New Sounds Archive
March 2005
March 2005 New Releases
Thursday, March 31, 2005
It's the end of the month round-up. John Schaefer once again picks through the bucketloads of CDs that have flooded his office to find a sampling of new releases worthy of showcasing in tonight's New Sounds program.
Live Crafty Guitars
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
On this edition of New Sounds, listen to an in-studio performance by the group Zum, an international guitar ensemble consisting of members of Robert Fripp’s League of Crafty Guitarists. The members of ZUM have been working in Guitar Craft for nearly a decade and have a knack for gorgeous and dynamic arrangements of works by Astor Piazzolla, the Beatles, and a wide range inbetween. Also on the program, there’s music from Bigtime, another international group who have worked in Guitar Craft, (they would have joined us live too, but for visa troubles), and more.
Celtic Call and Response
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Susan McKeown and friends join John Schaefer for this edition of New Sounds. McKeown’s latest album, “Sweet Liberty,” offers unusual arrangements of Celtic songs, with West African and Mexican elements, along with heart-stopping renditions of traditional tunes like “When I Was on Horseback.” She and her core ensemble play unplugged in the WNYC studios and tell tales about the recording.
Modern Jazz Pop Chamber Rock
Monday, March 28, 2005
The Four Bags, with trombone, accordion, guitar and clarinet or saxophone, are an adventure into chamber music by way of modern jazz, rock and pop. Hear music from their latest release, "Off Shore" on this New Sounds Program, along with the ambient foggy swells of Terje Rypdal and "After the Requiem" by Gavin Bryars. Plus, music from the ambitious new record by the Pat Metheny Group, "The Way Up."
Inspired by India & Indonesia
Sunday, March 27, 2005
The history of Western fascination in the traditions of the far East has long been laced with overtones of colonialism and condescension. Yet the mixtures between East and West have also produced a fascinating body of Western art, literature, and music. This edition of New Sounds features recent examples of music for Western and Asian classical instruments by Evan Ziporyn, Michael Nyman, and Bobby Previte, among others.
New British Music
Saturday, March 26, 2005
The exciting young British composer and co-founder of the rock group The Divine Comedy, Joby Talbot joins John Schaefer on this edition of New Sounds. Hear recent releases of Talbot's chamber music and composed rock, and a live performance in the WNYC studio.
Musical Leftovers
Friday, March 25, 2005
From the New Sounds Live concert series, there’s more music on this program from the biannual New York Guitar Festival Guitar Marathon, featuring works by global slide guitarist Bob Brozman, Brazilian guitar great Vinicius Cantuaria, and African guitarist and griot Abdoulaye Diabate joined by guitarist, journalist and radio personality Banning Eyre. Also, David Starobin plays Fernando Sor, Michael Newman plays Villa-Lobos, and sometime Weissenborn guitar player Ed Gerhard performs “The Water is Wide.” Plus, hear music by the Tin Hat Trio recorded live at Merkin Hall.
Click here to view a slideshow of the Guitar Marathon.
Infectious Beat
Thursday, March 24, 2005
This New Sounds program is an hour of dance music inspired by klezmer, Balkan and gypsy music, featuring the Klezmatics’s new CD “Brother Moses Smote The Water.” This incredible live CD, with special guests Joshua Nelson and Kathryn Farmer, captures the New York-based klezmer band taking on the mantle of a fire-and-brimstone gospel group, with deep drinks of soul and blues. Also, listen to Uri Caine’s klezmer-infected arrangement of Mahler’s Symphony #1, a clangorous re-working of the original Teutonic symphonic cloudbursts. Plus, works from Canzoniere Grecanico Salenico, Acquaragia Drom, The Beat Circus, and accordionist/composer Guy Klucevsek.
