[Dixielandjazz] RE: Jews and Jazz

[JimSox at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/6/05 4:35:46 AM, jazzmin at actcom.net.il writes:


> "Some are proud of
> their countrymen's contributions to the field."
> 

And in a message dated 10/5/05 12:36 PM, mophandl at llanding.com writes:

"Jews of that era were very anxious to blend in the
American mainstream."


Together those two statements help explain why any of us are interested in 
this thread.   I can see why many folks would find this topic puzzling, or even 
divisive, because in today's America we emphasize that each other's ethnic 
heritage is equally deserving of respect.   To laud the contributions of one 
group may seem to implicity denigrate those of others.   It doesn't, of course, 
but I can see why it might make folks uncomfortable.

In my parents' generation, this was not so.   They were second generation 
American Jews, the generation that felt it had to prove itself as truly American, 
different from their foreign (and therefore inferior in the eyes of American 
society) parents.   So they fiercely adopted all things American-- music, 
politics, business sports-- as their own.   It took me a long time to realize why 
my dad was such a big sports fan and passed that on to me.   (I'm pulling hard 
for the White Sox right now, partly in honor of his memory.)

But they also fiercely retained their Jewish identity.   And so they were 
very proud of any contributions of Jews to things American.   My generation has 
so thoroughly assimilated that the Jewish identity factor is much diminished.   
But I still perk up when topics such as Jews in Jazz pop up.    Or Jews in 
sports--Sandy Koufax, Hank Greenberg, Sid Luckman and on and on--I can recite 
the whole list.   And I still remember when I was five years old   and got Sox 
pitcher Saul Rogovin's autograph!   (1951 AL ERA champ--2.78).

So Bix, Pops and Fats may be tops in my book, but I still get a little extra 
thrill listening to Max Kaminsky and Art Hodes.   And I still feel a little 
extra pride that it was Benny Goodman who was a pioneer in breaking the color 
line.   So, sue me.

Jim Branson
Berkeley, Calif.

P.S.   I think this may also be true of Italians, whose major immigration to 
the U.S. occurred about the same time as that of the Jews.   DiMaggio and 
Venuti.