Klezmatics new CD nominated for Grammy
On a good year, if we're lucky, there is a Jewish-related Grammy nomination. I totally blew it, as there was apparently an earlier round of voting—the nominating ballotÔin which several Jewish albums, including the wonderful German Goldenshteyn CD were suggested and I didn't make time to get that word out (as if enough people read this blog to make a difference, but maybe they would if I made the time to post every now and then). Now, the final nominations are out, and I see exactly one, as usual: If you take a look at the "world music" (Field 16, World Music - still no category for Jewish music, mind you):
In category 73, Contemporary World Music, there is the amazing new Klezmatics Woody Guthrie's Wonder Wheel CD. I suggest that you write anyone you know who can vote, and encourage them to vote a few times for this amazing recording.
Rachel Kafrissen notes that Sex Mob, Steven Bernstein's band, also got a nomination for best contemporary jazz album. I'm kind of impressed, but I think that if there can be a "polka" category, we Jews deserve at least one category of our own. (How to decide whether a Debbie Friedman or Klezmatics or Sex Mob or Pharaoh's Daughter or Chazzanut or children's Chanukah CD should be the winner is a problem that I'll happily embrace once we get that far.)
Vote early. Vote often. Vote Klezmatics.