Re: New Sub-Categories and Adjectives for Jewish Music

[Maxwell St <MaxwellSt...>]

In a message dated 98-01-06 05:53:49 EST, you write:

<< As a cautionary note, I work with and have many friends among avant-garde
jazz
 musicians, and have seen the terrible effect that reactionaries like Wynton
 Marsalis have had on the black community and the music by waging a war to
 exclude them from broad umbrella of "jazz".  I hope the same does not happen
 in the Jewish community. >>

Most of the festivals we apply to prefer the contemporary klezmer band
sound--i.e., Klezmatics, Zorn, etc.  I think that revivalists have a much
harder time finding a festival or other public forum.  The Jewish community is
the only place that seems to support traditional bands.  From where I stand,
it's a harder act to sell revival klez than the rock/funk/fusion styles that
appeal to the general (young) public.  At least that's the question we are
usually asked by festivals--"Do you have a contemporary sound that will appeal
to young audiences?" (click)

As for the example cited above, I don't think that there is a campaign on
anyone's part to exclude contemporary klezmer from the Jewish community.  I
just don't think that the majority of the community has an interest in
experimental/cutting edge music of any kind, and that they are especially
turned off when they read "klezmer" and expect to experience some warm,
nostalgic feelings and instead get something which is more atonal and in your
face.

Lori