are Jewish subject treated (with the recent exception of
Holocaust related issues), and not very much in TV yet.

-- Sholom




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