Re: Woeful tales of ruachlessness

[School Councils UK <Jess...>]

Deary me I think that we should be a little happier.

I'm not convinced it is all that bad.

Interestingly I was speaking to Joel Grishaver on a very related subject
when he was over here in the U.K. We agreed to really succeed in
contemporary Jewish music today with young people as an artist you really
need to have significant musical versatility. Along with that I think you
need to be a top notch song leader and good flexibility. Lets face it being
an effective song-leader has never been an easy job.

Lets also face it that the generational thing is very significant here. My
parents are in their sixties and seventies now. They both love music and
singing but The Beatles are too modern for them. Glenn Miller is just about
old enough.

I am in my twenties and I turn my nose up at most Britpop, even pulp which
are not bad but essentially are too in a mold.

Sometimes I sing at social clubs for people in their senior years  which I
enjoy a lot. I often will sing something like 'Every time we say goodbye',
it is a beautiful sentimental number, I think from the 40s. After it I say
(partly because I mean it and partly just to butter them up) 'They don't
write songs like they used to.' The murmur of approval is guaranteed.

A personal critique of music that I have which is in line with some of the
sentiments expressed by Jeff is that a lot of say what is now known as
'dance' music is composed with 'dance drugs' in mind. It has been shown
that these drugs encourage fast and repetitive movements, as opposed to
creative work.
So it is a very different base line.

I find that I can quite happily song lead with up to 10 year olds in Sunday
school and then they start wanting to do their own thing and not be taught
to sing such 'Jewish songs'. So I get them to write their own instead
either for their own age group or for younger kids.

I think there is much validity in Jeff's critique. I think singing at home
is very important to get into the habit and this no doubt is happening
less.

However I still hold that it is a basic human need to express through music
and movement and once you discover it in a satisfactory manner you don't
really want to stop.

I also think that undoubtably there is much to compete with with music
videos etc. So it is good if you can bring in drum sounds or backing to
workshops. I did that with 70 9-11yr olds on camp and it worked a treat.

As my band starts putting together its first album we are having to address
these issues. What sound are we trying to create? Who are we aiming our
music at? Inevitably the answer has to be contemporary. But there are still
many contemporary sounds. Compare Sinead O Conner to Oasis or The Spice
Girls. So I guess there will be strong evidence of various drum beats, but
we will retain accousticness and strong melodies (otherwise I'll leave!).

I think the challenge rests on us the song leaders to go out there and find
and create the material that will reach this generation. And if they won't
take it from us (adolescents!) get them to do it themselves.

But hey the end of the world is not nigh, not yet, although maybe it will
be when I hit my mid forties.

love to you all

Jess
xxx

P.S.

Joan Baez is doing a concert here at the end of November which a group of
my peers are going to. No doubt my cheder classes won't be present but then
you wouldn't find me at a Spice Girls concert either!