We all love a bit of controversy from time to time, eh? It adds a little frisson to the week, so long as it’s harmless and done in small doses. This one seems to fit all descriptions above. While researching the Nani Vazana show at the Arcata Playhouse tonight at 7:30 p.m., I came across an open letter from the American Ladino League, a group of academics and ethnologists dedicated to preserving Ladino, an endangered language with its roots in the Sephardic Jewish diaspora after their expulsion from the Iberian Peninsula and into North Africa, Morocco and the Ottoman Empire. The group takes exception to Ms. Vazana representing some of her lyrics as authentically Ladino, particularly her award-winning tune “Una Segunda Piel.” I don’t have a side in this dispute, and I’m not suggesting you need have one either, I’m just reporting on my research and engaging some of the behavior my late grandmother used to scold me for as a child when she told me, “You’re always stirring the shit but you never have to lick the spoon.” Do what you want; I’m sure this is a fun show regardless, and the Playhouse is always a good time ($20 for general admission, $18 for fans of the Playhouse).
Music Tonight: Tuesday, Feb. 24
