New Sounds Archive
September 2007
New from the North
Sunday, September 30, 2007
This New Sounds program explores new works coming out of Scandinavia, with some music based in folk traditions, and played by bands who share several different members. We’ll hear from the Swedish supergroup Väsen, four musicians who have done projects ranging from nyckelharpa orchestras and Swedish traditional bands to collaborating with the Kronos Quartet. Plus, there’s music by Garmarna, who formed in 1990, inspired by Väsen’s nyckelharpist Olav Johansson’s musical score for a production of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Not to be outdone, there’s also music by the group Hurdy Gurdy, featuring the combined forces of Hedningarna’s Hållbus Totte Mattson (Hedningarna) and Garmarna’s Stefan Brisland-Ferner (Garmarna), put the Swedish Hurdy Gurdy through its paces. Listen also for music from Frigg, the Finnish/Forwegian string band with family ties to the great Finnish fiddle ensemble JPP, and perhaps some music from the quartet Swåp, who fuse Celtic traditions with those of Swedish folk. And a whole lot more…
Bamboo, Silk and Stone
Saturday, September 29, 2007
There’s new music for the zither from Korea, Japan, and China on this edition of New Sounds, with works by Mei Han & Barry Truax, David Bowie, and Korean-American komungo (Korean fourth century fretted board zither) virtuoso Jin Hi Kim. Mei Han studied Chinese classical zither, but has since moved to Canada and experimented with everything from free improvisation to computer music. We’ll hear her performing John Oliver’s beautifully bluesy Purple Lotus Bud, for zheng and string quartet; and Bamboo, Silk and Stone, written by Raine-Reusch and electroacoustic pioneer Barry Truax in 1987. Plus, Chinese pipa player Wu Man picks up the zhong ruan (a plucked string instrument from the Qin Daynasty circa 200 BC), teaming up with the Kronos Quartet on Lachrimae Antiquae, from the 1997 release called “Early Music.” And much more.
September 2007 New Releases
Friday, September 28, 2007
It's that time of the month again for the new releases show on New Sounds. John Schaefer carefully separates the wheat from the chaff for this harvest moon show. He'll sort through the stacks, bins, and boatloads of new CDs which have come across his desk over the past month to present some of the finest new releases. He'll skim off the cream. He'll pick the lentils from the ashes. You get it.
New Blues
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Take part of some new blues on this edition of New Sounds. As part of the overwhelmingly successful film (and its soundtrack), "O Brother Where Art Thou," Louisiana bluesman Chris Thomas King seems to be a bridge between blues and hip-hop, with his rapped lyrics and dj scratching. We’ll listen to some music by King along with music from Cassandra Wilson’s latest rootsy jazzy, electronica-y blues release, "Thunderbird." And as always, lots more.
New Sounds Live Post-rocks
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Bassoon rock. Chamber jazz. Delicate drums. Paradoxes or Post-Rock? That's for you to enjoy and if you like, decide, on this edition of New Sounds. Recorded from a recent New Sounds Live event at Merkin Hall, listen to concert hall instruments doing the rock thing, rock instruments plucked and finessed in something of a classical vein, and experimental music veering in a jazz improv way. Hear some of each set of music from the Kentucky ensemble Rachel’s and NY-based group Clogs, where everyone had a great time.
Hybrid Ensembles
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
For this New Sounds, sample some works by a few hybrid ensembles, including music from the Durham, NC based composers' collective Pulsoptional. We'll hear from one of their members, Marc Ferris, and his gradual deconstruction of a piece, "I Heart Rosa Luxembourg." We'll also hear from the proudly freeform ensemble Town & Country, veterans of the Chicago avant-garde community, who stretch single tones out past the breaking point, allowing time to highlight the peaks and contours in the sound. We'll round out the show with a bit of a work by the Threnody Ensemble, who are at their core, a diverse unit consisting of guitarists and a cellist. Listen to their work "Timbre Hollow," sounding somewhat Indonesian at times, with a bit of droning in combination with more typical chamber instruments.
'Round Midnight
Monday, September 24, 2007
Listen to an hour of reinterpretations and deconstructions of Thelonius Monk’s classic song, 'Round Midnight on this edition of New Sounds. Hear arrangements by American composer George Crumb, Afro-Cuban drummer Anga, “downtown” guitarist Elliott Sharp, vocalist Bobby McFerrin, and more.
