Oy, that Yiddishe Charleston

In 1926, songwriter Cole Porter figured out the key to his impending success on Broadway. "I'll write Jewish songs," he said. Indeed, most of his fellow theater composers were deeply influenced by their own Jewish musical heritage. Meanwhile, the Jewish music that had come to America with 2.5 million immigrants was borrowing from American sounds, culminating in the raucous style known as Yiddish Swing.

Join Andy Muchin, host of the "Sounds Jewish" weekly radio show on Mississippi Public Broadcasting and Radio-J.com, for a whirlwind audio review of the musical cross-pollination that changed American culture. Muchin, now living in Oakland, CA, and Victoria, BC, is former editor of The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle and his own Jewish Heartland magazine. He has written about Jewish culture and history for the Forward, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Moment magazine, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and other publications.