Appeal to jazz musicians not to play at Red Sea festival
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Apartheid is NOT Jazzy: Boycott the Red Sea Jazz Festival!
Causes
August 05, 2013
To: The Thelonious Monk Institute, Branford Marsalis, João Bosco and all other musicians booked for the Red Sea Jazz Festival, Summer 2013
The Red Sea Jazz Festival could have been a festival to celebrate the free spirit of Jazz music, and this beautiful tradition of oppressed minorities. Instead, it uses music as a tool for whitewashing military occupation, apartheid and oppression of the Palestinian people.
This is the full letter written by Israeli human rights activists – if you agree, please join the boycott by signing and sharing this petition!
Dear Al Foster, Wallace Roney; Branford Marsalis; Chris Dave, Pino Palladino, Kebbi William, Isaiah Sharkey; Gerald Clayton, Joe Sanders, Pete Van Nostrand, Jeff Ballard, Miguel Zenon, Kevin Hays, Nicholas Payton, Thelonious Monk Institute featuring Jane Monheit; João Bosco; Matt Schofield, Motion Trio,
We are citizens of Israel who oppose our government’s continuing displacement of the Palestinian people via military occupation and apartheid policies . We write to you in order to make sure that you are aware of all the moral implications of performing in Israel at this time. We ask that you postpone your concerts, to the time when Israel ends its military occupation and apartheid policies.
It is impossible not to address the venue of the festival and its history. Between the year of 1947-1948 Israeli militias committed ethnic cleansing of the indigenous Palestinian population of Palestine. Over 500 villages were destroyed, massacres of thousands resulting in the fleeing of half the population in fear for their lives . We refuse to forget that Eilat stands on what was once a Palestinian village called Umm Rashrash, and the whole area was renamed after the military operation of ethnic cleansing, barefacedly named “Uvda”, which is Hebrew for “Fact”, as in “creating facts on the ground”. Israel’s Tourism Ministry, one of the initiators of the Red Sea Jazz Festival, you’re about to take part in, has no qualms about using this name.
The Eilat Red Sea Jazz Festival is in no way separate from the government and its policies. It is “initiated by Eilat city hall aid by Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Tourism, Eilat Sea Port, Eilat Hotel Association and various business sponsors”. The reality of Israel at present is that all government ministries are in one way or another involved in the oppression of the indigenous Palestinian population, fundamentally utilizing civilian aspects of the government and civil society to uphold, sustain and perpetuate the military occupation. Particularly relevant for you is the fact that Israel’s government openly uses cultural events in order to divert attention from its war crimes:
We see culture as a Hasbara [public relations] tool of the first rank, and I do not differentiate between Hasbara and culture” ~ Nissim Ben-Sheetrit, former deputy director general of the Israel Foreign Ministry
The Israeli Ministry of Tourism advertises and facilitates tourism in occupied Palestinian territories [7], and facilitates tours for artists such as you, as part of generating photo-ops : “video and stills footage of the singer and her entourage, both during the concerts and visits to tourist sites in Israel, to be used in international marketing campaigns.
The Ministry of Culture supports the settlement construction in the West Bank, and actively silences protestation of this war crime.
Governmental forces are joined by corporate forces if we examine Eilat Sea Port (Eilat Port Company Ltd.), One of its owners being and Israel’s government via the Israel Ports Development & Assets Company Ltd. The same Israeli government has besieged Gaza port, closing down not only any means of trade, but also one of the main venues of livelihood.
Due to all this, in past years, other jazz musicians have also cancelled their participation in the Red Sea Jazz Festival, including Eddie Palmieri, Jason Morana, Portico Quartet, Tuba Skinny, Andreas Öber and Stanley Jordan. Since Jazz festivals have become one of Israel’s most commonly used forms of public relations, many jazz, blues and soul musicians have cancelled their performances at similar state-initiated Jazz festivals. Others have expressed regret after after learning of the political situation here. Some names which come to mind are Gil Scott-Heron, Cassandra Wilson and Meshell Ndegeocello.
