Re: Israeli Klezmer (was misirlou)

[Klezcorner <Klezcorner...>]

In a message dated 1/6/0 2:19:59 PM, mjaffey2 (at) mum(dot)edu writes:

<< 
Israeli klezmer, on the other hand....>>

Could you say a word about what Israeli klezmer is like? All that I know
about it is that I bought a cd called something like The Klezmer Violin,
featuring an Israeli violinist, that was a best seller at Tara and I was
disappointed - it had no Yiddish flavor whatsoever.

Mat >>

Only because you asked.
Generally speaking ALMOST all of the Israeli 'Klezmer" music I have been 
offered is what I call "simcha" music. Many of the recordings feature a 
clarinet or violin playing along with synthesized music. That is not to say 
that there aren't any fine musicians that do perform "authentic" Klezmer 
music. The demand for "European" Klezmer music in Israel is practically nil.

I've stayed out of the "What is Klezmer " debate, because we've gone round 
and round on this just as we have on "What is Jewish Music."
Unfortunately, is no control as to which recordings can use the word 
"Klezmer" or even "Jewish."

What I have observed, is that, almost every new musician who just HAPPENS to 
be Jewish wants to use the "dreaded hyphen' ( "-Klezmer" or "-Jewish" ) as if 
to validate his/her music as having a Jewish consciousness. Well, in my 
opinion, too many of these performances have a "Jewish Unconsciousness."  

In their effort to be "go where no band has gone before" they have taken all 
but a drop of the "yiddishkeit" out of the music.  What these "pioneers" 
don't realize is that the Klezmer phenomenon is waning. I have said more than 
once, that the demand is getting smaller for this music because the consumer 
is being neglected or totally ignored when these recordings are being 
promoted as "Jewish."  You can keep deluding the Jewish essence of the music 
only so far before it's lost it's "Jewishness" regardless of the fact that on 
the back of the recording it says "file under Klezmer/Yiddish/Israel/World 
Beat" .That alone should give you  an idea where this music is going. 
I still pride myself in having the largest selection of Klezmer music, 
however sales of Ladino music at Hatikvah this year actually surpassed sales 
of Klezmer which I predicted two years ago. There is a real strong demand for 
"authentic" ethnic music of every sort, not just in the Jewish market. 
Unfortunately, the Jewish market is so small by comparison to the general 
music market, that we are in real danger of a backlash.  I have many clients 
who felt they have been "burnt" when buying Jewish recordings-not because the 
recording was bad, but "BECAUSE IT'S NOT JEWISH!!! 
Simon (said)




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