Is New York the cultural capital of North America?

New York has long been considered the cultural capital of America. Is it still? If not, where?

New York is still one of the cultural capitals of North America. Not, however, the only one.

What makes a cultural capitol? I’d say that includes
*many forms of what we name as the arts -- differing genres of music, theater, dance, writing, film making, visual arts -- practiced at very high levels
*vibrant communities of exchange among artists who are creating this work
*receptive and engaged audiences of adults and children
*presenters and other people and structures which help artists and those who would and who might learn from and enjoy and be inspired by them connect.

With these criteria in mind, if I had to choose just one other city in North America to stand alongside New York as cultural capitol, it might be Nashville. I could also make a great case for Boston, though. Then there’s New Orleans, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Washington, DC. Montreal, Austin, Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver, the whole of Cape Breton Island, Albuquerque, Dallas, Bloomington Indiana. There are others.

A few years back, I was speaking with Paul Gambill, who was at the time with what was then known as the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, an outfit known for its adventurous programming. We were talking about the future of orchestras, and about reaching new audiences for them. He remarked that he believed strongly in the importance of what is traditionally thought of as classical music, and that it should continue to stand on its own, undiluted. There’s no reason, he went on to say, that other sorts of music cannot stand alongside classical music, just as strongly, and by so doing engage wider audiences and create deeper connections with listeners and supporters for both.

The same idea applies, I think, when considering that question about New York City as the cultural capital of North America. It is one, yes, with its own distinct personality in all aspects of the arts. Is it the only one? I’d say not.

As we stand in the early years of the twenty first century, there are other cities with their own voices which add to the life and conversation and nurturing of the arts in North America, which stand on their own alongside New York. It is cultural circle, these days, or perhaps a cultural road trip, rather than one cultural capital.






If you’ve come here by way of Spring for Music, thank you. I hope you will take a bit of a look around to see what other stories you might enjoy here along the music road.

Should you be a regular reader, thank you for that. The people at Spring for Music, which is a classical music festival held in New York City in May, are holding a competition called the Great Arts Blogger Challenge. This story is an entry to the first round of that competition, answering the question about New York as required.

I'd welcome your vote in this first round of the competition. Voting is open through noon US Eastern time on 29 March -- though you do not have to have a US address to vote, you may vote from anywhere in the world. You may read all the entries, and if you choose, vote for this one, here. Vote through the listing on the right hand side of the page, under the heading Round One Voting. You may check off your choices in the little boxes, then push the vote button at the end of the list. Thanks!

photograph is of leaves in Nova Scotia, and is copyrighted. thank you for respecting that.

you may also wish to see
Music Road: road trips and road songs
Music Road: New York City: Irish Musicians
Music Road: pride of new york
and from one of Europe's cultural capitals, Glasgow, Scotland:
Music Road: Celtic Connections 2012: the music continues

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Nod to Bob, and Carrie, Mary, Rose, Sarah, and Joanie, too

Opening doors, changing the way listeners and fellow creators of song think about music, writing songs that are literal, mystical, poetic, political, and funny, and always leaving room for more than one way to take the words: those are several things Bob Dylan has done in five decades of his work as a musician. He’s marking a birthday this last week in May. All over the word and all through this year there have been and will be tributes to this unlikely musical hero who grew up in the Minnesota Iron Range town of Hibbing, and first built his national fame in the clubs of New York’s Greenwich Village. .

A good song always leaves room for those who listen to take it in, to make it their own, and to carry it on in their own lives. With lyrics both enigmatic and direct, Dylan has been good at that. To celebrate his birthday, Red House Records, which is based in his native Minnesota, invited musicians who work with the label to choose favorite Dylan songs to record. The result is A Nod to Bob 2, a sixteen track collection that could be a study in songwriting, in singing, in song interpretation -- a study that’s best carried out by playing the disc many times and letting the songs unfold.

