Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2004-01-17 21:46
I don't profess to be an authority in music history, but I have read things (sorry, can't recall citations) to the effect that the immigrant musicians (as well as their children born in the US) regarded klezmer as an old-fashioned and low-paying art. Jazz was what they wanted to play, that was where the audiences were, that was where the money was, that was what would assimilate them into the larger society. Actually, many, including Benny, I believe, aspired to play classical music, but "settled" for the practicality of playing jazz. Playing klezmer, or any other ethnic music, would have limited them to playing for affairs in their immigrant communities, limited their exposure and recognition. We'd never have heard of them - how many people have heard of Sid Beckerman, as opposed to Benny Goodman? If Benny and other jazz greats played klezmer, it was probably forgotten; there would have been no reason to publicize it or recall it. Remember, we know and love klezmer today because of the klezmer REVIVAL, which came long after klezmer.
Steve Epstein
|
|
The Ethnic Clarinet
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
