Re: Mel Gibson, The New York Times and Jewish Music

[avi finegold <afinegold...>]

and what about the wonderful piece they did on the
moshav band and soulfarm recently?

everyone seems to have forgotten that one

avi


--- Alex Lubet <lubet001 (at) umn(dot)edu> wrote:
> In the Times' defense, they did have an article on
> the Terezin composers, 
> esp. Viktor Ullmann, a few months ago.  But David is
> absolutely right, 
> Jewish music has little place in the Times and it's
> not the only aspect of 
> their coverage of Jews/Israel that's been justly
> criticized  Thanks for 
> writing your letter.
> 
> 
> BTW, I thought Frank Rich's piece was good and
> necessary.  We have to be 
> vigilant about this sort of thing and, as an aspect
> of the arts that 
> concerns Jews, it belongs on this list (not that
> anyone's objected).
> 
> Shana Tova,
> 
> 
> 
> At 02:25 PM 9/25/2003 -0400, you wrote:
> >In light of the discussion, which as usual has gone
> astray, I thought I'd 
> >keep it astray and at the same time throw my two
> cents into the ring by 
> >sharing a letter I recently sent to Frank Rich of
> the New York Times.  One 
> >thing it will prove, is that I have an enormous
> ego, but since you already 
> >have probably figured that out try and overlook
> that element while reading 
> >my missive so that you can catch my larger point. 
> I'll add a little post 
> >script to this at the end of the note.
> >>Dear Mr. Rich,
> >>
> >>I've been reading and appreciating your written
> work for the NYTimes 
> >>since you were a theater critic.  I am writing to
> you now because I 
> >>cannot seem to get the attention of the music
> staff of the Times and I am 
> >>at my wit's end about this.
> >>
> >>I don't think the music staff at the Times is
> anti-Semitic but they have, 
> >>over and over, neglected or simply not discussed
> music by openly Jewish 
> >>musicians in a way that I find troublesome.  In
> light of the current 
> >>controversy that has been raised by MGibson's
> movie, it is troublesome to 
> >>me, as a working Jewish musician, that the Times
> can spend columns and 
> >>columns discussing a film that has the potential
> to incite anti-Semitism, 
> >>but cannot find either ink or Arts Column space to
> review recordings or 
> >>performances by Jewish musicians.  Jon Pareles
> recently wrote a lengthy 
> >>article on worthwhile current world music
> releases. It was nearly two 
> >>full pages in length.  There was not even one
> Jewish album 
> >>reviewed.  Meanwhile I can think of at least four
> major pieces, including 
> >>two by you, about the upcoming Mel Gibson movie.
> >>
> >>Last month I released The Days of Awe, an album of
> music for the Jewish 
> >>High Holy Days.  It is the first such album ever
> released by a jazz 
> >>musician.  It has gotten some attention in the
> Jewish press, but I can't 
> >>get even an acknowledgement of receipt of the CD
> from the New York Times 
> >>Arts desk (I sent about six copies of the
> recording to various members of 
> >>the Music Staff).  You'd think in a city as filled
> with Jewish people as 
> >>it is, that the New York Times would at least
> address this new recording, 
> >>even if it was to skewer it and give it a bad
> review.
> >>
> >>I find this disparity discomforting, but it is
> also not  unique to the 
> >>New York Times.  I live in the New Haven area and 
> review copies were 
> >>also sent to the local papers, The New Haven
> Advocate, and the New Haven 
> >>Register.  Follow ups to these papers netted an
> acknowlegement of 
> >>receipt, but there was no sense of a time-line for
> a review.  "We're 
> >>planning on reviewing it" said one reporter, "but
> maybe in November when 
> >>it is closer to New Years."  It took a lot of
> explaining to help him 
> >>understand that the New Years of this CD is in
> September!!
> >>
> >>Anyway, I digress to make my point.
> >>
> >>I'd be happy to send you a copy of the recording,
> if you are interested 
> >>in hearing it.  I am frustrated, because the
> NYTimes always has time for 
> >>Mel Gibson, it always has time for the Christian
> rockers, there is even 
> >>an article on the front page of the Arts section
> about the presence of 
> >>God on new TV shows, but there are no pieces  for
> the work that I, or the 
> >>many, many other Jewish musicians and singers who
> are playing sacred 
> >>Jewish music of all forms.
> >>
> >>You were probably not the right person to vent to,
> but your piece, which 
> >>is so well written, hit a vein.  Please keep
> writing about Gibson and 
> >>similar issues, but let's see some positive pieces
> about people like me 
> >>who are making positive creative statements for
> their people.
> >>
> >>Best wishes,
> >>
> >>David Chevan
> >>
> >>
> >>The Afro-Semitic Experience
> >>PO Box 6183
> >>Whitneyville, CT 06517
> >><http://www.chevan.addr.com>www.chevan.addr.com
> >>(203)287-5446
> >>
> >>
> >>Here's the post script.  Since writing that note
> (which I sent as an 
> >>e-mail) I have not heard back from Mr. Rich, but I
> have heard from Ben 
> >>Ratliff from whom an e-mail arrived earlier this
> morning, he writes 
> >>"thanks for the album, which I do like.  I have no
> plans at the moment 
> >>for reviewing it at this very moment . . ."
> >>
> >>So it would appear that the NYTimes continues to
> do its best to maintain 
> >>it's perfect record for reviewing new Jewish
> recordings.
> >>
> >>In contrast both the New Haven Advocate 
>
>>(<http://newhavenadvocate.com/gbase/Music/content?oid=oid:34883>http://newhavenadvocate.com/gbase/Music/content?oid=oid:34883)
> 
> >>and the New Haven Register (in tomorrow's edition)
> have decided to run reviews.
> >>
> >>  . . . . . .and I thought New York was the center
> of American Jewish 
> >> Culture.
> >>
> >>DC
> 
> Alex Lubet, Ph. D.
> Morse Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor of
> Music
> Adjunct Professor of American and Jewish Studies
> University of Minnesota
> 100 Ferguson Hall
> Minneapolis, MN 55455
> 612 624-7840 (o)
> 612 699-1097 (h)
> 612 624-8001  ATTN:  Alex Lubet (FAX)
> 
> ---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
> ---------------------+
>