Harvey Sheldon a pioneer broadcaster and music historian, first to broadcast stereo FM in 1962 in Boston, first in the country to broadcast Rock N' Roll on FM stereo 1963 in Los Angeles, first in the nation to create and donate THE HARVEY SHELDON Rock N' Roll Music Video Research libraries in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California and in his home town of Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania.

 Sheldon realizes that we can not forget the Jewish musical contributions to the American way of life that our singers, musicians and composers created and changed American culture in less than 10 years. Sheldon would again create and donate America's first...The HARVEY SHELDON Jewish American Music Video & History Research Library at the University of Pennsylvania. Harvey Sheldon said, "As Jews we must never forget our contributions and have other Americans know that we created American Music, co created Jazz, created the Broadway and Hollywood Musicals, Pop music to Rock and introduced the big swing band era and Afro Cuban music. Americans fell in love dancing first to the Rhumba, Mambo and the Cha, Cha, Cha. For your information they are African words.

 May 12, 2006 Harvey Sheldon launched for the first time in the world, WORLD JEWISH NETWORK on the internet. The format will be 24 hours a day, 7 days a week of nothing but popular Jewish and Israeli music, that you can listen to and dance. Never to forget a "bissel" Jewish comedy. Finally we can tune in anytime of the day or of the week and listen and dance to Jewish music. "Kvell" we will because we have now our very own full time radio station and the "Emmis" is our kids and others will now know our music and our heritage. No matter where you are, at home, visiting, on vacation and any place here or abroad you will be able to listen to Jewish music.

 Harvey Sheldon had this to say of creating the World Jewish Network,"That my hometown being Philadelphia pioneered much of American music and Culture. But let us not forget our Jewish Philadelphians, Hayman Solomon who virtually financed the American revolution, in 1830 Louis Gottschalk having America's first hit song with the influence of black American music, and to William and Dolly Banks and Max Leon having pioneered Jewish and black American radio stations."

 Sheldon added, " In am very disappointed that the national news media, but especially the Philadelphia news media and more importantly the Jewish newspapers in my hometown never give mention, credit to those that have contibuted to their country, to Philadelphia and to Jewish history. WHY?" Or any of the Jewish American historical institutions claiming to tell the Jewish American story. Again, tell me why ?

top

 Finally he added, "I want to honor both of my old bosses and have The World Jewish Network be a living memorial to William and Dolly Banks and Max Leon and I hope that they will hear my dedication and my thanks for the memories that I will always cherish."

 Since ancient-biblical times, Jewish culture has been wedded to music and songs. Jewish music is very innovative, vibrant, melodic and filled with great passion. Jewish music you will hear as we would at celebratory events. being performed at life passage events, weddings, Bar Mitzvas, Bat Mitzvas, anniversies and other festive Jewish occasions.

 Jewish music with both instruments and voice are utilized in this musical form. The live musical performances are very rhythmic and have become very popular and romantic in American music. Jewish music later would have a musical marriage with "Swing" and a multitude of American pop music became major hits. lyrics written and music composed by newly arrived Russian Jewish immigrants and sung by Jewish singers.

 Unbeleivable but it is true Irving Berlin admitted to me that from yiddish music he borrowed to write the music to "White Christmas", "Easter Parade" for those most historicaland memorable christian holidays. Later influenced from his Jewish Heritage he composed, "God Bless America"which should have been adopted as our national anthem. Because of a powerful anti semetic groups in America prevented this to happen, Berlin decided that all of the money from "God Bless America" would go 100 per cent to The Girl Scouts of AMERICA, which has donated hundeds of millions of dollars to the Girl Scouts.

top

 How important was Jewish music in America? America was extremely hungry for having its own culture and to break away from the European influence of those socialist and communist countries where their composers were just prostitutes to the ruling classes. The composers were dictated to compose music for the government and not for the people.

 Americans can never escape the Jewish influence of American culture because whether viewing it on television or at the national pastime of major league baseball games. What are you singing? "Take Me Out The Ball game" and"God Bless America", both composed in Philadelphia and from two Jewish song writers.

 But in America the doors of opportunity were opening and we had a Free Enterprise system and where true Capitalism would thrive for those who believed in that, "The greatest risk is taking no risk" The newly arrived Jewish immigrants took the risk in their new country, where capitalism would reward you for your creativity and the financial rewards made you rich in America, because of the public could exercise their economic vote, being they bought your music. In contrast to the left wing Socialist and Communist countries. That is a fact. Overwhelmingly the "Emmis"

 That historic Jewish expression of "From this you can earn a living" would soon change and become as Irving Berlin would say every night meeting for dinner with, Jerome Kern, George and Ira Gershwin and Rodgers and Hart, "So how much money did you guys make today" This was because never in the past two thousand years could you earn a living composing music or performing in Europe.

top

 Now it was not just earning a living but making millions of dollars every year. Please note that in America it was the people decided what they liked, going to see and hear this music, to vaudeville, Broadway musicals, night clubs, Hollywood musicals, sheet music, radio, live concerts and to dancing at the ballrooms, spending their money. Not being dictated by a controlled and censored newspapers from the communist governments.

