[FA Worldmusic] 'The World Music Ghetto'

Thu Apr 3 19:05:02 AST 2008

The term 'ghetto' in the context of this World Music listserv subject focus 
may not have been meant to address soci-cultural-politico-economic contexts, 
inferences and histories, but it certainly must be examined in depth before 
being tossed up in the air over the fire - as easily as omelets..

Best,
Evangeline

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark Gorney" <mark at worldisc.net>
To: "'Evangeline Kim'" <evangelinekim at verizon.net>; "'FAworld music list'" 
<fa-worldmusic at folk.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 6:07 PM
Subject: RE: [FA Worldmusic] 'The World Music Ghetto'

> 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
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> FA-Worldmusic mailing list
>>> FA-Worldmusic at folk.org
>>> http://www.folkserv.net/mailman/listinfo/fa-worldmusic
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