The Red Sea Jazz Festival could have been a festival to celebrate the free spirit of Jazz music, and this beautiful tradition of oppressed minorities. Instead, it uses music as a tool for whitewashing military occupation, apartheid and oppression of the Palestinian people. In view of all this, we are asking you: Please cancel your participation in the festival. Boycott Apartheid.
We will gladly address any questions or comments you may have.
Sincerely,
Boycott! Supporting the Palestinian BDS Call from Within
Signatories for Boycott! Supporting the Palestinian BDS Call from Within
* For a full list of links go to http://boycottisrael.info/content/israeli-citizens-artists-scheduled-perform-red-sea-jazz-festival-dont-let-israel-use-free-sp
How Eilat became Israeli
The IDF launches the successful Operation Uvda campaign as part of the 1949 war in order to ensure it had a Red Sea port as well as the Mediterranean coast, and to prevent (then) Trans-Jordan consolidating its hold on the outlet.
Clockwise from top left, Branford Marsalis, Ester Rada, Al Foster, Joao Bosco
The 27th Red Sea Jazz Festival
From the festival organizers
August 18th-21st, Sun.-Wed.
In and around Eilat city and seaport
Co-Directed by Dubi Lenz and Eli Degibri for the second year running, an outstanding collaboration bringing to the festival a colorful range of styles and influences, featuring prominent ambassadors of the best of the world’s jazz scene alongside Israeli local pride
Branford Marsalis
The Al Foster Quintet featuring Wallace Roney
João Bosco
The Matt Schofield Trio
Ester Rada
Tatran
The Tammy Scheffer Sextet
The Gerald Clayton Trio
Antonio Sanchez and Migration
Jeff Ballard Fairgrounds featuring Miguel Zenon and Kevin Hays
The Yotam Silberstein Organic Trio
Triveni II
The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance featuring Jane Monheit
Nicholas Payton XXX
The Motion Trio
The Albert Beger Trio
The Red Sea Jazz Festival has by all means become a tradition entertaining the Israeli audience with performances of the world’s greatest jazz artists over 26 years since 1985. Year after year thousands of vacationers and jazz enthusiasts return to the southern city of Eilat to enjoy four days of the ultimate experience combining music, food and leisure by the Red Sea.
This year the festival’s management decided to launch The Red Sea Jazz Festival Village at the Dekel beach, situated in the vicinity of the festival’s grounds in Eilat seaport. The village provides a minimal fee camping site for youth and families with basic amenities and dining facilities available. The village intends to become an integral part of the festival experience with the traditional jam session stage set in the compound hosting various stunning performances featuring guest artists each and every night.
Looking forward to seeing you in Eilat!
About the Red Sea Jazz Festival
The Red Sea Jazz Festival was launched in October 1987, initiated by the Eilat municipality and supported by the Israel Ministry of Education & Culture, the Israel Ministry of Tourism, Eilat Port, Eilat Hotels Association and several business sponsors. This year, while carrying on its tradition inviting prominent Jazz legends to perform in the Eilat Port it also creates a platform for emerging local artists promoting innovative and rejuvenating approaches.
Every day at 7pm, as the Red Sea Jazz Festival opens, you are invited to enjoy a free show bringing to stage the best up-and-coming Israeli Jazz bands.
The featured performances will be held in three main venues: The intimate venue, Piamenta, accommodates an audience of 1,000 in club seating arrangement. The midsize venue, Kaminsky, offers seating for an audience of 2,000 while the large venue, Gottfried offers 3,000 seats.
As is our custom, Master Classes will be held offering everyone interested a more personal encounter with guest musicians, an exciting educational experience and an opportunity to establish a direct connection.
This year the festival’s management decided to launch The Red Sea Jazz Festival Village at the Dekel beach, situated in the vicinity of the festival’s grounds in Eilat seaport. The village provides a minimal fee camping site for youth and families with basic amenities and dining facilities available. The village intends to become an integral part of the festival experience with the traditional jam session stage set in the compound hosting various stunning performances featuring guest artists each and every night.