December
Sat 21: Lindsay Hannon Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £15.00. ‘Swinging with Christmas Songs’.
Sat 21: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 21: Jackson’s Wharf Xmas Party @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 7:00pm. Free. Featuring the New ’58 Jazz Collective.
Sat 21: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.
Sun 22: Hot Club du Nord @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £15.00. + bf. Xmas party. SOLD OUT!
Sun 22: Red Kites Jazz @ Gibside Chapel, nr. Rowlands Gill. 1:00pm. Admission charge applies.
Sun 22: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 22: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Revolutionaires @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb rhythm & blues outfit.
Sun 22: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger & Mark Robertson @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Line-up TBC.
Sun 22: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music (musicians TBC).
Sun 22: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Zerox, Sandhill, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors).
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 23: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 4:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Mon 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!
Thu 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. TBC.
Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.
18 comments :
As a jazz fan and generally a supporter of free speech, I am concerned to hear that the Gilad Atzmon concert has been cancelled. Unless the staff at the Star and Shadow have suddenly decided they don't like Gilad's playing, they presumably have made a political decision and it is incumbent on them to give some explanation to the public who were planning to attend as to the basis for their decision. I don't know the detail of his political views but they seem to be pretty publically available for those interested and presumably the film would say something about them. Of course, people could watch it or not, as they choose. Things are in a pretty bad state if you can only hear jazz if the politics of the player fits those of the venue. JC
Must say I'm shocked. It certainly suggests that the Star and Shadow didn't do their homework in the first place. Gilad Atzmon's political views are so well documented that the decision should have been taken long before the booking was accepted and publicized. As it is, the decision seems to go against the principles of free speech. And we'll all lose out on hearing a brilliant musician.
It would be interesting to hear why an artist's personal views on any subject - whether it be religion, politics, morals or anything, should be a reason to scrap a performance of the quality of Gilad Atzmon. What are they trying to do? Ensure that the dwindling audiences for jazz disappear altogether? The other question is, of course, why leave it so late? I always thought that the art forms had risen above the small mindedness of the petty quarters of society. Let's face it, if any of us were to base our patronage on agreeing with an artist's personal beliefs, the concert halls would be pretty much empty most of the time. Unless there is a reason that I can't think of, and hasn't been detailed, I certainly won't be subscribing to any promotions at this venue in the near future. And I hope it hasn't been cancelled just because someone with an alternative viewpoint to that of the artist is using it as a pathetic way to reinforce their own beliefs. I won't use the terminology here but we do have laws against that sort of thing. I'm sure you know what I am alluding to. I am not only disgusted but very concerned and would be interested to hear why his political views were thought as grounds for cancellation. I don't give a toss about the whole thing, I just know we have been deprived of a great night of fantastic music form a very skilled musician.
Sorry to hear about this. We had a lot of pressure to cancel the recent Orient House Seven Jazz Leeds gig too, with some not too subtle intimidation. The gig was brilliant - as they usually are from Gilad - his new Orient House album is lovely. I personally think we have to stand up to these pressures but don't underestimate the impact - most jazz organisers give their time voluntarily for fun and just won't want all this baggage.
Steve Crocker
Seven Jazz Leeds
So if someone holds strong views that are not concordant it's now "baggage"? I don't care if they are volunteers or not, they are not there to impose their own personal political or religious beliefs. If they don't like it tell them to dedicate their time elsewhere. If this attitude had prevailed over the years, we would have been deprived of many of the jazz greats that held views that clashed with the brainwashed and bigoted in society. There is no room in the arts for this type of thing.
I have Gilad Atzmon and Orient House Ensemble booked for three events in Shetland and I'll certainly not be cancelling them on the basis of slanderous rubbish like this. There seems to be a highly politicised group who are making determined efforts to get Gilad's gigs cancelled by telling huge porkies about him. I'm just sorry that Star and Shadow people fell for this muck. People who try to take away an artist's trade (not to mention the other band members) have a warped sense of their own self-importance.
