re: instruments

[Mattflight <Mattflight...>]

     Jordan, where I was going with this, was would a trumpet fit in that 
style of klezmer.   It is more of a how instruments fit together. The young 
lady didn't have a background in Jewish Music, which is why the question of 
how a trumpet would fit into that setting came up. I think with that band 
(the Klezmer Mt. Boys) playing in a softer style. Bluegrass to me doesn't 
have a place for an instrument like a trumpet. I think my answer would have 
been more towards in Klezmer music the trumpet plays a similar role to the 
clarinet, but in this band it wouldn't fit in. And I as a percussionist I 
would have to say the same thing. 
     While a conversation in a bar is a bad example of how we need to 
properly educate are audiences, it was the only example I could think of at 
the time. My feeling is that as musicians we have to do a good job of 
properly educating our audiences. The hardest part is getting the listener in 
the door, if you have them in the door and have their attention then you 
might as well use your face time. Are small disagreement on how we go about 
doing this maybe more a generational issue that a musical issue.

     An a side note, the Klezmer Mountain Boys, lead by Margot Leverett is 
one of the best pure fusion klezmer bands that I have heard. Using a base of 
Bluegrass to play klezmer tunes works, if you didn't know it was fusion 
music, you could think that this is an old style of playing klezmer. If you 
have the opportunity to see this band, go see it. If not when the album comes 
out, go pick it up.

Matt

<cut>
Ok.
I see where you are going with this and I agree with a great deal of it.
But let's go back to the original question, which, since I was standing
next to you in that bar and flirting... um, talking with the young lady
in question, and the question was asked of me, I would say that my
answer was specific to my instrument.
Valved brasses are only around since the 1820's, and probably did not
make it into klezmer until the 1840's at the earliest. My guess is that
they were not common until the 1880's. Traditional for trumpet and
cornet would mean, the Klezmer music played as indiginous music
fulfilling the function in its organic place in the community required
as played at that time by brass players. That would be in a more
military style. As cornet or trumpet was used more as a lead instrument,
there may be more freedom of expression. That is also traditional, as
the music was still fulfilling it's typical function within the
community from which it was born. So Art Shryer or even Ziggy Elman
where traditional in that sense, even though they did not play an that
military style. I would call them a later tradition.
How does that fit?

JH
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