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Gilad Atzmon גלעד עצמון
Gilad Atzmon
Born	Gilad Atzmon (1963-06-09) June 9, 1963 (age 61) Tel Aviv, Israel
Nationality	Israeli
Education	Rubin Academy of Music
Occupation	Musician
Known for	Musician, political activism, antisemitism
Website	http://www.gilad.co.uk/

Gilad Atzmon (Template:Lang-he, born June 9, 1963, Israel) is a jazz musician and an anti-Zionist author who renounced his Judaism and has often been accused of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial, including by fellow anti-Zionists. Atzmon denies the allegation by saying there is no such thing as antisemitism, and instead claiming that he has an "ideological disagreement with Zionism."

Gilad Atzmon's Exile was BBC jazz album of the year in 2003, and has been called one of London's finest saxophonists. His albums often explore political themes and the music of the Middle East. He has also written two novels, which have been translated into over 20 languages.

His anti-Zionist political activism, including the founding and editing of the Palestine Think Tank website, have received world-wide attention, even being quoted by the prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Early life

He was born a secular Israeli Jew in Tel Aviv, and trained at the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem. His service as a paramedic in the Israeli military during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon made him realize "I was part of a colonial state, the result of plundering and ethnic cleansing." In 1994, Atzmon emigrated from Israel to London, where he studied philosophy, and has lived there since.

Music

Atzmon first became interested in British jazz he discovered in a British record shop in Jerusalem. He initially was inspired by the work of Ronnie Scott and Tubby Hayes and regarded London as “the Mecca of Jazz.”

Instruments and style

While Atzmon's main instrument is the alto saxophone, he also plays soprano, tenor and baritone saxophones and clarinet, sol, zurna and flute. Atzmon's jazz style has been described as bebop/hard bop, with forays into free jazz and swing, and seemingly inspired by John Coltrane and Miles Davis. Atzmon sometimes plays the alto and soprano sax simultaneously.

Atzmon's works have also explored the music of the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe.

Atzmon has fused his roles as a political artist and musician by creating the character Artie Fishel, on the album Artie Fishel & the Promised Band. With traditional klezmer music, dialogue, and jokes, the album features Atzmon on saxophone, John Turville on keys and electronics, Yaron Stavi on bass, and Asaf Sirkis on drums. Other artists include vocalist Guillermo Rozenthuler, Koby Israelite on vocals and accordion, and Ovidiu Fratila on violin.

Collaborations and groups

Atzmon is a member of the veteran punk rock band The Blockheads, having joined when Ian Dury was still performing with them. He has also recorded and performed with Shane McGowan, Robbie Williams, Sinéad O'Connor, Robert Wyatt and Paul McCartney.

Atzmon has collaborated, recorded and performed with musicians from all around the world, including the Palestinian singer, Reem Kelani, Tunisian singer and oud player Dhafer Youssef, violinist Marcel Mamaliga, accordion player Romano Viazzani, bassist Yaron Stavi, violinist and trumpet-violin player, Dumitru Ovidiu Fratila, and Guillermo Rozenthuler on vocals.

Atzmon founded the Orient House Ensemble band in London, and has toured all over the world with them. in the 1990s and is currently touring with them. The band includes Asaf Sirkis on Drums, Yaron Stavi on Bass and Frank Harrison on keyboard. It has produced five albums in eight years.

Atzmon is on the creative panel of the Global Music Foundation, a non-profit organization formed in December 2004 which runs residential educational and performance workshops and events in different countries around the world., and also offers personal workshops to students.

Reviews

Atzmon and his ensemble have received favorable reviews from Hi-Fi World, Financial Times, The Scotsman, The Guardian, Birmingham Post, The Sunday Times and The Independent. Reviews of his 2007 album “Refuge” included:

Manchester Evening News: The individuality of the music is extraordinary. No one is more willing to serve his music with raw political passion, and that curious cantor-like tone on clarinet is immediately arresting, like Artie Shaw writhing in his death throes.

EjazzNews: "For sheer improvisational fireworks, quirky humour and genre-defying invention, one will be hard-pressed to find a bandleader as unique as Gilad Atzmon." ("EjazzNews," September 2008)

BBC: "...the OHE is finding its voice in an increasingly subtle blend of East and West, that’s brutal and beautiful."

