Re: Cartoon music klezmer?

[Solidarity Foundation <svzandt...>]

On 12 Sep 1997 11:53:40 -0400
Ar Davidow wrote:

NOT that there was actual
klezmer music in the cartoons, but that one could follow
a progression of klezmer music, through, say, some of
Kandel's pieces, and then hear it echoed in the cartoon
music. 

Having said that, it does seem fair to hear some of that
filtered back out through the playing of The Klezmorim.
Other than Itzik, however, I don't think anyone was
saying that the two were synonymous.

_____________

Just to set the record straight, I never said that any music used in
cartoons either was, or sounded like, klezmer. Nor did I say that the
Klezmorim provided the music for cartoons. I said that most of their
music sounded like cartoon music, meaning, obviously, a cartoon-music
version of klezmer. If anyone, like Seth Rogovoy, really thinks there
is a great similarity between klezmer music and cartoon music, it's
probably because their odea of klezmer music was formed by groups
like the Klezmorim and, sadly, they are less familiar with the real
stuff.

In fact, a lot of people have now written in giving solid evidence
that the Klezmorim WERE greatly influenced by cartoon music. My only
"ignorance", Ari, is that I didn't know this was deliberate. 

I would throw out the suggestion that perhaps the real influence
behind the connection between klezmer and cartoon music MAY have been
Mickey Katz, who put out lots of records in the 50s and early 60s. People
may have gotten their idea of klezmer music from that. The fact is, and
it's hard for me to imagine that people don't know this, but maybe they
don't -- that Mickey Katz's stuff was a total spoof. I loved Mickey
Katz at the time, and still do, but basing your idea of klezmer on
Mickey Katz is exactly parallel to basiing your idea of Jazz on Spike
Jones. Mickey Katz truly was the Spike Jones of Jewish music. Totally
nuts.

As for the issue of "fun." Let me point out the obvious: there are
different ways of having fun. Much (though not all -- think of the
doinas and kale bazetsns, for example) klezmer music is "lebedik un
freylakh" by nature. The fun is in the music, when played right. You
don't have to superimpose it. I don't even think there's anything
wrong with a few birdwhistles or kazoos now and then, AS LONG AS YOU'RE
REALLY PLAYING KLEZMER. 

For those of you who understand Yiddish: "Der rebe hot geheysn freylakh
zayn, nisht meshige zayn."

Itzik-Leyb