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May 13, 2008 | 51°F Clear sky

Music

Ear to Ear

Hosted by David Garland

Airs Saturday at 8PM on 93.9 FM

New York City is home to some of the world's most dynamic artists. Ear to Ear takes innovative musicians off the New York stages and into the studio for relaxed, insightful conversation, as they share their personal recordings with host David Garland. From Carnegie to Southpaw, guests are drawn from a broad range of backgrounds and genres, from classical to experimental and beyond.

Ear to Ear is part of WNYC's "The New Americans," a celebration of foreign-born artists, and is supported in part by the New York State Music Fund, established by the New York State Attorney General at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.

Browse the Spotlight archives

Ear to Ear: Taoufiq Ben Amor

Evening Music

February 02, 2008

Tunisian-born vocalist, percussionist and oud Player Taoufiq Ben Amor is a strong presence on the local Arab music scene, performing both classical/folk and hip-hip/jazz-infused Arabian music with his New York City-based bands Ayyoub and Tarab. We hear samples of his work (and their accompanying stories) as he joins David Garland in the studio.

Min Xiao-Fen (Photo by Helmut Lackinger)

Ear to Ear: Min Xiao-Fen

Evening Music

January 26, 2008

Since emigrating to the US in the early 90s, Chinese-born pipa player and vocalist Min Xiao-Fen has worked with contemporary artists ranging from Björk to John Zorn. Based out of Queens, NY, Min is also the founder of Blue Pipa, Inc., a non-profit organization that promotes experimental multi-cultural music, including jazz, film and theater works from around the world.

Ear to Ear: Benjamin Bagby

Evening Music

January 19, 2008

Vocalist, harpist and scholar Benjamin Bagby has been an important figure in the field of medieval musical performance for almost 25 years. Co-founder of the highly successful early music group Sequentia, Bagby has been actively involved in the reconstruction of medieval oral epics, including his acclaimed bardic performance of the Anglo-Saxon epic, "Beowulf."

Browse Benjamin Bagby CDs at Amazon.com
Download at I-Tunes

Ear to Ear: Eyal Maoz

Evening Music

December 29, 2007

Since relocating to the United States some 8 years ago, Israeli-born guitarist/composer Eyal Maoz has ridden the crest of avant-guard jazz through several ensembles. His latest group is the quartet Edom, which combines jazz and middle-eastern sounds with a distinctive rock attitude.

Ear to Ear: Amir Elsaffar

Evening Music

December 22, 2007

Some five years ago, jazz trumpeter/vocalist Amir Elsaffar embarked on a personal quest to master the centuries-old musical style of his Iraqi ancestry. Fusing modern jazz with the traditional Iraqi Maqam repertoire, Elsaffar continues to serve as a cultural ambassador, breathing new life into a rich — and nearly extinct — musical heritage.

Ear to Ear: Paola Prestini

Evening Music

December 15, 2007

Through her interdisciplinary performance collective VisionIntoArt, Paola Prestini creates what TimeOut New York calls "ingeniously staged concert pieces that gracefully walk the line between opera and performance art." The Italian-born, New York-based composer joins David Garland for a conversation about her music and current projects.

Ear to Ear: Olivier Conan

Evening Music

December 01, 2007

Although a native of France, Olivier Conan spends his professional life fronting the popular music of Latin America as a member of the bands Chica Libre and Las Rubias del Norte. He also spreads the word through the many eclectic concerts held at his club in Brooklyn, Barbès.

Ear to Ear: Hiroya Miura

Evening Music

November 24, 2007

Since moving to the United States from his native Japan, Hiroya Miura has found success as a composer, conductor and performer. A 2005 Graduate of Columbia University, Miura is also a founding member of the electronic improvisation unit, NoOneReceiving.

Ear to Ear: Milica Paranosic

Evening Music

November 17, 2007

A Belgrade born composer/performer living in New York, Milica Paranosic specializes in "extended music" — the use of technology to enhance and inform her (often unpredictable) performances.

Theo Bleckmann (Joerg Grosse Geldermann/NEXT)

Ear to Ear: Theo Bleckmann

Evening Music

November 03, 2007

Theo Bleckmann has been a steady force in New York's jazz and new music scene for over 15 years. The vocalist/composer talks about his most recent release, a collection of Cabaret songs from his native Germany, inspired by American politics and German history.

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