What's Old Is New
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Listen to two recordings by Steve Reich – a recent work, “You Are (Variations)” and a 1977 live performance from New York’s New Music venue The Kitchen. Reich “just set out to have a good time composing” with “You Are (Variations),” for voices, and at times, four pianos. With texts drawn from philosophy and scripture, like the Jewish mystic Rebbe Nachman of Breslov’s statement “You are wherever your thoughts are,” the four movement work explores aspects of existence, in a set of variations. The work receives its premiere on 24 October at Disney Hall in Los Angeles. Also, hear “Six Pianos,” an early work by Reich, played by six pianists: Glen Velez, Steve Chambers, Russell Hartenberger, James Preiss, Bob Becker and Steve Reich. It’s just one of the works on a newly released disc of performances by Steve Reich and Musicians, recorded back in 1977, but only just discovered in 2002 in a dusty box in the Kitchen’s archives.
New Jewish Renaissance
Saturday, September 22, 2007
On this edition of New Sounds, listen to music from the new Jewish Renaissance, including works from klezmer-revival musicians like the Klezmatics, and Andy Statman along with radical Jewish music from John Zorn, and world fusion from Wally Brill and Atzilut. Wally Brill's CD The Covenant, reverently combines the sounds and spirit of Jewish incantations with modern ambient, dub, and other electronic music, and you can dance to it. Plus, Hebrew music traditions with Arab rhythms as played on western, African, and Indian instruments from the group Atzilut. Also, the Klezmatics pay tribute to the Yiddish musical legend and clarinet powerhouse Naftule Brandwein, and we hear the latest from talented instrumentalist, composer and bandleader Andy Statman.
All Strung Up
Friday, September 21, 2007
Up on this New Sounds program is a wide net of guitar music, from the Japanese/Argentine trio Zum to the neo-folk of Glenn Jones; along with the elegant compositions of Ralph Towner to the Persian-rooted guitar of Lily Afshar. The international guitar ensemble Zum consists of members of Robert Fripp’s League of Crafty Guitarists – who have been working in Guitar Craft for more than a decade. We’ll hear some arrangements from their second CD, just-released, called “Angel Suite.” Also, we’ll listen to the latest picking and playing slide from Boston-based Glenn Jones (guitarist and leader of Cul de Sac), in the fingerstyle tradition of one of his musical hero, John Fahey. And more.
Extending the Folksong
Thursday, September 20, 2007
For this New Sounds, we'll test the limits of the folksong tradition. There's the bucolic songwriting and references to Satan on a folktronic "Fair Doreen" from Tunng, harp-based epics about astronomy from Joanna Newsom, along with bard-like settings of poetry by Robin Williamson. Also, hear from Linda Thompson's astounding British-folk-stretching latest effort, "Versatile Heart," which features collaborations with her son Teddy, chamber strings, and the disembodying vocals of Antony (Antony and the Johnsons.) And, as always, much more.
Brazil : a Classical Approach
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Listen to the sounds of Brazil as refracted through a classical lens on this New Sounds program. There's music from the LA Guitar Quartet, who, on their latest release, have arranged tunes by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Hermeto Pascoal, Baden Powell, and others. Plus, there’s music from the Assad Brothers, along with the Choro Ensemble. Music by Philip Glass rounds out the show.
Cross-cultural Music
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
There's new music from Turkey and elsewhere on this New Sounds program. We’ll dip liberally into the soundtrack from the film, “Crossing The Bridge,” in which the musician and composer, Alexander Hacke (of the German avantgarde band Einstürzende Neubauten), sets out with his mobile recording studio on the streets of Istanbul to capture a cross-section of Turkish music. Some of the artists documented include fusion DJs Orient Expressions, the "Elvis of Arabesque" Orhan Gencebay, and digital dervish Mercan Dede, among others. Dede takes electronic groove and beats from the DJ booth and melds them to traditional instruments like the darbouka, santur, and ney. Listen to some of his most recent record, “Su.” Plus, music by the groove-based experimental collective known as Club D’Elf. This band usually includes an oud, in addition to bass, drums, turntables, slide guitar, and keyboards. And there's so much more.
Arabesques
Monday, September 17, 2007
For this New Sounds program, take a taste of some Western works with a Near-Eastern Tinge, including music from the likes of Berlin's jazz-rock-pop-classical band, 17 Hippies. Featuring ukulele and a Persian hammered dulcimer—played by a former heavy metal drummer—together with an acoustic Turkish take of the hip hop classic “Apache," their whirling, crashing, diving mixture of music, loosely bobs and weaves into and out of the Balkans, Eastern Europe and beyond. There are also works by the fast, fierce and classically trained musicians of DAAU, along with works by 17 Pygmies. And more.
