Re: schmaltz, pandering and Klezmatics

[meydele <meydele...>]

Oy, such a lot to respond to in this thread!  

Whatever you may think of the Perlman production (let's face it, he picked 
great bands to appear 
with), it has been a smashing financial success.  Last summer, they SOLD OUT 
the HOLLYWOOD BOWL 
- 16,000+!  Has it made it easier for Yiddishkayt LA to get support, to turn 
out large 
audiences?  Well, not really, but it was still an important and good thing that 
that many people 
showed up.  Our summer concerts at the Ford Theater (open air ampitheater near 
the Bowl) tend to 
pull 1,000-1,200, irrespective of whether it's the Klezmatics or 
Klezmer-mariachi.  But the 
audiences do tend to be that interesting contemporary new Yiddish mix: the 
bright blue-hairs and 
the grey-hairs.  

I think that the current "edge" klezmer will get the audience it deserves and 
needs when the 
mainstream press sees it as more than a purely "Jewish" phenomena. So long as 
the primary venue 
is a JCC and/or pubicity/advertising is carried primarily through Jewish 
outlets, some 
substantial portion of the audience will be there to hear Bei Mir Bist Di 
Shein. Not necessarily 
a bad thing, but, as has been pointed out, limiting.  Of courser, as Joe 
pointed out, part of 
our responsibility is to educate our audiences. If celtic bands played only to 
the Irish 
community, there wouldn't be so many!  I don't understand what Cesora Evara 
(sp?) is singing, or 
other World Music artists from Africa and the Middle East, but I still love to 
hear them sing 
and will go to their concerts occassionally.  The Knitting Factory has done a 
great job of 
publicizing "its" Jewish artists, with the result that The Tonic can now 
present a different 
"klezmer" band each Sunday to a varied audience.  But, when I looked at the NY 
Times' critics' 
1998 year-end lists of the world music they felt was needlesly overlooked, not 
one had any 
klezmer/new Yiddish music on their lists.  

I am sad to say that we are existing in the continuum of Yiddish's historical 
place: from 
poverty.  Why wasn't there another "Conference of the Yiddish Language" after 
Czernowitz (even 
until today)?  No money.  There are many competing interests for the Jewish 
community foundation 
dollar.  For most, Yiddish and Yiddish music is far down the list of 
priorities.   But we keep 
trying, and we do get some support.  

So, what does all of my jawing boil down to?  Keep on keepin' on - tell people 
about the 
Ashkenaz Festival, on the West Coast about Yiddishkayt LA, educate your press 
contacts.  Critics 
like to be educated, in most cases, rather than hustled.  Sometimes they have 
to be watered and 
tended, as do our community leaders/venue bookers.  If you're producing a 
concert by an 
"innovator group" (the list so far is illustrative - not inclusive, for sure - 
no one has 
mentioned BOW, for instance), work with the band to produce more explanatory 
program material.  
The band may kick, but push them - or write it yourself.  Our audiences, 
particularly our older 
audiences, read their programs - they get there plenty early, after all!  With 
all that said, I 
must admit that sometimes I am overwhelmed by the lack of information and 
promotion for this 
important world music.  So, nu...we do what we can.

Simply the number of good klezmer bands performing throughout the US is a 
testament to the 
vitality of this music.  We're getting the audiences, and slowly, I believe, 
we're educating 
them, too.  Cleveland, too, can become a hotbed of new Yiddish culture!

Shira Lerner

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