Irish American Crossroads Festival 2012 - If It Wasn't for the Irish and the Jews March 4, 2012

The 9th Annual Crossroads Irish-American Festival is proud to present Mick Moloney, New York University Professor of Music and Irish Studies along with world-renowned fiddler, Athena Tergis, in an exploration of the historical intersection between Irish and Jewish musical traditions entitled, If It Wasn't for the Irish and the Jews.

Audiences will enjoy an illustrative presentation and musical performance documenting this collaboration from 1880 to 1920, a time when Vaudeville and Tin Pan Alley flourished with the fertile contributions of Irish and Jewish songwriters, theatrical producers, and music publishers.

Taking its title and inspiration from a catchy song composed in 1912 by William Jerome (real name: William Flannery) and Jean Schwartzis, this performance brings to life former Broadway luminaries such as George M. Cohan (Irish ancestral surname: Keohane), Eddie Foy (born: Edwin Fitzgerald), Norah Bayes (born Norah Goldberg), Tony Hart, Ed Harrigan, and Ada Jones. All of these musical figures populate Dr. Moloney's presentation about the nimble wit, socioeconomic observation, exuberant rhythms, melodic charm, and sentimental appeal pulsing through this under-appreciated chapter of American musical history.