21 - Recent trends in new American Jewish music

Summary

Sociologist and music critic Simon Frith states that the study of popular music assumes that sounds reflect or represent “a people.” This homology is described as “some sort of structural relationship between material and cultural forms.” A piece of music not only reflects but, in effect, produces popular values through its performance, and thus “gives a way of being in the world.” Popular music is a commercial industry striving to blend the artistry of music with business. The new Jewish music from the late 1960s through the 1990s is not only an artistic creation but also a positive and desirable expression of Jewish identity. “Jewish music” can be defined as a self-conscious effort to express a message, idea, or sound that is considered by its creators, performers, and listeners to be Jewish. This sphere of music, which has grown significantly over the past few decades, raises intriguing questions of expressions of Jewishness, continuity with the past, change, and the creation of a new American Jewish sensibility. It is estimated that over 2,000 recordings of Jewish music are currently available and that close to 250 records are released each year. While Jewish music is not a recent phenomenon, the creation of new Jewish music is found throughout the Jewish community in a vast range of musical styles; it represents a vehicle for the new generation of American Jews to express music with some connection to Judaism while distinguishing itself from the immigrant generation. At a time when Jewish literacy is declining, self-expression of Jewishness is increasing by means of the Jewish music industry. Interestingly, the phenomenon has concurrently spread to all segments of American Judaism, from Orthodox to Reform, religious to secular, and Yiddish to Zionist. In both religious and nonreligious contexts, this new music represents various responses to the past and has become an integral part of Jewish life in America that interconnects and shapes Jewish identity.