RE: Bacharach (was: What Is Jewish Music?)

[Ari Davidow <ari...>]

>One thing you can say about ALL these artists: their music or sound is
>extremely distinctive -- can never be confused with any others. While that
>in itself doesn't mean it's Jewish (Willie Nelson, after all, could never be
>mistaken for anyone else, but to my knowledge he isn't Jewish, nor is his
>music), it does suggest something unique about it. Again, I'd suggest it has
>something to do with a particular perspective of an outsider looking in,
>commenting on AND becoming in some way the ultimate stylist within a
>particular genre. I think there is something inherently Jewish about such a
>dynamic.

I would tend to disagree with the generality. I think that we Jews
are used to seeing ourselves as outsiders, but not noticing other 
cultures with similar self-visions, and which also, like us, sport long
written histories and traditions. Chinese in the US come to mind
immediately. I'd also suggest that many individuals, if not representative
of their cultures, similarly see themselves that way. Jack Kerouac,
for instance, was not Jewish by heritage in any sense, although
one could certainly, on the terms presented earlier, argue that 
his work is "Jewish." (I wouldn't argue that point; I am just noting
that it could be argued.

At some point, of course, this begs the Lenny Bruce routine about
"Jewish", in which being born Jewish doesn't necessarily make one 
"Jewish".

And, the more I do cross-cultural work, the less comfortable I am
with the notion that, somehow, we Jews have an exclusive, or even
overwhelming claim on the "outsider" franchise, and even less so
with regards to being the only source of distinctive or unusual
music.

Still, it is also true that Jews represent a rare group in the US--
here long enough, and physically white enough, to have assimilated
in many ways; yet still distinct and still, to the extent that we
maintain our culture, outsiders. In that, I find much to ponder in
Seth's remarks.

On the other hand, there is an awful lot of very undistinctive
very Jewish music out there.

If these comments push any ideological buttons, I'll back off quickly--
like many people on this list, I not only don't want to argue what is
or isn't Jewish (forgive me for this idle speculation), but am happier
to see the definition broader, rather than narrower.

ari


Ari Davidow
ari (at) ivritype(dot)com
list owner, jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
the klezmer shack: http://www.well.com/user/ari/klez/

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