The "Classical" Frank Zappa
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Frank Zappa came to music by Edgar Varèse in his teens and was, according to Pierre Boulez, “hypnotized by [music of] Edgar Varèse.” The influence of this music was not so much that Zappa became a follower of Varèse, but that it stimulated his ambitions to become a composer. On this episode of New Sounds, hear music composed by the late guitarist and innovator, Frank Zappa. Listen to some of his dense and demanding work written for the Ensemble Intercontemporain (and commissioned by Boulez.) Hear The Ensemble Modern, Zappa's "last band," from their recent CD of Zappa’s works, along with brass arrangements of Zappa tunes by the Meridian Arts Ensemble. Plus, Frank Zappa spins Baroque composer Francesco Zappa’s classical pieces on his Synclavier and the Finnish Ensemble Ambrosius plays Zappa's music on Baroque instruments.
Battleship Potemkin
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
From the New Sounds Live/Silent Film series at the World Financial Center, The Clubfoot Orchestra plays a new score by Richard Marriott for Sergei Eisenstein’s famous silent film “Battleship Potemkin.” One of the most renowned films of the century, "Potemkin" contains one of the best-known sequences in cinema’s entire history – the harrowing fall of a baby carriage down the Odessa steps. Eisenstein’s depiction of political oppression and violence portrayed the Russian revolution in microcosm and was banned worldwide for years after its premiere.
Jazz Plus...
Monday, March 21, 2005
Jazz plus trip-hop, jazz plus musical theatre, and even jazz plus funk, rock, electronica, pop, and everything else are offered up on this New Sounds program, “Jazz Plus.” Hear music from Club D’elf, who mix trip-hop and electronica with their improvisational jazz. Also, listen to the inimitable trio, The Bad Plus, who bring classical, rock, and pop into their jazz. Plus, music from Brian Woodbury, Ken Schaphorst, and something from the Mark Anthony Turnage project of re-imagined John Scofield themes, “Scorched.”
Americana, Old & New
Sunday, March 20, 2005
On this edition of New Sounds, take a fresh look at traditional American music with Jorma Kaukonen and Joel Harrison, who reinterpret songs by the Rev. Gary Davis. Also, we hear composer and guitarist Joel Harrison's interpretations of Johnny Cash, and Johnny Cash interpreting Nine Inch Nails, among others.
Global Voices
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Unusual vocal works from far-flung locations take center stage on this edition of New Sounds. The Bulgarian Women's Choir is steeped in a sound world that was born somewhere between the medieval Byzantine church and the Eastern European mountains, where the origins of Western musical scales developed. No less unusual is the female-led Finnish ensemble Värttinä, which is known for its trademark speed-singing. Also, hear folk songs of the Dong people of China, and music by English composer Jocelyn Pook.
Acoustic Ambient Music
Friday, March 18, 2005
On this edition of New Sounds, there’s brand new music from the composer and founder of the recently revived Cold Blue Music label, Jim Fox. Brooding and beautifully ominous, the piece is called “Descansos, past,” and was written in memory of composer/performer John Kuhlman, who died a few years ago. Also, listen to music from Anton Batagov, who explores musical mathematics and harmonic ratios as hidden in the ten-dot pyramid, the Tetractys. Plus Harold Budd’s swan song - Avalon Sutra, a carefully chosen path between ambient music and the “m” word. Budd is the composer and pianist who has declared that he is quitting the composing life, explaining he has said all he wants to and does not mind disappearing.
Persian Masters and More
Thursday, March 17, 2005
On this episode of New Sounds, Persian kemanche (spike-fiddle) master Kayhan Kalhor and his ensemble join John Schaefer in the WNYC studio. Through his solo concerts and work with Ghazal and Yo-Yo Ma, Kalhor has been instrumental in bringing a larger audience to Persian music. Hear live interpretations by Kalhor and ensemble, performing and improvising traditional Iranian (Persian) music. Plus, live performances from bansuri (bamboo flute) player Steve Gorn and Japanese shakuhachi player Ralph Samuelson.
Turntablist Guitarist
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
The digital, digitized, and digitally refracted guitar-based music of Andre LaFosse is on this edition of New Sounds. LaFosse's latest release of "turntablist guitar" music - call it something like funk/glitch/hip-hop - just happens to have been performed live, on solo electric guitar. See and hear LaFosse live this weekend at the intimate 5.1 surround sound performance space called the Monkey. For these shows, he'll be preparing his guitar to go through five Echoplex units simultaneously - creating endless looping possibilities and a lot of brain-freeze.
