Re: Reviews of new Khevrisa, Budowitz

[Ari Davidow <ari...>]

>There are probably entertainers who substitute tried-and-true crowd-pleasers 
>for artistry, but I don't think that includes Klezmorim/Kapelye.  (Klezmorim 
>refused to play the crowd-pleasers and got rid of vocals early on, in fact, 
>to the dismay of many audiences.)  Is the Klezmorim version of Baym Rebns 
>Sude less musically valid than a revivalist version on fiddle and tsimbalon?  
>Or do I construe your point wrong?

Lori,

With all due respect, I must for once object that I think I was less
than clear. First, there is nothing wrong with humor, and certainly
nothing wrong with humor in a Jewish context. I would contend, and I
was moved to make the point because Svigals appeared to be saying,
similarly, that some early revival performances were done in a comic
style NOT to be funny, but because the musicians were unsure what 
else to do. Or, at least, that's what they sound like. It's the 
difference between Mickey Katz sounding funny, and someone playing
a Mickey Katz tune today, unsure of the audience or the material,
who opts to _make fun of the material_. That's different from making
fun _with_ the material, or even, making fun.

I might add, that of the recordings I receive to review at the KlezmerShack,
this approach to song is still taken by a few performers on some occasions.
It still grates.

As to the question of "musically valid", I would be the last to judge
that given music is valid, or authentic. It's bad enough untangling
this issue of humor, or similarly thorny issues. (Let's not list all
of the thorny issues. Regular readers of the KlezmerShack have read
about enough of them, at sufficient length :-).)

ari



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

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