There are well known songs , ones that might start to jog your memory with their first notes, and ones that perhaps you’ll be hearing for the first time. Interestingly chosen and thoughtfully sequenced, this album works as few collections do, as a thoughtful narrative of the songwriter’s ideas as well as a group of songs and interpretations that play into and bounce off of each other in ways both familiar and surprising.

Each listener will come by his or her own favourite cuts, of course. Eliza Gilkyson, a master herself of the indirect lyric, offers Jokerman, in a track which was recorded live. Peter Ostroushko takes on Dylan's sense of humour with Mozambique. Pieta Brown goes to the blues side of things with Dirt Road Blues, while Texas troubadour Jimmy LaFave gives Not Dark Yet plenty of space and plenty of room for thought. So do Robin and Linda Williams, whose high spirited take on Walkin’ Down the Line is the closer to the disc. Meg Hutchinson, John Gorka, and Lucy Kaplansky are among others who contribute songs

You might also care to see the first Red House Collection honoring Bob Dylan, A Nod to Bob

This time in late May seems to be a place in the calendar when musicians celebrate birthdays. Several you’ve met along the music road are celebrating around this time of year: Irish singer Mary Black, rising bluegrass star Sarah Jarosz, songwriter Rosanne Cash, Cherish the Ladies founder Joanie Madden, songwriter Carrie Newcomer -- and me. Sign of Gemini in the zodiac, sign of hawthorn in Irish mythology, both said to hold gifts in the arts of communication.

So, good wishes to all who celebrate. Do you have a favourite song by Bob Dylan, or by one of the other artists mentioned here? Let us know in the comments.

-->Your support for Music Road is welcome and needed. If you are able to chip in, here is a way to do that, through PayPal. Note that you do not have to have a PayPal account to do this. Thank you.

Music road trip New York City: Irish Musicians

New York City has been home, waystation, birthplace, and seedbed for many sorts of Irish and Irish American musicians over the years. Even when they’re playing the strictest traditional music, there is at times a bit of New York energy and edge in the music of Irish musicians steeped in the Irish communities of the Big Apple, and you'll often find them writing original music, and connecting Irish music with other traditions, too.

Celtic Cross offers a mix of Irish and rock to tell their tales of immigration and modern day. Cherish The Ladies started out in New York, and have taken the spirit of Irish music -- and Irishwomen playing music -- around the world for twenty five years now. Founding member Joanie Madden also teamed up with three New York Irish men to record the lively quartet album Pride of New York. One of her popular compositions, recorded by Cherish, is called Bonkers in Yonkers.

Dublin born singer Susan McKeown came to New York with an acting scholarship and stayed to become a part of the music community, keeping deep Irish roots and seeing their connections with the musics of Africa and with Jewish traditions. Eileen Ivers has taken her fiddle playing into collaborations with jazz musicians and orchestras as well as other Irish musicians, and has taken her New York energy into connections with Appalachia and the blues.

Though they’ve moved on to other places. several other musicians you’ve been getting to know along the Music Road also have spent time in the crossroads that is New York Irish music, among them Heidi Talbot, John Doyle, and Cathie Ryan.

During her time in New York, Ryan wrote a song called The Back Door. She was thinking about undocumented Irish who came to New York, but it is a song which goes to the heart of all who face change and hardship with courage. There’s a video of her singing it here.

Many of the artists mentioned above have played at the Irish Arts Center, a vibrant place for Irish music in New York which also has programs and classes on drama, literature, art, Irish language, and other aspects of Irish culture. It's been around since 1972, on West 51st Street in Manhattan.

This is part of The Great American Road Trip, in which I originally partnered up with A Traveler’s Library to add musical ideas to the book and film suggestions for journeys through the regions of the United States which you’d find there. The Library is closed now, but I think you will still find the journeys through music interesting. For more about the road trip (and a look at some great road songs) see Great American Road Trip: Music begins


you may also wish to see


patrick season: far from home
Potato Music
patrick season: thoughts for patrick's eve
more music from the road trip
Irish music

-->If you'd like to support my creative work at Music Road and elsewhere,
here is a way to do that, through PayPal. Note that you do not have to have a PayPal account to do this.Thank you.