At the end of the day
it's nice to feel grounded
by the finer things in life.

"Gravity Bar & Grill

is a perfect 1 0 of a

Yahoo! For Oy!hoo

restaurant: imaginative,

grounded new American

food that eschews all

false steps; a serene

cherry, apricot and

Founder of N.Y.'s Knitting
Factory promotes Jewish music at
yearly festival.

robin's egg dining room

that fosters conversation

but has just enough buzz

to feel lively."

$q5erience the force of

—Susan Isaacs Nisbett

Ann Arbor News

Special Writer

singer and comedian, respectively.
"Getting everyone together in the
room creates a strong marketplace!'
How does one differentiate Jewish
f you're still trying to answer the
music from music created by people
perennial question of "What's
who happen to be Jewish? It's a mat-
Jewish music?" don't worry
— you're in the same boat as Michael ter of interpretation, but Dorf men-
tions John Zorn, a contemporary
Dorf, founder of New York City's
composer who performed on the
Knitting Factory.
A music producer of more than 200 festival's opening night.
Zorn's current project, Masada,
titles under the KnitMedia entertain-
"examines his own Jewish identity and
ment group, Dorf knows what good
crosses it with his deep connection to
music is when he hears it, but Jewish
jazz avant-garde," Dorf said. "Here's an
music — if there is such a genre
artist who's certainly making Jewish
— remains elusive.
music!'
That's partly why Dorf created the
Dorf's interest in Jewish music
Oy!hoo Festival three years ago.
began in the late 1980s, when he start-
"I would like to call this the 'What
ed listening seriously to klezmer.
Is Jewish Music? Festival, though
"I started moving my tushie and
that's a mouthful," Dorf said. "There's
dancing, and saw other hippie, beat-
a broad swath of definitions."
nik people doing the same," Dorf
This year's festival, which ran
said. "I felt this
Sept. 10-17 at
unconscious
various New
connection to
York venues,
the Old World."
featured
Jewish music
more than 60
today crosses
events, includ-
all styles,
ing a Yiddish
with a grow-
sing-along; a
ing trend for
hip-hop sulha,
performers to
or model for
openly embrace
peace; Jewish Michael Dorf
their Jewish
burlesque; a
roots. Among the Orthodox artists
homage to Lenny Bruce, with come-
in the festival were Rav Shmuel, a
dians Lewis Black and Judy Gold;
beer-guzzling rabbi who loves the
and a two-day conference exploring
Grateful Dead, and Y-Love, a socially
the Jewish culture and entertainment
conscious rapper who converted to
industry.
Judaism.
The festival attempted to reach not
The festival culminated with
just Jews but to heighten the general
Jewzapalooza, a free day-long event
population's awareness of the diverse
that showcased Hadag Nachash,
styles of Jewish music.
David Broza, Pharaoh's Daughter and
The festival's Sidney Krum
Neshama Carlebach among others.
Conference sought to provoke con-
"There aren't opportunities in the
versations and develop ties between
current configuration of Jewish offer-
artists and entertainment industry
people to build a business infrastruc- ings that bring all the tribes together:'
Dorf said. "It's quite powerful." [I
ture for Jewish culture.
"There's some very strong momen-
tum building — whether it's because
For more information, visit
of Matisyahu or Jon Stewart, who
www.oyhoo.com .
says he's Jewish two or three times
a night:' Dorf said, referring to the

Talia S. Coutin

Jewish Telegraphic Agency

I

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September 2i . 2006

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