Klezmer and the five-string banjo: a study of transnationalism in music

This work explores transnational and transcultural aspects of meetings between the banjo and klezmer. Stemming from my participant–observation in klezmer and banjo contexts, practice–based research was carried out to expand knowledge regarding exchange between klezmer and banjo cultures. The resulting thesis includes a creative practice project and exegesis. The banjo originated in black Africa, whereas klezmer originated in Ashkenazic Eastern Europe. Jewish and African diasporas have led to centuries–long meetings between black and Ashkenazic cultures. As part of my analysis of flows between klezmer and the banjo, I argue for a transnational cultural formation I term the Ashkenazic Atlantic. In doing so, I draw an analogy with Paul Gilroy’s theorizing of a black Atlantic world. Gilroy’s black Atlantic invokes concepts of nationality, race and ethnic identity. Likewise, my theory of an Ashkenazic Atlantic focuses on these concepts, but goes beyond this to also consider gender and sexuality. Discourses of race, ethnicity, national belonging and gender are often made redundant by intercultural flows. Nevertheless, firmly held senses of identity based on aspects of these discourses are at the core of cultural expression both in the Ashkenazic and wider worlds. Attitudes toward race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexuality and other human attributes interact in ways that relate to social stratification in the banjo, klezmer and wider worlds. Intersections between Jewish identity, klezmer, blackness, whiteness, gender and sexuality are highlighted by this research. Therefore, intersectional analysis plays an important role in this thesis and is used to consider, in particular, how interactions between racism and sexism have disenfranchised black, female banjoists. The primary creative practice component of the thesis is The Klezmer Valley Experience—a seven–track CD featuring my lead banjo playing as part of an ensemble. This work explores transnational and transcultural aspects of meetings between the banjo and klezmer. Stemming from my participant–observation in klezmer and banjo contexts, practice–based research was carried out to expand knowledge regarding exchange between klezmer and banjo cultures. The resulting thesis includes a creative practice project and exegesis. The banjo originated in black Africa, whereas klezmer originated in Ashkenazic Eastern Europe. Jewish and African diasporas have led to centuries–long meetings between black and Ashkenazic cultures. As part of my analysis of flows between klezmer and the banjo, I argue for a transnational cultural formation I term the Ashkenazic Atlantic. In doing so, I draw an analogy with Paul Gilroy’s theorizing of a black Atlantic world. Gilroy’s black Atlantic invokes concepts of nationality, race and ethnic identity. Likewise, my theory of an Ashkenazic Atlantic focuses on these concepts, but goes beyond this to also consider gender and sexuality. Discourses of race, ethnicity, national belonging and gender are often made redundant by intercultural flows. Nevertheless, firmly held senses of identity based on aspects of these discourses are at the core of cultural expression both in the Ashkenazic and wider worlds. Attitudes toward race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexuality and other human attributes interact in ways that relate to social stratification in the banjo, klezmer and wider worlds. Intersections between Jewish identity, klezmer, blackness, whiteness, gender and sexuality are highlighted by this research. Therefore, intersectional analysis plays an important role in this thesis and is used to consider, in particular, how interactions between racism and sexism have disenfranchised black, female banjoists. The primary creative practice component of the thesis is The Klezmer Valley Experience—a seven–track CD featuring my lead banjo playing as part of an ensemble. Banjo tablature for the klezmer pieces contained in The Klezmer Valley Experience is included with the exegesis. A secondary creative practice output has also been produced in the form of some experimental pieces. These experimental pieces consist of: i.) a preliminary “sketch” for a composition using the Yishtabach klezmer mode and following rhythmic patterns of the 1978 Peaches and Herb disco hit “Shake Your Groove Thing;” ii.) sounds from The Klezmer Valley Experience processed using Mammut freeware.