Re: Duelling harps /Sonny Boy

[Kame'a Media <media...>]

George Robinson wrote:

> Not to doubt you Wolf, but didn't Willie Dixon write Good Morning Little
> Schoolgirl?

Nope.  Composers are Sonny Boy Williamson II - H.R. Demarais - D. Level - B. 
Love

>
>
> Sonny Boy (real name Rice Miller, was also known as Sonny Boy II, since
> he was the second bluesman to use the name after the original Sonny Boy
> Williamson) probably wouldn't have been too big a hit at 770 Eastern
> Parkway.
>
> Unless he played "Boker Tov, Katan Yeshiva Bokher."

>
>
> George "I'm the only George Robinson. So far." Robinson
>
> Kame'a Media wrote:
> >
> > Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky wrote:
> >
> > > Harp - the instrument.  What they picture angels playing.  Don't know
> > > anything about Sonny Boy Williamson
> >
> > The harmonica master, composer of "Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl"
> > and many other classic blues was the star of "The King Biscuit Flour Hour"
> > a hugely popular radio program out of Helena, Arkansa in the 'Fifties.
> >
> > One of the first American bluesmen to perform in Europe, Williamson
> > was lionized in England where he came to influence  a generation of
> > blues-musicians that included the original Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton
> > and Led Zeppelin, among others.
> >
> > He  recorded with many of the young Englishmen who would later become
> > world superstars.  He is fondly remembered in the reminiscences of the
> > late Richard Manuel of The Band  in Scorsese's "The Last Waltz"
> >
> > I don't think the  Orthodox would have hired him, either.
> >
> > Wolf Krakowski
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > Jordan claims that there are women harp players at Orthodox weddings.
> > >  Hasidic dance scholar Jill Gellerman recently told me that the quality of
> > > music in the Orthodox community has seriously declined because they depend
> > > on one electric keyboard player to do all kinds of musical magic.  So much
> > > cheaper than having a full band.  But here we have harps and they are 
> > > women
> > > players yet too.   I dunno.
> > >
> > > Reyzl
> > >
> > > ----------
> > > From:  George Robinson [SMTP:GRComm (at) concentric(dot)net]
> > > Sent:  Wednesday, February 28, 2001 9:44 PM
> > > To:  World music from a Jewish slant
> > > Subject:  Duelling harps (Was Re: kol isha]
> > >
> > > Do you mean harp, like angels, or harp like Sonny Boy Williamson? I
> > > can't offhand recall a klezmer group that uses either. Am I missing
> > > something here?
> > >
> > > I must say, though, that it is interesting to note how few classical
> > > harpists are men. Without getting too far off topic, does anyone have an
> > > idea why that is? Or is that just my mistaken perception?
> > >
> > > George
> > >
> > > Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky wrote:
> > > >
> > > > I agree with what you say about modesty, but how is it that klezmer
> > > >
> > > > >has not really made it in the Orthodox and Chasidic community.
> > > > >It is only now beginning to attract attention. So an artist like Margot
> > > > >is suffering under the double whammy of performing music not generally
> > > > >used to any great extent, yet.
> > > >
> > > > What do you think they play at Jewish weddings if not klezmer, which is
> > > > Jewish wedding music.  Yes the repertoire is a bit different from what
> > > most
> > > > stage performing klezmer bands play.  These like to play the repertoire
> > > > from the old recordings
> > > > or what the founding bands established as standard.  But if someone like
> > > > Margot were to add to her repertoire some wedding standards, such as Od
> > > > Yeshama when the bride and groom enter, Jewish nigunim, a few modern
> > > Hebrew
> > > > songs, the line dancing repertoire, etc., she could play at those 
> > > > hasidic
> > > > weddings.
> > > >
> > > > > If she was interested in performing as
> > > > >a side musician, all she needs to do is contact one of the big
> > > > >commercial offices like Neginah or Neshoma, and while I am not sure
> > > > >she would get much play there, for other reasons, she would be able to
> > > > >get a truer test of the motivation not to use her.
> > > >
> > > > Yes, it's those other reasons that you are not expressing.  Like make
> > > sure
> > > > their stable of men make a nice living, while a woman shouldn't have to.
> > >  I
> > > > don't think they would tell her the real reason either.  They are polite
> > > > guys.
> > > >
> > > > >Women are playing violin, harp, and keyboards on Orthodox bands,
> > > >
> > > > Harp is a special instrument and it seems that it is highly populated
> > > with
> > > > women musicians.  If you want a harp, your choices are more limited.  
> > > > But
> > > > Jewish women fiddlers and keyboard players in Orthodox bands?  Which
> > > bands
> > > > have women musicians?  How often have you seen them?
> > > >
> > > > I don't know I seem to answering all my mail as it comes today.
> > > >
> > > > Reyzl
> > > >
> > > > ----------
> > > > From:  TROMBAEDU (at) aol(dot)com [SMTP:TROMBAEDU (at) aol(dot)com]
> > > > Sent:  Wednesday, February 28, 2001 3:41 PM
> > > > To:  World music from a Jewish slant
> > > > Subject:  Re: kol isha
> > > >
> > > > In a message dated 2/27/01 3:12:24 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> > > > rlcm17 (at) hotmail(dot)com writes:
> > > >
> > > > > The reason I would think Margot's posting is "a digression from kol
> > > > > isha"-and bringing up relevant economic issues is *not* a halakhic
> > > > > digression, by the way-is that kol isha applies (for better or for
> > > worse,
> > > > > etc., etc.) to women's *voices* and hence to women *singers,* not-so
> > > far
> > > > > as
> > > > > I know-women instrumentalists like Margot.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > At the risk of starting a new war here, I would point out that the 
> > > > reason
> > > > for
> > > > not having women in the band is that the idea of Women performers in
> > > public
> > > > is considered objectifying, and therefore, not in keeping with
> > > traditional
> > > > concepts of modesty.
> > > > This appears to be less prevalent in Chasidic and Orthodox thinking to
> > > day,
> > > > as
> > > > Orthodox people are more accustomed to seeing Women in roles that were
> > > not
> > > > part of the social structure in Europe before the war.
> > > > But Margot and others also have to realize that in general, Klezmer has
> > > not
> > > > really made it in the Orthodox and Chasidic community. It is only now
> > > > beginning to attract attention. So an artist like Margot is suffering
> > > under
> > > > the double whammy of performing music not generally used to any great
> > > > extent,
> > > > yet. If she was interested in performing as a side musician, all she
> > > needs
> > > > to
> > > > do is contact one of the big commercial offices like Neginah or Neshoma,
> > > > and
> > > > while I am not sure she would get much play there, for other reasons, 
> > > > she
> > > > would be able to get a truer test of the motivation not to use her. 
> > > > Women
> > > > are
> > > > playing violin, harp, and keyboards on Orthodox bands, although I have
> > > not
> > > > yet seen woman horn players. I don't know why those instruments are seen
> > > as
> > > > less problematic, but there it is. Personally, I would love to have
> > > Margot
> > > > in
> > > > the band, but she has to bring her sax and flute as well. Nowadays,
> > > > Clarinet
> > > > is still struggling to make a comeback.
> > > >
> > > > Jordan
> > > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > George Robinson
> > > Author, Essential Judaism
> > > Please visit my website, "Essential Judaism and Beyond"
> > > at www.GeorgeRobinson.freeservers.com
> > >
> >
>
> --
> George Robinson
> Author, Essential Judaism
> Please visit my website, "Essential Judaism and Beyond"
> at www.GeorgeRobinson.freeservers.com
>

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