It was almost two years ago now that I first saw Dida Pelled strumming her guitar as part of a jazz trio in a Jerusalem café. Her eyes squeezed shut as her fingers danced across the instrument. Her sound was understated but unapologetically passionate. Pelled has been playing guitar since she was 11 years old and jazz music since she was 16. She spent her military service in the IDF band , and has since relocated to New York City, joining the hundreds if not thousands of musicians that flock to the urban hub every year in their quest for the big time.
Jewish musicians, composers, and music lovers have had a hand in the evolution of New York’s jazz music since it’s birth in the late 19th century. New York’s Jewish jazz pioneers such as Harry Kandel and Al Jolson stirred traditional Jewish music into their jazz rhythms and helped popularize the fledging jazz music scene. Jazz grew such an association with Jewish art and culture that in the 1930’s the Nazis banned jazz. (For more about the Jews of jazz history check this out.)
I asked Pelled what it was like being a Jewish jazz artist in New York today. And so here, for your viewing pleasure, is the scoop on jazz in Jew York.
Making Money:
“It is difficult, there are so many good musicians, and not as many venues to play in. also CD’s are not a way to make money now days. Currently I’m still a student, so I’m not trying to make a full living of music. I feel lucky to be able to be a working musician though. A few nights a week I perform at different venues around the city. I practice every day. I love playing at Bar Next Door and Smalls Jazz in New York.”
Finding Inspiration:
“I love going out to hear music in night when I’m not working, It keeps me inspired and gives me ideas. I mainly play jazz standards and covers of songs that I love of Bob Dylan, Nirvana, Portishead, etc. I began writing music recently and with time I combine it in my gigs as well. When I choose a song to play I have to find the place where I relate to it, so that it doesn’t really matter if it’s a Dylan’s song, as long as when I sing it I relate to it as it was my own.”
Groovy Artsists She’s Jammed With:
“I had the privilege to play with amazing musicians when I’ve recorded my first CD. That’s Roy Hargrove on trumpet, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. The bass player is my good friend from Israel. Together we had a unique communication that allows us to be very creative and inspired. Other then that the scene in NY and in Tel Aviv is full of amazing musicians and I love meeting and playing with new people!”
Walla? How does New York compare to the Holy Land’s Jazz scene?:
“Basically the jazz scene in Israel is based on Israeli musicians that spend a period of time in New York, studied and played jazz and came back to Israel. The dream of those musicians growing up and starting to play jazz in Israel is to move to New York and play in the cool jazz clubs in New York. The Israeli jazz scene is full of great musicians but there are less cool spots to hear and play jazz in.
People in Israel don’t grow up on traditional jazz music, it was never the popular music here. 
The fact that Israeli jazz musicians grow up on Israeli music draws some Israeli musicians to explore those other styles of music, old Israeli music, Arab Music… You can hear those influences in the music of Israeli musicians and it created a new unique style of music that combines all of those influences. ”
What makes Jazz so international and cross-cultural?:
“The fact that most of jazz music is instrumental takes off the language barrier. I think that from the improvisation aspect, musicians from different places that bring their influences from home can only bring more new sounds and ideas that will contribute to the sound of the band and make it more unique. This brand of music from different cultures creates new styles of music that were never played before.”
And there you have it! If you want to see a jam sesh at my favorite jazz club in Israel, check out this clip from the Yellow Submarine in Jerusalem.