Jeff Merrifield
Not wanting to comment on whether the film/gig should have been cancelled or not I think if you go to Gilad's website you will see it's not all 'slanderous rubbish' unless of course you agree with the sentiments. For example this is a post about an alleged rape victim
http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/sax-offender-vs-progressive-rapists.html
And this another aout the attack by Italian Facists on Innocent football supporters
http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/juden-tottenham-football-fans-shouted-anti-semitic-chants-be.html
I agree with what David has said, and I'd emphasise that, while Gilad Atzmon repeatedly claims that his views are controversial because they are anti-zionist, that simply isn't true. Plenty of people with anti-nationalist views, and who have worked in the Palestinian solidarity movement, were amongst many others who raised problems with Atzmon's views with the Star and Shadow.
As for talk of a 'highly politicized group', or arguments that politics shouldn't intervene in music: god forbid that Jazz should be in any way influenced by a serious political consideration of racism. Something which clearly never happened in the history of Jazz, ever.
Seriously, If you think Jazz should just be 'about the music' and never consider or contain the political and racial views of its musicians, no wonder your audiences are declining if you treat it as such a neutral, reductive commodity.
Hello everybody..
Gilad Atzmon here..
Just to put words in context. I can see a bunch of people, pretty much anonymous, slandering my name and reputation in a typical orchestrated manner. I am used to it by now and I take it as a proof for the validity of the argument i try to push. If I, i, a person who grew up in Israel and served in the IDF, cannot criticise Israel and Jewish identity politics, then no one can!!
However, in case someone fail to realise, my ideas and writings have been endorsed and praised by the greatest and most credible humanists around. Just to list a few below.
Endorsements:
“Gilad Atzmon decided to open Pandora’s Box, and ignite a debate that has been frustratingly dormant for too long. His experiences are most authentic, views are hard-hitting, and, at times, provocative. It must be read and discussed.” Ramzy Baroud, Palestine Chronicle
"A transformative story told with unflinching integrity that all (especially Jews) who care about real peace, as well as their own identity, should not only read, but reflect upon and discuss widely." Professor Richard Falk (United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories)
"Fascinating and provocative" Professor John J. Mearsheimer
“Gilad’s book constitutes an excellent critique of Identity Politics in general and Jewish Identity Politics in particular from a humanistic perspective. These hysterical attacks upon Gilad only reveal the weaknesses, insecurities, double-standards and hidden agendas of those who attack him. Gilad’s humanism and plea for humanism shine through every page of this book—obviously influenced by his Jazz. A Love Supreme!” Professor Francis A. Boyle
"Atzmon addresses in The Wandering Who? important issues that deserve careful consideration by everyone—Jews, Palestinians and others—who are concerned with the interrelated topics of Zionism, the Jewish state, Palestinian oppression and Jews." Professor Norton Mezvinsky ( Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, May 2012)
"Atzmon’s insight into the organism created by the Zionist movement is explosive." Professor William A. Cook
"A superb and necessary book that demystifies some "undeniable truths" about Jewish identity -
Gauden Sarasola, El Pais
"I see in Atzmon writings a number of memes that are seeping into the common discourse. A meme is a persuasive idea that spreads in a population like a useful gene spreads in a population. Some of those memes include:
-The now well-established fact that Jews are not a racial group but an ideological religious belief that spread many centuries ago among people of diverse background (this meme came from studies of the Khazars and others by authors like Arthur Koestler, Kevin Alan Brooks, Shlomo Sand, and now Atzmon)
-The idea of a conflict between chauvinistic nationalism and universal humanism.
-The weird mix of religious heritage/belief with tribal notions in Jewish political discourse
-The distorted recruitment of archaeological and other studies to support the political ideology of a connection between Jews of today and Israelites of the bible
-The recruitment of the ideology of suffering as a quasi-religious belief that is no longer subject to normal historical examinations (and in fact shielded from such historical examination via laws)." Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh
"Atzmon’s essential contribution to solidarity with Palestine is to help non-Jews realize that they are not always in the wrong when conflicts with Jewish organizations arise." Jean Bricmont
Gilad's "The Wandering Who" entertains, pushes and irritates us. His painful journey through what it means to be Jewish, what the consequences are of carrying that realization around, and his ultimate acceptance of who he is makes me awfully glad I was raised a Methodist. Not to be missed and not to be put down for later, his book is one of the best reads of 2012."
