Re: Cartoon music klezmer?

[Owen Davidson <owend...>]

I'm a big fan of cartoon music myself, and I remember thinking, when I first
heard Abe Schwartz' rendition of "Lebedik un freylakh," that it sounded just
like cartoon music.  Now, after havig heard *lots* of klezmer music, it no
longer sounds that way.  I also remember hearing an old Greek popular song
with a swing-band style accompaniment and thinking *that* sounded just like
cartoon music.  And now, of course, it doesn't.  Lately I've been listening
all the time to 1930's era calypso on Dick Spottswood's *excellent* Rounder
compilations, and my business partner Frank, on hearing it, said (you
guessed it) "That sounds just like cartoon music!"  It doesn't, of course.

So here's what I think is going on.  There was a certain kind of popular
dance music that was being played when those great old cartoons were being
made.  It was swing but it wasn't really jazz, and it featured slushy,
wobbly saxophones, chunky guitars, clarinets, violins, &c.  The arrangements
were what we'd now consider quaint and dated, but back then it was all the
rage.  So much so, in fact, that it spilled over and informed all kinds of
ethnic music that was being recorded at the time.  And also cartoon
soundtracks.  If we ever listened to that dance music today, we'd all say,
"That sounds just like cartoon music!"  because it would *be* just like
cartoon music.  But we don't listen to that music now.  The only way we
experience it is through its echoes on some old klezmer 78's.  And in cartoons.

Owen    

____________________________________________________________________________
________         Owen Davidson, Amherst, Mass.

        I look into its glowing screen 
        And see the Adversary,
        And know that it, could it see me,
        Would see the Beast all hairy.