In November 2008 Chris Searle launched his book Forward Groove: Jazz and the Real World from Louis Armstrong to Gilad Atzmon at the London Jazz Festival. It "chronicles the development of jazz and its great exponents" alongside social developments and political protest movements. The reviewer noted that “the torch continues to be carried by contemporary musicians such as Israeli-born alto saxman Gilad Atzmon who dreams of a free and united Palestine.”

In February 2009 The Guardian music critic John Fordham reviewed Atzmon's newest album "In loving memory of America" which Atzmon describes as "a memory of America I had cherished in my mind for many years". It includes five standards and six originals "inspired by the sumptuous harmonies and impassioned sax-playing of (Charlie) Parker's late-40s recordings with classical strings.

Awards

Atzmon was the recipient of the HMV Top Dog Award at the Birmingham International Jazz Festival in 1996–1998. Gilad Atzmon's Exile was BBC jazz album of the year in 2003.

Novels

Atzmon is also a novelist whose books have been published in 22 languages. His first novel A Guide to the Perplexed, published in 2001, takes place in a near future where Israel has ceased to exist. Atzmon “excoriates the commercialization of the Holocaust" and “argues that the Holocaust is invoked as a kind of reflexive propaganda designed to shield the Zionist state from responsibility for any transgression against Palestinians.” His book has been described as a “vividly written satire, infused with a ribald sense of humor and an unsparing critique of the incendiary political cauldron of the Mideast.” The original Hebrew version was a candidate for Israel's 2003 Geffen Award for science fiction.

His second novel was My One and Only Love published in 2005. The book is a psychological and political commentary which explores the "personal conflict between being true to one’s heart and being loyal to 'The Jews.'" The book makes fun of leading Zionist historical figures, incidents and propaganda techniques. It "illustrates many ironies of Jewish existence, in particular the opportunistic use of Jewish suffering to promote the State of Israel."

Politics

Atzmon has made his political views known in a variety of ways, includng talks and publications, and his own website. Publications in which Atzmon's political writings have appeared include CounterPunch, Al Jazeera, Uruknet, Middle East On Line, Dissident Voice, and Atlantic Free Press. Many of his published papers are available on his personal website. He is a co-founder of and contributor to the web site Palestine Think Tank, established in May 2008, aiming "to educate those who don't know what Zionism is so that they are able to see how damaging it is and how it is a just cause to stop it". Other contributors include Khalid Amayreh and Carlos Latuff.

Broadly, Atzmon is opposed to Zionism, and supports the Palestinian Right of Return as well as the establishment of a single state in Israel/Palestine. Atzmon's harsh criticisms of Zionism and its Jewish supporters, the state of Israel and its supporters, and of some other anti-Zionists, have led to allegations of antisemitism. He has publicly speculated that as a result of his views, Israel's secret service, Mossad, might kill him.

Views

In early 2009 Atzmon explained that during his time in the Israeli military he saw the "scale of the atrocities that are committed on my behalf by the Israelis in the name of the Israeli state, with the support of the Jewish people around the world." He criticized Israel "threatening the entire region with their idiotic nuclear bombs" and said "I think Jewish ideology is driving our planet into a catastrophe." Regarding attempts to silence him he said through charges of being antisemtic or a self-hating Jew he replied: "I've got nothing against the Semite people, I don't have anything against people - I'm anti-Jewish, not anti-Jews." He also called himself a "proud self-hating Jew", comparing himself with Spinoza, Marx and Jesus: "Why? Because of growing up in this kind of racist, nationalist, tribalist, chauvinist, supremacist society - and this is exactly what they stood up against." He quotes a Jewish philosopher, Emmanuel Levinas as saying: "Now we must be at the forefront of the fight against racism. We must make sure this never happens again." He has said that because of Israel's crimes since its creation, as well as the "murderous extravaganza of the past weeks" (2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict), the state of Israel "should be dismantled immediately before they turn our planet into a fireball." Perhaps most controversially, Atzmon has argued that Israel is more evil than Hitler's Germany, because Hitler sought rational objectives (conquering other countries for Lebensraum), while Israel merely seeks to destroy its neighbours (notably Gaza and Lebanon).

Whilst much of Atzmon's writings are directed specifically at the behaviour of Israel, some speaks more broadly to the role of Jews in the world and in supporting Israel. Thus he has said that disputes about the veracity of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion are moot, because "American Jews do try to control the world, by proxy. So far they are doing pretty well for themselves at least." As a result of these beliefs on Jewish power, he has been quoted as saying that the burning of synagogues was "rational," and that "resentment towards Israel and Jews is rational."

