Electro-Chamber Music

Monday, June 29, 2009

Listen for works by composer/arranger Nico Muhly from his record "Speaks Volumes" on this New Sounds. Also, Dutch avant-pop composer Jacob TV's work for saxophone quartet and ghettoblaster, "Jesus Is Coming," featuring the taped sounds of a very angry evangelist in Times Square and a small Salvation Army choir. Also, the 1978 classic "John Somebody" (remember that guy?) by Scott Johnson, back when composing meant literally hand cutting & splicing tape, and fashioning loops, in the days before digital. And more.

PROGRAM #2797, Music with Tape and Electronics (First aired on Tuesday, 5-6-08)

Unexpected covers

Sunday, June 28, 2009

This New Sounds program is chock full of unexpected cover songs, including arrangements by classical pianist Christopher O'Riley and cellist Christopher Rex doing Radiohead's "Pyramid Song." Also, listen as Angelique Kidjo turns Ravel's "Bolero" into an Afropop song while The Persuasions offer a new take on the songs of U2. And much more.

Music for Large Ensembles

Saturday, June 27, 2009

For this New Sounds, listen to some large-scale works by Lou Harrison and John Adams, among others. First of all, we'll hear Harrison's Solstice, a 30-minute drama depicting the struggle between the new year and the old, represented by the Sun Lion (the warmth of summer) and the Moon Bull (the dark days of winter ushered in by the December solstice). For this work, Harrison created a gamelan orchestra sound by combining celesta and tack-piano, joined by a double bass player beating up the instrument. Plus, there's the Finale of John Adams' Violin Concerto on the show. Throwing aside the usual dialogue between soloist and orchestra, Adams instead has the violin constantly weaving in and out of the orchestra like some kind of daredevil in traffic. Also, there's music by Colin McPhee and Tan Dun.

Night in the Old Marketplace, Live

Friday, June 26, 2009

From the New Sounds Live Concert Series, listen to Frank London's extraordinary score to I.L. Peretz's sprawling 1907 Yiddish drama Bay Nakht afn Altn Mark. "A Night in the Old Marketplace" mixes folk, jazz, classical, rock and world music beats and comes away feeling like klezmer cabaret with a dose of Tom Waits.

PROGRAM #2796, A Night in the Old Marketplace, Live (First aired on Monday, 5-5-08)

Soul Science

Thursday, June 25, 2009

For this New Sounds, there's world music from Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara's record "Soul Science," along with something from Francis Bebey. Plus, music from Daby Toure, maybe something from the Toumast release, and hopefully some music from Tuareg band Etran Finatawa.

Organic Sampling

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Guest composer Phillip K Bimstein, ex-new waver, former mayor of Springdale, Utah, and environmental activist, presents his music for acoustic ensembles and "organic sampling," including his best-known work, "Garland Hirschi's Cows." His work "Casino" will be performed at Merkin Hall this Thursday, May 8. Perhaps we'll hear a bit of that , and maybe some of a brand-new piece "Cats in the Kitchen," scored for flute, oboe, meows, purrs, cracked eggs, sliced onions, buttered toast, sizzling skillets, spoons, knives, pepper grinder, toaster oven, pots, pans, draining dishwater, and pretty much everything else in the kitchen "sync.”

Big Bands

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

For this New Sounds, hear new music for large ensembles, sometimes with lots of brass, sometimes with an electric guitar. We'll dig into the record "Infernal Machines" by Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, which brings together the best of mid-century big bands and the minimalism of Steve Reich. There's also music by John Hollenbeck & the Jazz Big Band Graz from Austria along with music by New Yorker Roy Nathanson and the Jazz Passengers. Plus, music that looks to Ethiopia from the Either Orchestra, and more.

Songs and Poems

Monday, June 22, 2009

Composer Philip Glass and cellist Wendy Sutter present Glass's major new seven-movement work for solo cello, "Songs and Poems" for this edition of New Sounds. The pieces are intense, dark, and beautiful, at times reminiscent of Bach and but also steeped in the romantics. There is definitely an awareness of using the cello’s range to sing and approximate the human voice, and Sutter’s playing is lyrical and warm, invoking comparisons to late Mstislav Rostropovich, and less brutal Janos Starker. We’ll hear highlights from the recording, which also contains “Tissues,” for cello, piano and percussion (2002), written for the original soundtrack recording to Godfrey Reggio's Naqoyqatsi.