Greta Berlin - Co-Founder, the Free Gaza movement
"Gilad Atzmon’s book, The Wandering Who? is as witty and thought provoking as its title. But it is also an important book, presenting conclusions about Jews, Jewishness and Judaism which some will find shocking but which are essential to an understanding of Jewish identity politics and the role they play on the world stage." Karl Sabbagh
"A pioneering work that deserves to be read and Gilad Atzmon is brave to write this book!" Dr. Samir Abed-Rabbo
con't
“Gilad's escape from spiritual claustrophobia towards a free and open humanitarianism is fearless” Robert Wyatt
"It is excellent from beginning to end. very well-organized and well-articulated arguments." David Rovics
“In his inimitable deadpan style, Atzmon identifies the abscess in the Jewish wisdom tooth – exilic tribalism – and pulls it out. Ouch!” Eric Walberg, Al Aharam Weekly
"It shows a sincerity and courage that is lacking in many Jewish intellectuals." Jonathan Moadab
“It is more than an academic exercise. It is a revelation!” Lauren Booth, Press TV
“The Wandering Who is a philosophical masterpiece that liberates us from the zionist superstitions that enslave us. It should be required reading for anyone seeking to understand the human condition in our irrational times.” Greg Felton
"It is an exhilarating read, from the atemporality of immoral action to the temporality of morals, from Jewish suffering to supremacy and expansionism to the categorical imperative, and from guilt feelings to responsibility." Dr Anthony Löwstedt
"A brilliant analysis that makes what appear to be contradictions in Jewish identity based political behavior not only comprehensible but predictable." Jeff Blankfort
"Atzmon has the courage - so profoundly lacking among Western intellectuals" Professor James Petras
“Having known Gilad for 25 years, I read the book in English, I heard it in Hebrew and reflected on it in Arabic. Gilad Atzmon is astonishingly courageous” Dr. Makram Khoury-Machool
"In many ways, Atzmon’s book is a cri de couer addressed to Jews, specifically, but to humanity, generally, to grow up! To reach beyond tribalism and the politics of fear and vengeance." Gary Corseri
"Like a surgeon's knife cutting through crap to the kernel of truth! Courageous and exhilarating!" Inge Etzbach
"Gilad Atzmon reflects on his transforming journey from an IDF “Israeli”, a racist tribalist, self-ghettoized Zionist, with exclusionist mentality, who was greatly influenced as a child by his “veteran Zionist terrorist” grandfather, into simply a Universalist and Humanist." Nahida Izzat, Uprooted Palestinians
“A fascinating achievement” Dr Oren Ben Dor
“Gilad Atzmon is someone who encompasses what it means to be an intellectual.” Kim Petersen, Dissident Voice
Do I have to provide you with anymore?
and mind you, these are people who read my work inside out, some of them were subject to horrendous campaign ala David Bell and they stood firm behind me..
If I were a Bell....
David Bell, 1. There is nothing 'slanderous' about this. Nor are there any porkies. Atman’s views are publicly available for all to see on his website. The decision to cancel the gig was made by consensus at the S&S meeting (so not a majority) and those who made the decision had read Atzmon's writings and discussed them at length.
Gilad: We have heard the reports from the meeting, It wasn’t exactly an ‘academic gathering’. As it seems, you are also not familiar with my writing or thoughts. `for this meeting to be fairly held, I should have been notified and become aware of the accusations leveled against me with the minimal right to reply.
2. This is not about free speech. The S&S did not object because Atzmon has 'controversial' views. They objected because he contributes to oppression against Jewish people and women.
G: This is laughable, If Bell was familiar with my writing he would obviously know that I am not opposing Jews. We have Jews in the band, at a certain stage the OHE was 75% Jewish, I am married to a Jewish woman. However, I am certainly critical of Jewish politics and ideology and as far as I am aware opposing ideology and politics is still kosher in this country. The argument about women is just to idiotic to address.
this morning I listed dozens of major academics and humanists who support my work. Would any of them stand for an antisemite? a racist? or a women hater? I guess you all know the answer…
3. Would any jazz promoter book a white musician who celebrated the stabbing of a black person as a legitimate response to the actions of, say, the Zimbabwean government? Because that is a direct analogy to Atzmon's response to the stabbing of a Tottenham fan.
G: This is obviously a very sad argument. The reference to the football match was 1. Critical and cynical 2. Said in reference to a picture of a Free Palestine Billboard 3. If Bell thinks otherwise, he should immediately attend a police station and issue a complaint against me . Needless to say, that I ve never questioned by police in the UK or anywhere else!
