[FA Worldmusic] world music meadow, not ghetto

Mon Jan 7 13:02:00 AST 2008

Gerald,
I had almost completed this email when yours came in. It touches on some
similar themes, but is not nearly as well said as yours, I am afraid. Either
way - for ythe lists reading pleasure.....

Philosophically, I am on board with the meadowists - and it is certainly a
field I have enjoyed grazing in for the last many years. But in practical
terms, the notion that what we have before us is surely enough, breaks down
somewhat when seen from the POV of an individual artist. Those of us who
work in a professional capacity with the artists, can (sometimes if we are
very lucky, doggedly diligent and not monitarily greedy) manage to make a
living of a sort in this meadow. Most often though, it is by dint of having
a multiude of renewable artists to draw upon over the years.

This resource, although renewable, is I fear one that is being depleted at
an ever increasing rate - and furter, one that is facing increasingly
difficult times around getting prperly remunerated for their work
(especially when it comes to recordings). I think the main reason we should
always be looking for ways to increase the acreage of our meadow - and/or
look to charge forth with an artist into a neighboring meadow - is because
it just might lead to another arist being able to estalish a lasting and
monetarily sustainable career. This is of course good for the rest of those
who are still in the meadow too (ie: what Buena Vista did for Cuban and
Salsa, what Cesaria did for Cape Verde and so on.

As to the question of how one does this for an artist (and or how we can
help to make it happen more often collectively) - well my belief is that it
is only possibe through taking an artist by artist approach, that these
sorts of phenomena can become manifest. What worked for R y G, isn't likely
to be very useful for Taqasim Trio - although I dare say, they could no
doubt rip out a mean Led Zep cover. Collective discussion and initiatives
are of course crucial to th health of our slice of the industry, but at the
end of the day (as David pointed out), there are always only going to be a
select few who an breakout into a strong global pofile that leads to a long
successful career.
Ian M

-----Original Message-----
From: fa-worldmusic-bounces+ian=menziesmixedmedia.com at folk.org
[mailto:fa-worldmusic-bounces+ian=menziesmixedmedia.com at folk.org]On
Behalf Of Bill Bragin
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2008 7:57 AM
To: ian at frootsmag.com; fa-worldmusic at folk.org
Subject: Re: [FA Worldmusic] world music meadow, not ghetto

I think we shouldn't get hung up on. the use of the term ghetto here, but
look at the real question that Dmitri (I think) was getting at:

What are practical strategies that can be used to successfully move global
music from being in a (oftentimes) marginilized niche, to garner mainstream,
general market success?

Let's try to keep our eyes on that, and not fall back into canal-throwing...
All the best,
Bill Bragin

-----Original Message-----
From: fa-worldmusic-bounces+bbragin=lincolncenter.org at folk.org
<fa-worldmusic-bounces+bbragin=lincolncenter.org at folk.org>
To: fa-worldmusic at folk.org <fa-worldmusic at folk.org>
Sent: Mon Jan 07 09:35:47 2008
Subject: Re: [FA Worldmusic] world music meadow, not ghetto

At 00:10 -0500 7/1/08, derek andrews wrote:
>i will respond in detail to your survey privately, but my pov is that
>the 'designation' of being labeled 'world music' is not ghettoizing.
>i can appreciate that the stigma could indeed be limiting, but in
>general, i see the use of the label, a positive means of
>identification.

. . . and lots more sense.

With you all the way Derek, but I don't envy you trying to convince
people! The world music scene loves nothing better than to do the
equivalent of the British Labour Party throughout the '80s, directing
its energies to negativity and infighting. If all the time, energy
and enthusiasm that was wasted on whingeing about the term world
music, the supposed "ghetto" etc, was put into something positive,
then we'd get elected and inspire others!

Once upon a time there was an unwritten rule of Womex conferences
that anybody who asked "What is World Music" be taken to the nearest
canal and thrown in. Perhaps this should be re-applied to people who
whinge about the supposed "ghetto".

I wrote an editorial in our current issue - see here
http://www.frootsmag.com/content/issue/edsbox/  So far it has drawn
loads of positive response from other people baffled by the
negativity around in the "world" meadow at the moment, and one sole
diatribe from a person I shouldn't name who seems unable to accept
that others may have a different (positive) viewpoint.

Meanwhile, in a couple of months time we celebrate publishing our
300th issue, an unbroken run, every one on time. One of the reasons,
I think, that we've stayed around these past 29 years is that instead
of busting a gut (and ourselves) for big commercial success, we've
played to our strengths. It's a damn good strong scene we're all part
of, all the better for not being part of the mainstream music
industry and all the crap that throws at you.

Sometimes it takes a bit of therapy to get there, but the key to it
all is feeling good about yourself.

Best for 2008!

--
Ian Anderson
Editor: fRoots Magazine

Local Music From Out There

email:		ian at frootsmag.com
realmail:		fRoots, PO Box 337, London N4 1TW, England
tel:		(Int +44) (0)20 8340 9651
fax:		(Int +44) (0)20 8348 5626
web:		http://www.frootsmag.com
MySpace:	http://www.myspace.com/frootsmag

The first and foremost world music, roots and folk monthly
magazine celebrated its 28th anniversary in June 2007. Now
also presenting the latest music in fRoots Radio on the net,
and home to the interactive fRoots Forum, all to be found
at http://www.frootsmag.com

 From Anglo trad to Zanzibar pop, via the great mixing
desk in the sky. (Pronounce it "eff-Roots").

P please consider the environment - do you really need to print this email?
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