World Music and Then Some

Sunday, June 21, 2009

For this New Sounds, we'll hear from Nawal, a singer from the Comoros Islands, whose acoustic-accompanied songs and trance-inducing chants draw from her Sufi heritage and Indian Ocean island rhythms. Also, guitarist and singer Tcheka plays an alluring hybrid of traditional Cape Verdean music and sun-kissed jazz. His second album, Nu Monda, won him the prestigious Radio France International “World Music Prize.” Plus, there's music from the Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio, a global cast of immigrant musicians based in Rome, and more.

Music With Narration

Saturday, June 20, 2009

For this New Sounds, there's an hour of offbeat words and music. From Aussie composer Ernie Althoff to Toby Twining with John Ventimiglia (from "The Sopranos"), we'll hear tales of misbehaving robots, blows to the head, and what our future looks like - maybe. Listen to "Saturday Stories" by Ernie Althoff along with "Wandering" by Toby Twining. Plus, David Byrne's "In The Future" and David Lang's "Are You Experienced."

Global Dance Music

Friday, June 19, 2009

Dance music from West Africa, from Southen Africa, from India and beyond awaits you on this New Sounds. Hear something new from Femi Kuti (son of Fela), and something from banjo player Bela Fleck's "Throw Down Your Heart," recorded on the island of Madagascar. Quite possibly there might also be Balkan brass band music from Goran Bregovic, and a bit of Angolan music by way of Brazil.

PROGRAM # 2951, Global Dance Music (First aired on Fri. 6/19/09)

Of Battleships and Baby Carriages

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Back in February of 2008, New Sounds Live presented another in our silent film series: Sergei Eisenstein’s "Battleship Potemkin," featuring a new score from clarinet powerhouse David Krakauer and beat scientist Socalled, commissioned by Arts>World Financial Center. A visit to the legendary city of Odessa, (the location for Sergei Eisenstein’s classic, Battleship Potemkin), was the catalyst for these musicians’ first collaborative film composition. Hear the results on this New Sounds program.

New Americana

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Listen to some examples of new American blues and gospel, and other traditional American folk music on this New Sounds program. We'll hear an eerie revival of the Skip James classic "Special Rider Blues" from the new record, "Rishte," a collaboration between guitarist Gary Lucas and Anglo-Indian vocalist Najma Akhtar. Plus, a reworking of a classic hymn tune, microtonal blues, and a lot more.

Death Jazz Piano Trio

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

For this New Sounds, London-based death jazz bandThe Neil Cowley Trio stops by the studio on their first US tour. Listen to their incredibly tight and thoughtful originals like "His Nibs" and "She Eats Flies" performed live on this program. It's some groove-based post-jazz with an Eastern edge that demands your attention. RIYL: the Bad Plus, Shostakovich, Madness, thrash-punk, Thelonious Monk, The Sex Pistols, Philip Glass.

Organ Transplants

Monday, June 15, 2009

No longer the purview of churches and concert halls, the organ has made its way into new music. Hear several works on this New Sounds that pull out the stops, including music by Arvo Pärt, Steve Reich, Keith Jarrett, the Benevento-Russo Duo, and more.

World of Choral Music

Sunday, June 14, 2009

For this New Sounds, listen to choral music from around the world. Hear works from the Republic of Georgia and Corsica, along with the Ensemble Organum. Plus, gorgeous music from UK composer Joby Talbot, and more.

Cherchez la femme

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Contrary to the origins of the phrase, this New Sounds program showcases works celebrating the female voice. Hear music that spans centuries and crosses cultures, including creations from Lisa Gerrard, Mediaeval Baebes, and Muriel Louveau. Also, Canadian vocalist and composer Laurel MacDonald contributes richly-textured music featuring eclectic instrumentation and soundscapes concocted by producer and sound designer Philip Strong. And the co-founders of Elysian Fields Jennifer Charles & Oren Bloedow team up for renditions of Sephardic and Ladino songs.

Hardcore Folk

Friday, June 12, 2009

Listen for the driving drone-based sound of bagpipes and the hurdy-gurdy from the English band Blowzabella on this New Sounds. Sample the Warsaw Village Band, punk-ass hard-rocking folk from Poland who also use the occasional hurdy-gurdy. We'll hear the reels and revels of Celtic folk via Quebec from Le Vent Du Nord (The Wind Of The North), oh - yes, perhaps with a side of hurdy-gurdy. There’s also music from Italy by the singer and sax player Enzo Avitabile based on a 14th Century tradition of turning farm implements into musical instruments. Plus, music from Scotland and a whole lot more.

Chimes and Strings

Thursday, June 11, 2009

For this New Sounds, sample the chiming guitars of James Blackshaw and Ben Reynolds, along with the striking music of whale sounds and guitar from Randall Myers. Also, hear something from the Texas-based guitarist Darrin Kobetich, who is part of the guitar tradition of the late American John Fahey. Plus, live electronica from guitarist Julia Crowe, and more.