Phantom of the Opera
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
From the New Sounds Live/Silent Film series at the World Financial Center, The Clubfoot Orchestra plays a new score by Richard Marriott for the Lon Chaney silent film “Phantom of the Opera.” Lon Chaney’s phantom is the quintessential horror film demon – both touching and terrifying, while Marriott's music underlies the mysterious phantom who is mad with love for Christine.
Dutch Master
Monday, March 14, 2005
There’s music by contemporary Dutch master Louis Andriessen on this edition of New Sounds. His particular blend of minimalism, robust harmony, and a certain “American style” can’t exactly be pinned down as jazz, but neither does it sound like “classical” music from academic circles. Hear his “M is for Man, Music, Mozart”, which despite the “Mozart” in the title, has a strong undercurrent of jazz in the piece. Plus, hear Andriessen’s influence in other pieces by English composer Steve Martland, Irishman Donnacha Dennehy, and Bang on a Can’s Michael Gordon.
Experimental Instruments
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Experimental Musical Instruments is an organization devoted to interesting and unusual musical instruments of all sorts. For many years its leading activity was the production of a quarterly journal devoted to the topic. While the magazine ceased publication in 1999, the organization continues with a variety of instrument-related activities, including the production of books and CDs. On this edition of New Sounds, hear some of these experimental instruments with works by Richard Cooke, One Ring Zero, and John Gzowski. Also, there's soundscape music by Russia's Nick Sudnick.
Never Failed Me Yet
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Gavin Bryars' "Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet," is a late minimalist piece for orchestra and tape that has had an almost legendary effect on its audiences. Opening with a homeless man singing a simple melody that is looped over and over again for the entire 74 minutes of the album. Bryars weaves in a beautiful string arrangement that develops slowly underneath the melody, and singer Tom Waits joins in at the end. Hear this remarkable piece (in a slightly condensed form) on this edition of New Sounds.
Mali Cool
Friday, March 11, 2005
There’s West African music made with instruments and musicians from Mali on this edition of New Sounds, subtitled “Mali Cool.” “MALIcool” is also the title of the latest collaboration by veteran jazz trombonist Roswell Rudd and kora player Toumani Diabate. The inventive combination of trombone and kora, plus the occasional balafon and other traditional Malian instruments, yields results which are a timeless blend of West African folk songs and restless jazz. Also, hear the deep desert grooves and moody African blues of guitarist Ali Farka Toure. Plus, there’s also "downtown world jazz" on the show by bassist Ben Allison, and more.
Harmonic Meditations
Thursday, March 10, 2005
On this edition of New Sounds, there's music by David Hykes, founder of the Harmonic Choir and a leading proponent of Asian-inspired “overtone chant.” Hykes presents his new cd “Harmonic Meditations,” which includes music for Khyentse Norbu’s film “Travellers and Magicians,” set in the tiny Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan.
Plundering the Archives
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
We’ll be mining the New Sounds Live archives on this edition of New Sounds with performances going all the way back to the 1980’s, featuring pianist, composer and arranger Mark Kirkostas. Also, hear the quirky Austrian band Die Knodel from a concert recorded at Merkin Hall in 1995. Their goofy blend of Zappa instrumentals meet Fellini film music somehow rides the divide between pop and art. Plus, there’s world music from Brian Keane and his collaborator Omar Faruk Tekbilek, also from a New Sounds Live concert, and much more.
Lullaby and Goodnight
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
For this New Sounds program, take a tour of the globe with lullabies from around the world. Actress, singer and composer Mariana Sadowska performs a lullaby in our studios, re-created and collected from old ritual songs she learned from women in Ukrainian rural villages. Some of these songs facilitate conversations between matriarchal ancestors, while at times, these recast songs sound as though they verge on possession, with her ululations and her mesmerizing delivery. Plus, listen to a sleepless lullaby from Canadian singer and composer Laurel MacDonald, whose yodels, whispers, and wails bewitch and resonate. Also, Deep Forest uses a lullaby from the Solomon Islands; and lots more.