Unusual as Folk
Sunday, September 16, 2007
"Triple-exile" composer Osvaldo Golijov brings together elements from his Eastern Europe roots, from his Jewish heritage, and from his native Argentina and melds them with Western classical traditions, and Mediterranean folklore. On this New Sounds program, we’ll hear from Golijov’s latest release, Ayre, a song cycle featuring the soprano Dawn Upshaw. On Ayre, he incorporates the sounds of accordion and ronroco (the South American fretted lute) as well as the laptop (a 21st century folk instrument to Golijov), and has scored texts in Arabic, Hebrew, Sardinian, Spanish and Ladino (the lost language of Spanish Jews.) We’ll also hear folk-tinged music from multi-instrumentalist /composer/producer Gustavo Santaolalla, from his CD “Ronroco,” and perhaps from the two songs he wrote on Ayre. Plus, there's music by Luciano Berio, with whom Golijov shares the talent of obscuring the distinction between 'folk" and "art" music, and more.
Soundscapes
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Experience various soundscapes on this edition of New Sounds. Listen to the latest percussive soundscapes from Mecca Bodega, from their sometimes trance-jazzy release, "Skin." Plus, there's drummer/composer Bobby Previte's chamber improvisations from a piece called "Mirror, Mirror." Also on this program of soundscapes, sample the layered saxophone of Jan Garbarek from "All Those Born With Wings," a recording from 1986. Rounding out the hour are the quiet reflective pairings of guitar with horn on Ralph Towner's "Rumours of Rain," and lots more.
Audio Landscapes
Friday, September 14, 2007
Brian Eno, who rose to prominence as the boa-modeling, liberally rouged keyboardist for '70s glam band Roxy Music, has long experimented with dismantled pop structures and toyed with sound, credited by some as having invented "ambient" music. Eno is also a world-class producer, ranging from the Talking Heads to U2 and everything inbetween, tangential to, or within an orbiting earshot. On this New Sounds, we’ll hear Eno’s audio landscapes, as both a producer - featuring his sound sculpting skills on Paul Simon’s latest record, “Surprise,” Robert Fripp’s Exposure, and a release from a star-studded EP by Fovea Hex – and as a solo artist in his own right with his latest release, “Another Day On Earth.”
Electronics Plus One
Thursday, September 13, 2007
On this New Sounds program, there's music from 5-string slinging Caryn Lin, who loops her electric violin into haunting and ethereal works. Also, listen to a work for sax and electronics, as tackled and tangoed by Brian Sacawa. Plus, hear music by Frances White - her work "Center Bridge" - and any other combination of soloist and electronics that might crop up.
Silence, Night and Dreams
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
On this New Sounds, listen to the latest work by Zbigniew Preisner called "Silence, Night and Dreams," featuring Madredeus singer Teresa Salgueiro. It's a large-scale work for orchestra, choir and soloists, based on texts from the Book of Job and the gospel of Matthew, as well as words by Pope John Paul II and the Polish poet Zbigniew Herbert. Also, there's Portuguese fado-infused music by Madredeus, which also dips into Argentine tango and even Europop electronica. And more.
Almost Jazz
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
For this New Sounds program, listen to some idiosyncratic almost-jazz from America, Australia, and beyond, including some new music by the Catholics. Led by Lloyd Swanton, the bass player for the instrumental trio The Necks, The Catholics are a jazz-leaning outfit, who on their latest, “Gondola,” combine jazz with influences from African, Eastern and Caribbean music with a little bit of atmospherics. Also, hear selections from “My Ears Are Bent,” the latest release from accordionist/keyboard player Ted Reichman, who has finally returned from a nomadic existence to choose New York as his home. The name of the record comes from a collection of writings and observations on New York City by Joseph Mitchell, and Reichman’s record aims to do the same, using music as the medium. And as always, much more.
Electro-Acoustic Music
Monday, September 10, 2007
For this New Sounds, we’ll dip into the new collection of works by Eve Beglarian, from a CD called “Tell the Birds,” which deals with texts, from such disparate writers as William Blake, Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz, and American poets Linda Norton and Stanley Kunitz. Listen for combinations of samplers and electronics with vocalists, the Paul Dresher Ensemble Electro-Acoustic Band and possibly an orchestral showpiece. Plus, music by the Norwegian trumpet player, composer and producer Nils Petter Molvær. His music connects stylistic extremes - jazz, ambient, house, electronic and breakbeats - and effortlessly melts them into intense soundscapes that give space to the trumpet and the melodic structures and can stretch to eternity.
