Re: schmaltz, pandering and Klezmatics

[KLEZMER313 <KLEZMER313...>]

In a message dated 7/21/99 6:50:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
rogovoy (at) berkshire(dot)net writes:

<< I think that promoters have a responsibility, too, to program the right 
acts
 for the right venues and audiences, and/or to do whatever they can in their
 power to let people know in advance what to expect. If you know yo'ure going
 to have an audience that isn't willing to stretch their imaginations enough
 to incorporate -- for example -- what Brave Old World does into their
 ill-conceived, pre-conceived notions of what "klezmer" is (of course, if BOW
 isn't klezmer, then what is?), then don't sell BOW to them as the klezmer
 they're hoping for. Get them Mandy Patinkin or the Mazeltones (no judgment
 cast on either of these). >>
 The assumption you make is that there is a promoter involved, i.e. a booking 
agent.    Many times organizations rely on committees to investigate and book 
talent.  These folks are usually well meaning, but not professional bookers 
and rely on the promotional materials of the groups to make their decisions.  
Now, I realize there is  "buyer beware" involved, but don't you feel that we 
who perform shoulder some of the responsibility to make sure that we are the 
right match for a certain group?  

Ok, so when you are booked and you find that you are playing to a still-life 
painting ....Are performances so set that on the spot changes cannot be made? 
(Of course this is assuming no lighting cues, etc)

  I feel that one of the components of professionalism is flexibility. (Not 
only on the concert stage, but for those of us who work simchot and other 
private affairs....it is highly important to be able to think on one's feet 
and make adjustments). In one of the cases I refered to in my earlier post, 
the group had been booked by the local performing arts center, with no prior 
consultation with anybody who knew about klezmer. The pac got the local 
newspaper to co-sponsor the event.....Anyway the performance was not received 
well because it was not what this audience could appreciate.   It would seem 
that the group has to be able to grasp that very early in the performance and 
do something to turn it around. Hey that's what we get paid for - 
entertaining.  

Also, in your post you refer to the ill-conceived, pre-conceived notion of 
what Klezmer is.  I believe pre-conceived is fair, but ill-conceived is not.  

Obviously, I believe in the audience and their inherent right to be 
entertained and to be sent home happy.  Of course, this is my job and I gotta 
do that.



mike eisenstadt

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