 In a true American capitalistic system true art and the best music in history would be created and those creating it would become financially very successful. In contrast to the composers of Europe who had to be "musical whores" in their socialistic states, communist countries and dictated in part from critics who were "Intellectual elitists wine sniping extremist left wing liberals".

 They would also lose their hold and influence when the music of Jewish composer's would sweep all over Europe. George Gershwin and others were influencing and changing classical music and Gershwin was being sought out by European composers of their new music. Ravel and others. were just a few to be influenced of what the Jewish composers were composing.The Jewish composers creating music of love, filled with passion that everyone could relate their own love relationships to. Jewish music took hold here in America, with the Yiddish theaters, Yiddish concerts, the famous Borscht circuit, and Yiddish movie musicals. It would have a very powerful influence with the founding fathers of American music. All of them from Russian Jewish immigrants and the next generations. Jewish music was very popular that in New York and in Philadelphia you would have full time radio stations playing Jewish music. WHAT and WDAS in Philadelphia were the first in the nation to program this format, thanks to William and Dolly Banks of WHAT and Max Leon of WDAS.

 Irving Berlin broke through first with another musical revolutionary Broadway producer, Flo Ziegfeld with Broadway musical revues in 1906. George Gershwin with George White in 1916, with musical revues. Jerome Kern who became the Dean of American music would create and invent America's only contribution to the Fine Arts.

 The Broadway Musical Comedy...where you find its roots from the Yiddish theater. They would be followed by Rodgers and Hart, Dorothy Fields and Harold Arlen. Ziegfeld and George White introduced beautifull girls having outragious bodies with gorgeous legs and no fat touches and lavish sexy costumes. The Jewish producers and direrctors knew what Americans wanted and what the German Americans were not doing. Sex and Love sell ! That is the "Emmis" That is from my mouth to God's ears ,I am telling the truth.

top

 America became after 2000 years the promised land finally for the Jewish people and for those of the performing arts and for all of the professions and merchants from every business they wanted to pursue. Europepean socialist, communist and anti capitalistic nations denied Jews to pursue wealth and in return for creating and donating part of their financial fortunes to Jewish charities and all other Jewish causes, such as to establish a homeland for all of the Jews in the world, the state of Israel.

 From the untold fortunes of wealth from Jewish composers, singers, musicians, producers from Broadway to Hollywood as early as in the 1920's hundreds of millions of dollars was being given to Jewish charities, that no Jewish kid would not have money going to college and we did not believe in ever asking or taking a cent from the government. My parents coming from a socialistic state of Russia, taught me,"The more you ask, the more you will be taxed" That is why the Jewish immigrants and the next generations never asked but were self sufficient from those who would help their own and others because of their financial success.

 The financial and artistic successes of Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong came from Jewish management. The newly arrived Jewish immigrants would fund and created the NAACP and the first president of the NAACP was Jewish. Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw were the first to intregrate their big bands of Jazz with black musicians, singers and with arrangers. Benny Goodman had only black arrangers and he had five, which ultimatley open the doors for the talented black musicians.

 Because only in America could this happen, not in Russia, France, Germany and the rest of Europe. Money they earned from their love of music and from their roots in being and proud of being Jewish. It happened only because Americans loved their music and knew finally they had their own music and culture, now being American. Not to forget that Americans would spend their money to enjoy this music. Because of the Jewish influence we made it extremely affordable that everyone could afford live entertainment and movies. Not just the silk stocking crowd as it was from the previous reign of German American producers who wanted to preserve the European entertainment. and their culture.

top

 Their anti semetic influence in America was being financed by Henry Ford president of Ford Motor company and others who were pro socialistic Nazi's led by Germany's Hitler and left leaning communists in America. But America loved too much the music of the Jewish composers and lyricists along with the music being performed by the King of Swing Benny Goodman and the Jazz Singer Al Jolson and Eddie Cantor, Ruth Etting, Lillian Roth,Dinah Shore, and Judy Garland.

 No, absolutely not, it was not a tax deduction in the beginning, our American Supreme court ruled and never,never changed it's opinion, Income Tax was ruled that it was "Unconstitutional" to have any form of re-distribution of wealth." Those that led to donating and sharing their wealth were Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, the Warner brothers, and all of the others from the major movie studios. radio and television networks and record companies(all were Jewish).