Music and Film
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Film maker Bill Morrison and composer/pianist Philip Glass join us on this New Sounds program to chat about some of the music and films being produced for The Film Makers Cooperative. There's a live performance by Philip Glass along with musical selections from luminary musicians and composers like Steve Reich, guitarist/composer Elliott Sharp, violinist/composer Todd Reynolds, Bang on a Can All-Star Mark Stewart, and many others.
New Early Music
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Sample some new takes on early music for this New Sounds program. We’ll hear from the Japanese early music group, Danceries, and their traditional medieval and Renaissance instruments. Produced by one Ryuichi Sakamoto, this 1982 release “The End of Asia,” is a collection of songs from the 13th to the 16th centuries, coming from such countries as France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands. Plus, Jocelyn Montgomery (Miranda Sex Garden) and David Lynch arrange music by the 12th-century abbess Hildegard von Bingen. Listen to Montgomery’s sublime renditions from a recording called Lux Vivens, along with works from Estampie, and more.
New Music for Thumb Piano
Friday, September 07, 2007
Nearly ubiquitous in sub-Saharan Africa, the thumb piano (also known as mbira, kalimba, sanza, and other regional names) has both a musical and spiritual legacy. We’ll hear contemporary extensions of that tradition on this New Sounds program, including selections from the Congotronics project, where homemade amplification distorts the thumb piano sound so that it has an entirely different texture, and is then accompanied by wickedly insistent percussive groove. Also, listen to Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche’s latest release "Mobile," which has him performing on the thumb piano for his solo drum kit compositions. Plus, there’s music by Ugandan-born New Yorker Samite, the late Camerounian writer/composer/musician Francis Bebey, and more.
Female Voice And Ensemble
Thursday, September 06, 2007
For this New Sounds, hear some works for classical ensembles and the female voice. Listen to music from Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin and her surprise hit "Wild Swans," along with music by Ragnar Grippe. Also, there's the first large scale work not written for film by Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner, called "Requiem for My Friend." Music from the Kronos Quartet and David Lang round out the show.
25th Anniversaries
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Laurie Anderson's unique and original "Big Science," a blend of smart sung-spoken lyrics and unsettling textures of music, came out of nowhere in 1982, with its skewed pop and minimalist themes teasing at the surreal and absurd. "The sounds of 'Big Science' are stark and asymmetrical, but they’re also often bizarrely hypnotic." (Pop Matters.com) And let's not forget the vocoder on Anderson's voice. Also, wouldn't you know it, it was September 3, 1982 that New Sounds first went on the air. For this New Sounds program, Laurie Anderson and host John Schaefer celebrate 25th Anniversaries together.
Music Without Borders
Monday, September 03, 2007
A world of musical influences are fused together as the Bombay Dub Orchestra draws from ambient, western classical, Indian classical & light classical music and many other places. On this edition of the program, hear selections from the Bombay Dub Orchestra, who are UK based producer and composer Garry Hughes and classical composer and arranger Andrew T. Mackay. There’s also music from the Canadian Ghazal singer Kiran Ahluwalia and her sometime Celtic backing band. Ahluwalia was raised in Toronto where she fell in love with ghazals, the sophisticated musical love poems of India she was exposed to by her Punjabi parents. Plus works from Cheb I Sabbah, whose latest release is a mix of Arab, Jewish, and Berber elements.
Striking Violins
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Listen to the latest from violinist and composer Michael Galasso, whose previous projects, especially his collaborative work with director Robert Wilson and Wong Kar-wai ("In The Mood for Love,") made lasting impressions in film and theatre music. On Galasso’s latest release, “High Lines,” he offers ghostly textured outgoing music which side-steps between genres, with help from guitarist Terje Rypdal, double-bass player Marc Marder, and percussionist Frank Colón. We also hear from the Swiss violinist/composer Paul Giger, from his mesmerizing 1989 ECM CD “Chartres”, which features the Swiss violinist playing in the crypt and upper church of the great French cathedral.
Worldwide Overtones
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Composer and vocalist Joan La Barbara can approximate ranges of sound from a chanting monk to the cry of a fallen bird. On this New Sounds, sample some of her work – both her solo voice and her voice as a thick forest. Plus, David Hykes succeeded at finding harmonics through his own voice back in 1975, by listening and singing along with the Mongolian, Tuvan, and Tibetan recordings then available. Listen to some of his work with the Harmonic Choir on this edition of New Sounds. We’ll also hear some traditional overtone singing from Tuva, Tibet, Corsica, and Armenia, along with a startling performance by country-pop star Glen Campbell.
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)