Re: technology in performance (a bit OT)

[Shirona <shirona...>]

Hi Lenka,

Great point to ponder... this has been a huge problem for me personally - 
coming from the same "purist" place as you are, and getting stuck as a result.  
I created my music in the recording studio - getting very imaginative and 
creative with "instrumentation" (as in MIDI...) since I didn't have much of a 
choice, for budget reasons - we hired live musicians whenever possible... but I 
didn't concern myself at the time with "how am I going to perform this music".  
Afterwards though it DID become a concern, and I couldn't imagine doing 
concerts with playback.  So I had to modify everything and scale it down - 
depending on who was available to perform with... but never got the same "feel" 
as what I have on my CD - not even close. At the times I did use my own 
playback I always felt somewhat "guilty" - like I was doing something "not 
Kosher"...

But hey - maybe this is how things are developing - and we should make the best 
of it. Ride the wave - not try to stop it.  The bottom line I believe is 
communication - if your art, your music- gets through to the audience and moves 
them... it's doing what it's supposed to do.

Thanks for bringing this up - it's giving me new hopeful ideas for the 
future....!!!

Enjoy the Summer,

Shirona
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
Singer, Songwriter and Teacher of Jewish Music
 Visit my website at    www.shirona.com
Listen to my music at www.mp3.com/shirona
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: lenka lichtenberg 
  To: World music from a Jewish slant 
  Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2003 10:30 PM
  Subject: technology in performance (a bit OT)


  hi everybody,
  a question nagging me: are there hot Jewish acts in North America using 
electronics in their live shows? I don't know of any, and frankly cannot 
imagine a klezmer band, no matter how "modern" in approach to their music,  
replacing a performer or three with a pre-recorded sound run by laptops and/or 
synths in front of your eyes on stage. Are we more "pure" here than in Europe? 
Last night, me and my hubby heard three acts based in France or somehow 
connected to France (promoted by French Embassy to deflect from Freedom Fries, 
the story went) in a concert "Vive La World"  at the venerable Hothouse in 
Chicago. One (sorry can't recall name) was a trio, lovely African chick singer, 
a guitarist and guy running about 12 pre-recorded tracks off a synth. Second, 
an AMAZING oud duo "Duoud", left us breathless. Most of their songs combined 
the two ouds (one electric) with bass and drums off a laptop. Finally, Natasha 
Atlas,  such a great singer (now based mostly in Egypt), 6-piece live back-up 
band and about 4 ghosts on pre-recorded tracks. Nobody minded. People went 
crazy. It was so HOT. I had some trouble with it. Am I being old-fashioned, 
which is my husband's opinion...or have we here in N.America different 
standards? (P.S. :nobody billed themselves as "traditional", simply "world" 
music, even though what they DID play could possibly be described as 
"traditional" in a number of ways)
  lenka 
  lenka lichtenberg, singer-songwriter, yiddish and world music performer. for 
mp3s, audio clips and performance updates, visit www.lenkalichtenberg.com

    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Klezcorner (at) aol(dot)com 
    To: World music from a Jewish slant 
    Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2003 9:52 PM
    Subject: Re: Days of Awe



    In a message dated 7/20/3 4:03:44 PM, dchevan (at) snet(dot)net writes:

    << , will be released on Thursday, August 7 and will be available at

    amazon.com as well as cdbaby.com and, I hope, at Hatikvahmusic. >>

    Of course it will be available at Hatikvah...such a question!!!

    .....who the hell are amazon and cdbaby ....don't you mean "see the baby"?)

    Simon
    Hatikvah Music
    323) 655-7083

    ---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org 
---------------------+