'Twas Brillig
Monday, March 07, 2005
New Sounds in Wonderland. Hear music inspired by Lewis Carroll’s tales of Alice in Wonderland, including works by Martin Wesley-Smith, the Incredible String Band, Tango Project, One Ring Zero, and Jefferson Airplane.
Play With Cars & Trucks
Sunday, March 06, 2005
America's love affair with the automobile has inspired more than a few contemporary composers to seek out the playful side in cars and trucks. Among these is Michael Daugherty, who is represented on this New Sounds program by "Used Car Salesman," a percussion piece inspired by the career of his father who worked at used car lot in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Also, hear the Sap Dream Electric Guitar Quartet in "Ice Cream Truck," and Jed Distler's String Quartet #1, the "Mister Softee Variations" (premiered in 1999 by the Flux Quartet).
Hot Cross Works
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Cross-cultural works for Western instruments take center stage on this edition of New Sounds. We hear guitarist Bill Frisell and The Intercontinentals on a new recording that features the haunting sound of Malian blues guitar. Joining Frisell are percussionist Sidiki Camara, Greek oud and bouzouki player Christos Govetas; pedal steel guitarist Greg Leisz; and Brazilian guitar and vocal great Vinicius Cantuaria. Also on the program are selections from the Kronos Quartet’s Pieces of Africa; keyboardist Katrina Krimsky’s Time Over Time, and more.
Commissioned by the People
Friday, March 04, 2005
From the New Sounds Live concerts at Merkin Hall, the Bang on a Can All-Stars perform a newly-commissioned work, revisit one of their first commissioned pieces, and more. Hear "Song Before Love Songs (a post-apocalyptic requiem for the human race)" by Cynthia Hopkins, and featuring the singing voices of the All-Stars. Plus, there's the work for a banana-eating percussionist - The Plonsey Episodes - by Dan Plonsey, and a special bonus encore piece by Philip Glass.
Commissioned for the People
Thursday, March 03, 2005
From the New Sounds Live concerts at Merkin Hall, the Bang on a Can All-Stars perform two newly-commissioned works and a new music classic with special guest Philip Glass. Listen to "The Long and Short of It: a Brief History of Chatter," by Carla Kihlstedt, along with "Music In Similar Motion" by Philip Glass, featuring the composer at the keyboard. Plus, hear the menacing sounds of J. G. Thirlwell's new commission called "Anabiosis."
Live from Merkin Hall
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
On this edition of New Sounds, hear more highlights from past seasons of New Sounds Live concert series at Merkin Hall. There are slide guitar works by Daniel Lanois along with a slide-guitar-plus-toys improvisation by Dave Tronzo. Plus, John King's "Shuffle", a work for electric string quartet, performed by the group Ethel.
Eurofolk Music
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Borrowing from other musical traditions is the focus of this program of Eurofolk on New Sounds. Hear some surprising recordings of European folk music, including Belgium’s Aqsak Maboul playing an Italian folksong; Italy’s Birkin Tree doing Celtic music; and Celtic band The Poozies singing a Polish song. Plus, there's music by the Warsaw Village Band, Värttinä, Dieter Ilg, and more.
Windows 
Windows 
Windows 
Search current and archival WNYC broadcasts. More
An exclusive presentation of New Sounds Live and WNYC Live performances for the website, featuring performances from inside and outside the WNYC studios from over three decades.
- The Brian Lehrer Show: Buy, Buy Baby (July 07, 2008)
- The Leonard Lopate Show: Underreported: Nurse-Patient Ratios and the Future of Health Care (July 03, 2008)
- The Leonard Lopate Show: The Lyme Disease Epidemic (July 01, 2008)
- The Brian Lehrer Show: Before There was Stephen Colbert, There was George Carlin (July 02, 2008)
- The Leonard Lopate Show: Would You Survive? (July 02, 2008)