Re: fusion music (was Modzitz)

[GAronoff <GAronoff...>]

I think Simon introduced an equally interesting, but different, question than
the current thread of Jewish fusion music.  Is Burt Bacharach Jewish music?
The same question can be asked about Serge Gainsboro, Marc Bolan, Barbara
Streisand, Barry Manilow, the Ramones, Kiss, Stan Getz, Dylan, and the
countless other ethnic Jews who play music.  All of these ethnic Jews - of
differing levels of interest to me - play music that has little or no
conection to their heritage.

But Jewish fusion is based on one or more central Jewish element:  sound,
lyrical content, social context, etc.  Peter Sokolow said in the Smithsonian
program that his second generation American Klezmer was less traditional than
that of both the earlier Klezmorim and the revivalists.  But it was clearly
Jewish music.  Similarly, the groovy versions of Ashreinu, Mi Adir and even
the chestnut Hiney Ma Tov by Even Shsiyah are without doubt Jewish in lyrical
content, and from the notes presented to praise g-d and raise the Jewish
spirit, traditional Jewish religious concerns.

There are plenty of examples where the fusion overtakes the core Jewish
element.  Sometimes this comes from lack of knowlege of the tradition.  In
this case go and learn.  Go to Klezcamp.  In other cases, the problem remains
with the choice of non-Jewish elements, not the Jewish credentials.  If we
hate shmaltz pop or "lite" folk, we will hate what are certainly sincere
efforts from Mandy Patinkin and Debbie Friedman.  This is about general
personal aethetics, not about whether or not fusion is healthy or unhealthy
for Jewish music.

Gideon