Perhaps even more controversially, particular in anti-Zionist UK circles, was his distribution of a Holocaust revisionist/denialist paper by Paul Eisen, leading to accusations of Holocaust denial. Atzmon strongly rejects the accusation, noting, for example, the stigma attached to discussing any details of the Holocaust, not least the usual "6 million Jews killed" figure, even though the Holocaust museum Yad Vashem mentions several figures between 5 and 5.5m; in public debate the 6m figure has become an "abstract fetish", as if a somewhat smaller number could make the Holocaust harmless.

Allegations of antisemitism and responses

Allegations of antisemitism due to Atzmon's views have come from a variety of quarters in the UK, ranging from commentators such as David Aaronovitch (in a June 2005 The Times opinion piece) and David Hirsh on The Guardian's Comment is Free website, to the Jews Against Zionism, which asked for the Socialist Workers Party to withdraw an invitation to Atzmon to speak at the Marxism 2005 conference. In May 2005 the Board of Deputies of British Jews issued a dossier alleging widespread antisemitism at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, including a quote from a talk delivered by Atzmon: "I'm not going to say whether it is right or not to burn down a synagogue, I can see that it is a rational act." Atzmon responded in a letter to The Observer that he did not "justify any form of violence against Jews, Jewish interests or any innocent people." He explained the context of his comment as "debating the question of rationality of anti-semitism. I claimed that since Israel presents itself as the 'state of the Jewish people', and bearing in mind the atrocities committed by the Jewish state against the Palestinians, any form of anti-Jewish activity may be seen as political retaliation. This does not make it right."

Criticism has also come from further afield; for example the Swedish Committee Against Anti-Semitism complained when Atzmon spoke at a 2007 seminar in Stockholm, at the invitation of the Christian Social Democrats: "It is of course legitimate to criticize Israel's politics, but democratic forces need to react when debate about the Middle East is used to legitimize the hatred of Jews." The CSDresponded by saying: "Gilad Atzmon is himself a Jew, and when the Swedish Committee Against Anti-Semitism starts calling Jews anti-Semites there is a risk that they undermine the term anti-Semite and do the fight against anti-Semitism a disservice." Atzmon has also been criticized for saying that the Jews killed Jesus.

Atzmon answers the various accusations against him at the “1001 Lies About Gilad Atzmon” page on his web site. There he responds to accusations of antisemitism, as he has done elsewhere, by questioning the existence of antisemitism itself, writing: "Because Anti-Semite is an empty signifier, no one actually can be an Anti-Semite and this includes me of course. In short, you are either a racist which I am not or have an ideological disagreement with Zionism, which I have." In an article entitled "Think Tribal, Speak Universal" Atzmon wrote: "Surely, the most effective way to confront a thinker is through open intellectual debate. But somehow, this is precisely what those who oppose me refuse to do. Instead, they employ various tactics aimed at silencing me." Atzmon has explained his writing thus: "I write about things that I find while looking into myself. This is indeed very dangerous for people who try to promote some collective dogmatic and ethnic tribalism."

Discography

• "In loving memory of America" - Label: Enja - January 2009
• Refuge - Label: Enja - October 2007
• Artie Fishel and the Promised Band - Label: WMD - September 2006
• MusiK - Label: Enja - October 2004
• Exile - Label: Enja - March 2004
• Nostalgico - Label: Enja - January 2001
• Gilad Atzmon &The Orient House Ensemble - Label: Enja - 2000
• Juizz Muzic- Label: FruitBeard - 1999
• Take it or Leave It - Label: Face Jazz - 1999
• Spiel- Both Sides - Label: MCI - 1995
• Spiel Acid Jazz Band- Label: MCI - 1995
• Spiel- Label: In Acoustic&H.M. Acoustica - 1993

Books

• A guide to the perplexed, English translation by Philip Simpson. London : Serpent's Tail, 2002. ISBN 1852428260
• My one and only love. London : Saqi, 2005. ISBN 0863565077 (pbk.). ISBN 9780863565076 (pbk.)