But If Bell fails to see, it is my relentless fight against some of the strongest lobbies on this planet that buy me so many supporters all over the world. I wasn't intimidated by Israel or the Mossad, and certainly won't surrender to an idiotic pseudo Marxist Sayan with zero intellectual integrity!
4. Atzmon is clearly the egoist here. He says a rape allegation is false (he cannot possibly know this) and that it has been fabricated because the alleged perpetrator has shared a platform with him.
G: I case Bell doesn’t know, out of his SS cinematic collective people are innocent unless proved guilty. Accordingly, Martin Smith is innocent. As far as I am aware, there is no complaint issued against him in the police. And the SWP commission vindicated him. So unless proved otherwise, Martin Smith is NOT a sex offender , and let me assure you, that if it is proved otherwise , I will be the first to comment and retract. But then, if Smith is innocent, as he is, then this David Bell is engaged here in a vile slanderous campaign against two innocent people: Smith and myself. Interestingly enough, Bell’s action actually proves that I am correct. He clearly chase me for my views, yet for some reason, he drags Martin Smith in and slander his reputation presenting him as a rapist.
cont'
5. Atman’s political beliefs cannot be separated from his music because he uses his music to promote his political beliefs.
G: Atzmon doesn't have a political belief and doesn't use the stage as a platform to promote ideas which he doesn't hold. Atzmon comments on humanist and ethical matters and often use the stage to promote such views. Atzmon believes that Artist should wor towards Truth, Justice and Peace...I advise Bell to spend £15 and attend Atzmon gig so he, knows , at least , what is it that he tries to stop. Because as far as i can tell , Bell is in the dark... I am one of the most successful jazz artist in this country, i sell out pretty much every concert , and if Bell really believe that British music lovers would follow a ‘racist’ act he is either 1. mad. 2. stupid 3, foreign to British culture 4. probably a mixture of the three
6. "We had a lot of pressure to cancel the recent Orient House Seven Jazz Leeds gig too, with some not too subtle intimidation."
a) this shows up Jazz North East's claim that other gigs on Atzmon's tour were uncontroversial for the lie that it is.
b) What form, precisely, did this 'intimidation' take? I bet it's *nothing* compared to the intimidation that results from anti-semitism and misogyny.
G: Bell, You are yet to prove me being neither anti semitic or misogynist, but you managed to prove yourself lacking intellectual capacity, let alone minimal intellectual integrity.
7. "I don't care if they are volunteers or not, they are not there to impose their own personal political or religious beliefs."
The S&S is volunteer run. Would you want someone whose views you found repellant playing in a venue you ran? (And again, it's important to note that these views don't exist in isolation from discriminatory practices that happen in the world).
G: I have heard reports from the meeting, it was not exactly the academy of science and revolutionary thoughtsCan you summarise my thoughts mr Bell? If not i will help you. .:
If Israel defines itself as the Jewish State and its airplanes are decorated with Jewish symbols, we are more than entitled to ask who are the Jews? what is Judaism? What is Jewishness and what are the relationships between Zionism and these three.
This is what I am doing... and i really want to know why are you so much against it...
8. Perhaps people on here might want to reflect on how the Palestinian movement has sought to distance itself from Atzmon. You don't combat the racism of the Israeli state with a racism of your own.
G: The Palestinian movement didn't distance itself from me. Some elements within the Palestinian movement stood up against me. This is unfortunate but totally acceptable. But it has been now proven by Cambridge academic Blake Alcott that non of the arguments against me were actually valid.. to read more http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/02/01/the-case-of-gilad-atzmon/
Alcott proved that Palestinians who criticised never read my work..In fact some of them admitted that they indeed failed to read me. me I guess that like in the case of Bell, Ali Abunimah & co didn't do their homework and were exposed by now. However, you can look at the list of endorsers, many of them are leading Pls activists, academics and writers.
In a free society people are entitled to disagree, but silencing campaign is symptomatic to fear.. and reading Bell emails to promoters expose a lot of such fear. I feel sorry for the man and would offer him a copy of Songs Of The Metropolis, I do believe in my musical therapeutic powers.
