John Schaefer has hosted Soundcheck since the show’s inception in 2002. He has also hosted and produced WNYC’s radio series New Sounds since 1982 (“The No. 1 radio show for the Global Village” – Billboard) and the New Sounds Live concert series since 1986.
John has written extensively about music, including the book New Sounds: A Listener’s Guide to New Music (Harper & Row, NY, 1987; Virgin Books, London, 1990); The Cambridge Companion to Singing: World Music (Cambridge University Press, U.K., 2000); and the TV program Bravo Profile: Bobby McFerrin (Bravo Television, 2003). He was contributing editor for Spin and Ear magazines, and his liner notes appear on more than 100 recordings, ranging from “The Music of Cambodia” to recordings by Yo-Yo Ma and Terry Riley.
In 2003, Schaefer was honored with the American Music Center's prestigious Letter of Distinction for his "substantial contributions to advancing the field of contemporary American music in the United States and abroad." In May 2006, New York magazine cited Schaefer as one of "the people whose ideas, power, and sheer will are changing New York" in its Influentials issue. He began blogging for WNYC when accompanying the New York Philharmonic on its historic (and apparently very weird) trip to North Korea in 2008 and continues to blog at soundcheck.org.
He is a regular contributor to the World Science Festival and the White Light Festival at Lincoln Center; he has also written about horse racing (Bloodlines: A Horse Racing Anthology, Vintage NY 2006) and was a regular panelist on the BBC’s soccer-based program Sports World.
Shows:
John Schaefer appears in the following:
Monday, March 18, 2024
Brian Eno looks back, Philly rapper Tierra Whack returns, and a Neneh Cherry 80s hit gets a total remake. Plus solo outings by Fabi Reyna (She Shreds) and Adrianne Lenker of Big Thief.
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Monday, March 11, 2024
Moor Mother finds history repeating; Eels mark the passage of time; and Ledisi considers the “Good Life.” Also, new music from John Lurie, Kinky, and Las Cafeteras.
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Monday, March 04, 2024
There's seafaring music from Bruce Hornsby & yMusic; Julia Holter in an evening mood; and the inventive Brazilian pianist Amaro Freitas. Plus, Ani DiFranco’s urgent, rocking “Baby Doe.”
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Monday, February 26, 2024
American musician PJ Morton (keyboards in Maroon 5) goes to Africa, Combo Chimbita goes back to their cumbia roots, and British singer-songwriter Nadine Shah comes back from the brink.
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Monday, February 19, 2024
This week, Beyoncé's big surprise, James Brown’s even bigger surprise, and S. Raekwon’s sinister smile. Plus, Nathalie Joachim and the American Patchwork Quartet.
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Monday, February 12, 2024
This week, Usher and the American indie rock band the Decemberists; the studio project Church Chords and Ugandan singer/guitarist Jon Muq, and a avant-pop from Angelica Garcia.
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Monday, February 05, 2024
The Last Dinner Party is invited to the States and bassist Mali Obomsawin makes a musical pivot. Plus, a tribute to Nashville songwriter Alice Randall, Ibibio Sound Machine, and more.
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Monday, January 29, 2024
This week, new singles from guitarist and bandleader Brittany Howard and the rapper Heems; returns for The Smile and The Staves, and a bass summit with a sense of humor.
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Monday, January 15, 2024
Helado Negro ponders a breakup; Kaia Kater trashes the internet; and Big Brave offers a metal-adjacent take on Emily Dickinson. Plus, Les Amazones d’Afrique and Alejandro Escovedo.
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Monday, January 08, 2024
This week, previews of 2024 releases by Nathalie Joachim and Erick the Architect, plus Bela Fleck’s Rhapsody in Blue(grass). Also, Sprints’ debut LP and an Anne Briggs cover.
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Thursday, December 21, 2023
For the final episode from the Artist Propulsion Lab class of 2023, cellist Zlatomir Fung wrote a new Christmas audio drama, The Elves and the Cello Maker, based on the Brothers' Grim...
Monday, December 18, 2023
New this week: a film and song by John Legend; a thought-provoking track by Jason Isbell; trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire’s new trio; and songs by Lau Noah, Emel, and Hermanos Gutierrez.
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Monday, December 11, 2023
This week, the debut of New Orleans singer Britti; Nicki Minaj channels Cyndi Lauper; IDLES channels The Beatles; and Lara Downes gets a jump on a big anniversary.
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Monday, December 04, 2023
This week, Peter Gabriel’s new album i/o, finally; plus Czarface returns; Nailah Hunter previews her debut LP, and Montreal-based vocalist and composer Erika Angell's solo album.
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Thursday, November 30, 2023
Hear Les Violons du Roy's performance featuring guitarist Miloš at Carnegie Hall on Thursday, November 30.
Monday, November 27, 2023
There's a protest song from Björk, featuring Rosalia, a “Fashionable” single by RZA, and a post-classical take on Radiohead. Plus, Amos Lee covers Lucinda Williams, and more.
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Monday, November 20, 2023
Collaborations from Pakistani-American singer Ali Sethi and Chilean-American producer Nicolas Jaar, Irish rappers Kneecap & Grian Chatten, and boygenius & Dublin-based duo Ye Vagabonds.
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Monday, November 13, 2023
Collaborations from Sinkane with Tru Osborne; Sleater-Kinney with a star of Succession; and KRS-One (BDP) with Da Beatminerz. Also, new music by Julia Holter, Okan, and Sam Akpro.
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Monday, November 06, 2023
A tech-enabled Beatles farewell; eco-dance music from Argentinian-based DJ El Buho; and guitarist Marnie Stern’s return. Also, new releases by Anna Mieke; and the Silk Road Ensemble.
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Thursday, November 02, 2023
For her Artist Propulsion Lab residency, composer Shelley Washington wanted to pull back the curtain on composers’ lives and work. As part of that, she composed a new work for the ~No...