References

1. ^ Gilchrist, Jim (22 February 2008). "'I thought music could heal the wounds of the past. I may have got that wrong'". The Scotsman. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
2. Adler, David (October 2005). "Assessing Atzmon" (PDF). JazzTimes. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
3. ^ Kamm, Oliver (April 25, 2006). "Agreed, we shouldn't vote for the BNP – but its twin, Respect, is just as bad". The Times. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
4. ^ Paul, Jonny (October 20, 2006). "London pizzeria hosts allegedly anti-Semitic musician. Gilad Atzmon called burning down synagogues 'a rational act;' Board of Deputies of British Jews lodges complaint http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-130273822.html". Jerusalem Post. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); External link in |title= (help)
5. ^ Aaronovitch, David (June 28, 2005). "How did the far Left manage to slip into bed with the Jew-hating Right?". The Times. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
6. ^ Social Democrats invited known anti-Semite to seminar, The Local, March 23, 2007.
7. ^ Mary Rizzo, The Gag Artists, Who's Afraid of Gilad Atzmon?, CounterPunch, June 17, 2005
8. ^ Paul, Jonny (November 12, 2008). "Israeli ambassador speaks at UK university despite pressure to cancel". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
9. ^ "Trying on a new religion for size". Reuters. April 4, 2007. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
10. ^ Godfrey, Miles (6 January 2008). "Speech axed from Brighton church over trouble fears". The Argus. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
11. ^ Gilad Atzmon, How jazz got hot again, The Telegraph, October 13, 2005.
12. ^ "Manic beat preacher" interview with John Lewis, The Guardian, March 6, 2009.
13. ^ Gibson, Martin (23 January 2009). "No choice but to speak out - Israeli musician 'a proud self-hating Jew'". Gisborne Herald. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
14. ^ "Gilad Atzmon". People. Global Music Foundation. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
15. ^ St. Clair, Jeffery (July 19, 2003). "You Must Leave Home, Again: Gilad Atzmon's "A Guide to the Perplexed"". CounterPunch. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
16. ^ "Profile - Gilad Atzmon". Rainlore's World of Music. March 21, 2003. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
17. ^ Atzmon, Gilad (2007). "GILAD ATZMON - MUSICIAN, COMPOSER, PRODUCER, EDUCATOR, WRITER". Gilad Atzmon. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
18. Shackleton, Kathryn (October 16, 2006). "Gilad Atzmon: Artie Fishel And The Promised Band". BBC. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
19. Atzmon, Gilad (2007). "ARTIE FISHEL & THE PROMISED BAND". Gilad Atzmon. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
20. Gilad Atzmon, Not Strictly Kosher, Jazzwise, January 17, 2007.
21. Mixing it feature, BBC Radio, October 6, 2006.
22. ^ Kathryn Shackleton, Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble, Refuge, BBC, October 1, 2007.
23. "About GMF". Global Music Foundation. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
24. Atzmon, Gilad (2007). "MUSIC EDUCATION". Gilad Atzmon. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
25. Gilad Atzmon web site.
26. Alan Brownlee, Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble - Refuge (Enja), Manchester Evening News, August 30, 2007.
27. John Stevenson, Gilad Atzmon liberates the Americans: Orient House Ensemble, Ronnie Scott’s London, August 30th 2008, EJazzNews.com], September 01, 2008.
28. Ian Soutar, Former head chronicles a passion for jazz and justice, Sheffield Telegraph, November 14, 2008.
29. John Fordham, Gilad Atzmon: In Loving Memory of America, The Guardian, February 27, 2009.
30. "Locus online;The Geffen Awards". Retrieved 2007-01-24.
31. BBC book launch announcement, BBC, Jun 3, 2005/
32. Karin Friedemann, Review of Gilad Atzmon's My One and Only Love, 2005, quoted in BBC announcement.
33. Politiks at Gilad Atzmon web site.
34. ^ About PalestineThinkTank.com page.
36. Kamm, Oliver (March 9, 2009). "Jazz and the anti-Jew, redux". TimesOnline. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
38. David Hirsh, Openly embracing prejudice, The Guardian, November 30, 2006.
39. Polly Curtis, Soas faces action over alleged anti-semitism, The Guardian, May 12, 2004.
40. Observer Letters to the Editor, The Guardian, April 24, 2005.
41. Gilad Atzmon, gilad.co.uk, 1001 Lies
42. Gilad Atzmon profile
43. Gilad Atzmon, Dissident Voice, 12 December 2006, Think Tribal, Speak Universal.
44. "(DV) Atzmon: Think Tribal, Speak Universal". www.dissidentvoice.org. December 12, 2006. Retrieved 2008-05-23.

External links

• Gilad Atzmon web site

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• Living people
• LIVING deaths
• Jazz saxophonists
• Bebop saxophonists
• Hard-bop saxophonists
• Antisemitism
• Writers on Zionism