Concert Music

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

For this New Sounds, hear some recent music from the concert hall. We'll listen to music from the late Alfred Schnittke - his hushed Requiem. Also, there's something from electronic engineer and self-taught musician, Michel Titin-Schnaider, who writes based on the basic pleasure of "sound immersion." Plus music from Italian singer-songwriter, composer, filmmaker and painter Franco Battiato and Israeli pianist and composer Uri Brener.

The Pulse of Minimalism

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

The pulsing rhythms of minimalism, as heard in the music of English composer Michael Nyman, and fellow Brit Jeremy Peyton-Jones. Plus there's music from trombonist/composer Paul Bailey and the "alt-classical garage band" Paul Bailey Ensemble. It's possible that we'll also hear from guitarist Dominic Frasca and his takeoff of music based on Philip Glass, and more.

Najma Akhtar and Gary Lucas

Monday, June 08, 2009

New York guitarist/composer Gary Lucas and the Anglo-Indian singer Najma Akhtar step away from their bands and debut their mostly acoustic new project, a musical partnership that began in May 2007 when Gary invited Najma to join him onstage at a London concert. The fusion of influences and musical styles that Akhtar and Lucas is nothing short of brilliant and wonderfully unique. Listen for the results on this New Sounds program.

Turn up that Cello

Sunday, June 07, 2009

On this New Sounds, hear music for processed, looped, and electrified cellos. We'll dig into works by Zeno Gabaglio, Giovanni Sollima, Maya Beiser, and more. Listen also for music from on-the-road guy Matt Haimovitz, and the many cellos of Rasputina.

Big Bottoms

Saturday, June 06, 2009

On this New Sounds, there's new music for bass, both electric and upright, bowed, plucked, or slapped, some bottom-heavy and grounding, some emotive and noodley - like the moody suite for electric bass by Jeffrey Roden, called "Seeds of Happiness." There's also music about salt. Yes, salt and salt marshes. Listen for texture-rich music for by Marie-Soleil Belanger and Normand Guilbeault which pairs violins or erhu (Chinese two-stringed fiddle) with double bass. Plus, Tom Johnson's "Failing – a very difficult piece for bass," music by Basso Bongo, Robert Black, and more.

New Sounds Live with The Bad Plus

Friday, June 05, 2009

From the New Sounds Live concerts at Merkin Hall, the post-jazz piano trio Bad Plus performs their striking mix of rockin’ originals and equally rockin’ covers – of Stravinsky and other classical works. And the Benevento/Mathis/Barr trio, also a keyboard-based, post-jazz band, plugs in and plays both originals and surprising covers.

PROGRAM # 2945 The Bad Plus (First aired on Fri. 6/05/09)

Mali Music

Thursday, June 04, 2009

Listen to new music from the West African country of Mali, a veritable hotbed of great voices and great instrumentalists. For this New Sounds, we’ll hear both the latest from Bamako-born Oumou Sangare ("The Songbird of Wassoulou") - "Seya," and Vieux Farka Touré (son of Ali Farka Touré) - "Fondo," along with something from the kora master Toumani Diabate. Plus, Nigerian kora player and composer Tunde Jegede offers a gorgeous reading of minimalism with Malian Royal Court Music, and more.

Variations with Pulsing Strings

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

The Daniel Variations by Steve Reich brings together the biblical Book of Daniel and is a kind of memorial to the slain journalist Daniel Pearl. Nonesuch has recently released this work along with Reich's Variations for Vibes, Pianos and Strings. We'll hear the some of these Variations, and a larger work by John Adams on this edition of New Sounds.

Medieval Music From the Near East

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Musical reminders that troubles between the West and the Middle East are not new – Jordi Savall and Hesperion XXI present their mammoth project "Jerusalem." Also on this New Sounds program, Thomas Binkley’s Studio Der Fruehen Musik plays music of the Crusades, Lou Harrison’s "Variations" play with another melody about Jerusalem and the Crusades; and more.

New Music For Trombones

Monday, June 01, 2009

According to Daniel Goode, "there is a very special modernist tradition of writing for multiples of a single instrument." To be sure, Goode, the composer-performer member of Gamelan Son of Lion, has taken this idea and expanded on it, writing for a "flexible orchestra" made of multiple trombones AND contrasting timbres of other, smaller, differing groupings. We'll hear his work, "Annbling," on this edition of New Sounds. We'll also listen to the "Mass for Massed Trombones" (77 of them!) by Wendy Mae Chambers, along with works by Steven Peters and Stuart Dempster, among others.