[FA Worldmusic] 'The World Music Ghetto'

[Mark Gorney]

The term was not a reference to the socioeconomic backgrounds of global
musicians but the fact that they are usually relegated/isolated to a certain
strata/segment of the American marketplace and not wide/mass audiences. The
repertoire and approach of certain artists like Manu Chao gains them a wider
following than say Indian classical musicians but as we all know it's a
question of familiarity - making these artists and more importantly the
sounds of the globe (the "other") more familiar to American ears.

Re strategy, I certainly don't claim to have the answer but I will offer
that I have been frustrated in my recent attempts, for example, to get
int'l. artists on national television. They seem somewhat sympathetic to our
plight of increased exposure for these groups but at the end of the day they
are too scared of something (their bosses? ratings?) to take a chance. So we
try and open minds by harnessing the often mind-opening minds of the
open-minded artists we present and represent. Crash through barriers.

Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: fa-worldmusic-bounces+mark=worldisc.net at folk.org
[mailto:fa-worldmusic-bounces+mark=worldisc.net at folk.org] On Behalf Of
Evangeline Kim
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 1:05 PM
To: Dmitri Vietze; 'FAworld music list'
Subject: Re: [FA Worldmusic] 'The World Music Ghetto'

All in all, in my experience, I've never met any good world music musicians 
who would be proud to be classified as 'ghetto' musicians.  Although Bob 
Marley, Andy Palacio, Dominican heroes on the Bachata Roja CD, many greats 
from Africa, including Fela, Oumou Sangare and other Malian stars, Kenya's 
Suzanna Owiyo  - the list is endless - and not forgetting Blind Lemon, 
Robert Johnson, Jeannette Carter here in the US - all underwent severe 
hardships to bring their music out to the world,  I'm certain they'd feel 
badly to be lumped in to a marketing gimimck term that has nothing  to do 
with the quality of their musical contributions.

Even the great Shujaat Khan will tell you about the early days of his late, 
brilliant father Viliyat's career as an urchin - and his own, as he 
struggled as a young man, sometimes sleeping on the benches of Washington 
Square Park, not having enough money to feed his family more that cheap dahl

and rice --.

Our jobs in the field of world music must seek better ways to dignify the 
worthy artists - and not, to unwittingly degrade them.

Best,
Evangeline


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dmitri Vietze" <music at rockpaperscissors.biz>
To: "'FAworld music list'" <fa-worldmusic at folk.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 12:30 PM
Subject: Re: [FA Worldmusic] 'The World Music Ghetto'


> While I take your point that the discussion/argument is silly on one 
> level,
> I think there is an unfinished discussion about marketing strategies and 
> the
> use of the term. It is not a comment on people in the industry who use the
> term or see music from a global perspective. It is a comment on STRATEGY 
> for
> building the audiences in the current era. It made sense as a way of
> creating a doorway, and in some ways it still makes sense. But we may have
> to come up with other clever methods of helping some people open their
> perspective. Sometimes that is hip or sexy imagery, sometimes it is 
> through
> compelling stories, sometimes through linking to other established 
> artists,
> sometimes it is through political or social change movements... And
> sometimes it is calling something more specifically what it is: Brazilian
> hip hop, Turkish electronica, Balkan DJ, Cape Verdean acoustic R&B, a
> capella Ukrainian, re-imagined Vietnamese roots, etc. And more than 
> anything
> else, what is usually needed is an experience (live concert, listening to
> music at a friend's house, hearing a favorite song on community radio
> segue-ing into an "exotic" titillating tune, being exposed to a cultural
> story that makes you want to hear more, etc.).
>
> Much respect,
>
> Dmitri
> TEL +1-812-339-1195
> music at rockpaperscissors.biz
> www.rockpaperscissors.biz
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Evangeline Kim [mailto:evangelinekim at verizon.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 6:36 PM
> To: Gerald Seligman; FAworld music list
> Subject: Re: [FA Worldmusic] 'The World Music Ghetto'
>
> I happen to agree, Gerald, that all the hoop-la on at least this listserv
> about 'World Music Ghetto" is sensationalist and somewhat silly.  The 
> World
> Music field is filled with examples of greater, wider knowledge of the 
> world
>
> of music - classical as well as roots.  Sometimes, often, and of course, 
> the
>
> 'roots' folk musical origins refer to poor people's music that have been 
> and
>
> continue to be appropriated & become great classics.  Beethoven,
> Tchaikovsky,   Bartok,  and Phil Glass, etc., along with the more popular
> Paul Simon along with India's classical great Shujaat Khan -- all have and
> continue to acknowledge the roots origins of some of their work.
>
> Best,
> Evangeline
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Gerald Seligman" <geraldseligman at gmail.com>
> To: "FAworld music list" <fa-worldmusic at folk.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 2:40 AM
> Subject: [FA Worldmusic] 'The World Music Ghetto'
>
>
>> Just read an article in the UK's Independent that mentions an artist who
>> just might break out of the 'world music ghetto'. Recently read same in a
>> host of other publications. and, of course, there's all the chatter on 
>> the
>> matter in the FA Listserve.
>>
>> Listen, once and for all, world music is not a ghetto. It's an upscale
>> neighborhood.  Better still, it's no 'gated' community.
>>
>> Isn't it time to stop diminishing ourselves with such self-defeating,
>> self-limiting definitions? This so-called ghetto is a very nice place to
>> live, no?
>>
>> Gerald
>> _______________________________________________
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