The Forgotten Black-Jewish Alliance That Built the Music Industry!

In this fascinating episode of "Can You Believe?" host Brad Pomerance sits down with acclaimed jazz pianist, composer, and scholar Joe Alterman to uncover the deep, complex, and beautiful history between Black and Jewish communities that help build the American music industry.From the surprising reality behind Harold Arlen’s iconic song "Over the Rainbow" to the profound impact a Lithuanian Jewish family had on a young Louis Armstrong, Joe breaks down how two marginalized communities came together to shape the sound of American culture. They dive into the raw, soulful roots of jazz, the rise of legendary labels like Chess Records and Blue Note, and the incredible, unsung Jewish history behind Billie Holiday’s famous protest song, "Strange Fruit."--Takeaways:- The "Shmata" Connection: How Russian immigration laws and sewing machines accidentally created Hollywood and the sheet music industry.- Louis Armstrong’s Secret: How Jewish cantoral prayers inspired the invention of scat singing.- What is "Jewish Music"? Why a legendary festival founder claimed that non-Jewish composer Cole Porter wrote the most "Jewish" music on Broadway.- The Radical Truth of Jazz: Why jazz and gospel aren't about precision—they’re about a profound, shared cry for truth.- The Unsung Story of "Strange Fruit": The three Jewish men who risked everything to help Billie Holiday release the number one song of the century.--Follow Joe: https://www.joealtermanmusic.com/https://www.instagram.com/joealterman/https://www.facebook.com/joealtermanmusic/https://www.youtube.com/@UChq5mhnUt3EePioDpWuYalg --Follow JLTV:https://facebook.com/jewishlifetvhttps://twitter.com/jewishlifetvhttps://instagram.com/jewishlifetvhttps://tiktok.com/@jltvtokhttps://x.com/joealterman--Follow Brad:https://facebook.com/bradpomerancehttps://twitter.com/bradpomerancehttps://instagram.com/bradpomeranceofficial