Re: Israeli Klezmer

[Robert Cohen <rlcm17...>]

When I was in Israel almost a dozen (i.e., too many) years ago, I went to a 
concert of klezmer music that was billed as something like "traditional 
European" (I _may_ still have the program) klezmer--by which they meant, 
violin-centered.  That is, pre-transplanted to America, and thus 
pre-clarinet centered.  The music had a very different sound to me than 
American klezmer revival bands:  much more 
intimate/quieter/"softer"/mellower, sort of.  Almost like "klezmer chamber" 
(cousin of today's ["Radical Jewish Music"/Knitting Factory/etc.] klezmer 
jazz?).  I liked it, fwtw.  Possibly (or probably) naive question:  Who's 
playing klezmer in that style today, here or in Europe or in Israel? -- rlc


>From: Klezcorner (at) aol(dot)com
>Reply-To: jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
>To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
>Subject: Re: Israeli Klezmer (was misirlou)
>Date: Thu, 6 Jan 2000 21:53:19 EST
>
>
>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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