Gilad Atzmon (and I assume thats you), Your response to David is frankly nasty- firstly, you insult the intelligence of the venue organizers, then you come out with this gem: "and if Bell really believe that British music lovers would follow a ‘racist’ act he is either 1. mad. 2. stupid 3, foreign to British culture 4. probably a mixture of the three"
now I'm no expert on British music lovers as a whole- I mean, the extent to which the 'British music lover' is even a valid category for debate is suspect- but firstly, that's just wrong- you only need to look at the response from British fans when people like Mark E. Smith and Nick Cave are called out for their views on race and gender respectively to see how little attention some UK fanbases pay to these issues. Sorry, but there's a really strong and nasty streak of racism in UK music history (just read up on what happened in Ska and Punk scenes in the 80s) and you'd do well to note it.
Secondly, suggesting that because David doesn't accept your argument on this, he either a)stupid b) has mental health issues or c) is foreign- is a statement that reveals a real intolerance in your attitude here and frankly, reads kind of racist in itself.
I don't know what kind of knots you, as someone who has just identified as being from a culture you claim is foreign to the UK, tied yourself in to implicitly reject your own views on grounds of origin, but this is the argumentative equivalent of stepping on a rake so it hits you in the face. A racist, unreflective rake.
That's before we get on to the implied stigma of mental health in that sentence.
Atzmon, if you are going to criticize the Star and Shadow meeting for its supposed lack of intellectualism, you will have to defend yourself with something more substantial than simply listing positive quotations about yourself. An appeal to authority is no substitute for debate.
You have not responded to the substance of David Bell's criticisms. However, I don't want to speak for him so I will explain my own opposition to the gig. Having read your writing online, it seems clear to me that your politics is founded upon a racist conception of 'Jewishness'. You defend yourself here by writing:
"If Israel defines itself as the Jewish State and its airplanes are decorated with Jewish symbols, we are more than entitled to ask who are the Jews? what is Judaism? What is Jewishness and what are the relationships between Zionism and these three.
This is what I am doing... and i really want to know why are you so much against it..."
Well - you are absolutely correct that a critique of Zionism should include a discussion of Jewish culture. However, by even imagining that there is any single thing that could be called 'Jewishness' you betray the possibility of a coherent critique. Rather than approaching the vast diversity of people that identify as Jewish, their diverse practices, thoughts and politics, and the local differences between and within Jewish communities, you invent a category of 'Jewishness' that cannot take this diversity into account.
In the same vein, in order to understand Islamic extremism, we should examine Islamic culture. If, however, we claim that there is some kind of single category called 'Muslim' under which we can gather the rich diversity of Islamic practices, such an examination becomes impossible. More worrying than this, however, is that this attempt to create a single racial or cultural category is inherently racist. We will not explain Islamic extremism by defining 'The Muslim' any more than we can explain or combat Zionism by defining 'Jewishness'. We will, however, fuel hatred and fear.
You describe your comments on the stabbing of a Tottenham supporter as 'critical and cynical' and claim that they were stated in reference to the Free Palestine banner. What you seemingly fail to realize is that making a 'cynical' reference to this act of random violence reveals the racism inherent in your politics. You do not appear to take this attack very seriously. I can only assume that you feel that violence committed against Jews is somehow validated or at least appears only half-serious if it is connected to the Free Palestine movement. I, too, have stood behind banners that read Free Palestine. Do I laugh or make jokes when a Jewish boy is stabbed? No. I don't make light of this because I believe this violence to be deeply saddening and dangerous for the Free Palestine movement itself. You laugh, from what I can tell, because your concept of a Jewish identity seems to legitimize the collective punishment of 'the Jews' (whoever they are) as a response to the crimes of the state of Israel.
I can think of little more profoundly and fundamentally racist than this logic. And it is this logic that pervades all of your comments on Judaism.
"Greta Berlin - Co-Founder, the Free Gaza movement".....
Been pushed out of the BDS because of her Antisemitic VIEWS.... You forgot to put up Racist David Duke which is a big fan of your books too.
Atzmon as most Israelis (he is not Israeli Anymore, but he is an Israeli for the BBC to take part in a show about his HOME COUNTRY MUSIC......) can criticize Israel, as most do.
But you don't criticize Israel, you continue to juggle with your Racist Dialect and think you can fool the world for years.
Well looks like those games are over, you are judged for what you are a Racist.
Without taking sides I have decided to close this thread as the remit of this blog is music not political agendas. I'm sure the participants will find somewhere else to continue the discussion.
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