 Kern, Berlin, Gershwin,Goodman and all of them were very proud of being Jewish and of their heritage which influenced their music had interesting experiences, that I will tell. There are more stories but you would have to read it in my book, "Say It With Music" soon to be published. A story that major book publishers, TV documentaries producers will not publish or produce, It has me bewitched, bothered and bewildered that is difficult to tell the "Emmis"

 Jerome Kern once said before his historical ground breaking revolutionizing the Broadway scene in New York in 1927 of the smash success of Show Boat, the first Broadway Musical Comedy. Kern told the press, "That all of my music is Jewish and every song I compose and Broadway Musicals will always be Jewish." After the show of Show Boat and the audience was going wild as one never saw the silk stocking crowd be musically overwhelmed and equally the critics and newspaper reviewers were raving and that Kern had the "Chutzpah" in that time in America telling a story of the racism and discrimination toward black Americans.

 The question came from most of the reporters...What kind of music will your next Broadway Musical show be ? Kern replied with joy by saying,"I promised my people, my family and to all of the press, it will always be Jewish music." Kern was the first to keep his promise and Showboat was about telling the plight of Afro Americans and the other Jewish composers would follow to help and tell of the injustices of Afro Americans in their shows, music and to their successes.

top

 Whenever George Gershwin was in search for a melody he would faithfully attend Friday night services at a synagogue and listen to the cantor sing, knowing that Jewish music is extremely melodic, he might hear what he was searching for. All of the Jewish composers and musicians pledged to each other that we must help black Americans and Jerome Kern did by telling the true stories of the struggle of black Americans in Showboat. George Gershwin would be next with creating the first Jazz American opera, "Porgy and Bess" He needed just one more song and went to a Jewish Temple and heard a melody he liked and it was "It Ain't Necessarily So"

 Today those that write about music in the print media and the music historians for producing Tv documentaries are simply ignorant of their history of those that co created Jazz. The powerful influence of Jewish music and the lyrics being written, were virtually all from Russian Jewish extraction. From Dorothy Fields to Harold Arlen contracted by the Cotton Club in New York because the black jazz musicians knew if Jazz was to be successful, they needed Jewish lyricists and composers. All of the hits,hit records, Broadway and Hollywood musicals from 1906 for almost the first 80 years of the 20th century were all Jewish composers and lyricists. That even continued into the era of Rock N' Roll all the way into the Hard Rock and Heavy Metal era with a kid from Israel, Gene Simmons of Kiss Fame.

 With deeply rooted Jewish music in this new form of music of Jazz, came the King of Jazz, Paul Whiteman. A new big band of Jazz, being called "Swing" and you could hear the influence of Jewish music from his clarinet being Benny Goodman.The Jazz critics titled him, The King Of Swing" Because he was the first successful big band of Jazz in America and was the one to open the doors for others to succeed.

 Almost all of the musicians in Goodman's band were Jewish and without a doubt when Ziggy Elman or Harry James were taking their trumpet solo's you could hear the influence of Jewish music.

 Benny Goodman first succesful with his jazz combo and big band would be honored and booked in the theater of operas and classical music being Carnegie Hall in New York. For the first time and a historical ground breaking event that a Jazz concert would be performed by the King of Swing Benny Goodman. in 1937.

top

 Again of the roots and influence of Jewish Music that made Jazz popular in America, Benny Goodman in his jazz concert he would not just have the silk stocking audience know but soon after the world knew the impact of Jewish music had on the acceptance on Jazz. When the band played "And the Angels Sing" and "Bei Meir Beist De Schoen" If you were to have closed your eyes you would have thought you were at a Jewish Wedding. A good many were dancing the frahlich in the aisles, never seen before at this hall of operas and classical music and had this crowd jitterbugging when Goodman played "Sing-Sing-Sing". No, he was not Jewish but an Italian American immigrant and composed thegreatest and most popular Jazz song and brought the house down, written by Louis Prima.

 Harvey Sheldon concluded by saying,"I have spoken the the "Emmis" and having "Chutzpah" to tell the importance of Jewish music had on creating American culture, American music, which swept the world and by creating America's only contribution to the Fine Arts, of co creating Jazz and creating the Broadway Musical Comedy. Which was a link from the Yiddish theater. Thus you now have as Harvey Sheldon presents..The World Jewish Network."

 Harvey Sheldon tours on speaking engagements with a high def video presentation showing the great performances and of this exceptional music to SRO audiences. The Q and A always goes into triple overtime. The stories that he tells has everyone spellbound and those from the news media have an educational experience learning the "Emmis" of the influence and creativity of the Jewish contribution.

 How many of you know where our American music started and where was the first American hit song was written and performed ? Louis Gottschalk of Philadelhia in 1830 and that was also the begining of the great Musical Marriageof Jewish music and the influence of Afro Americans. Sheldon grabs everybody with this historical zinger, that Judy Garland never took a screen test ! Mayer of MGM movie studios asked Judy to sing something JEWISH and Judy sung a very famous Jewish prayer, the rest is history, How many of you know the title of that Jewish Prayer?

 you may telephone me for the answer...
 714 281 5929 or you may
 e-mail me harveysheldontv@msn.com

top