Re: Yes! Judaism: A HEADNOTE

[BlackMonk <BlackMonk...>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alex Jacobowitz" <alexbjacobowitz (at) yahoo(dot)com>
To: "World music from a Jewish slant" <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2003 7:41 AM
Subject: Re: Yes! Judaism: A HEADNOTE


> B"H MUNICH
> >
> >    Our Jewish religion has so many positive aspects.
> > It's sad that
> >    certain factions only address the no-nos.  Where
> > are the yes-yesses?
> >    Why don't they speak of those things instead? The
> > Baal-Shem Tov
> >    addressed the positive aspects in joy and love.
> > What a model for us
> >    all, Chasidic or not.
>
> Those who read music - klezmer, classical
> or whatever -  know what it is to "read it down",
> that is, to play the notes through. No pushing the
> envelope, no "interpretation", no playing "outside
> the box". The holy Baal Shem Tov took the "text"
> of Judaism and developed it, improvised, expanded,
> embellished, polished it, while staying true to the
> text. Not everyone is an artist, of course. However,
> we can only rise above the material by mastering it
> first. Artistry is earned, not claimed.
>

I suspect most musicians on the list'll disagree. Is there anyone who CAN'T
think of at least one artist who only knew a few chords and wasn't too
versatile, but managed to do something brilliant nevertheless?

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