Shabbat Shalom, everyone.

I love it when my preconceptions and biases get blown away. Check that out. Joshua Nelson grows up in an African American synagogue. I didn’t even know there were African American synagogues. He draws on the history of African American gospel music to compose his own versions of Jewish liturgical music and has played at Jewish events all by the world. that is wild, beautiful stuff.

I really wanted to post Nelson (and his Kosher Gospel band’s) version of Adon Olam, but I’m not allowed to. You can go take in it at YouTube. Go check out Nelson’s web site for a lot more data.

Kosher Gospel 1 (L’cha Dodi)

The thing about Nelson’s music that is really making me think about Jewish music is that I get really grumpy when I take in Christian groups (particularly Messianic Jewish / Christian groups) using Jewish music for their own meanings. I’m primarily annoyed considering I consider that appropriation to be either a) for the purpose of evangelism, see..you can be Christian and still do Jewish stuff, or b) considering somehow incorporating Jewish motifs makes Christians feel more authentic. whether you want to be Christian, be Christian, but leave the Jewish stuff to Jews. (BIG EXCEPTION: A non-Jew of

any type that plays or listens to Jewish music considering they like the music is just fine, it’s the religious uses that bugs me).

Anyway, that kind of turns it around. What should I invent of a Jewish musician appropriating a classic American Christian music into Jewish religions practice. Not that that hasn’t happened before, mind you. It’s still something that feels odd and makes me feel a bit like a hypocrite. Oh well, lots to think about.

Hat tip to ScotBloke for posting the video.

Original post by Jack

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