New Americans V: The Far East

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Hear music from Kyaw Kyaw Naing, the master of the pat waing (a traditional Burmese drum-circle instrument). Also, works by composer Jin Hi Kim for the komungo (a Korean bass zither), and Miya Masaoka, an American musician and composer who performs on a 17-string Japanese koto (zither). Masaoka also employs the "Koto Monster," which uses string preparations and electronic triggers – as additional laser beam "strings" hover above.

The Eastern European Influence

Friday, November 20, 2009

Hear some works from Western (and perhaps a few Eastern) musicians inspired by the often odd-metered dances and laments of Eastern Europe on this New Sounds program. The brassy Balkan beats of Romashka together with their Lithuanian-born singer draw on gypsy and folk music from Russia, Romania and the Balkans for a downtown blast of madness. We’ll hear something from them, along with music from the Canadian-Ukranian musicians Paris To Kyiv, and the Serbian, Macedonian, Bulgarian –American band Zlatne Uste (Golden Lips), as well as prog-folk from the Slovene group Katalena. Plus new music based on ancient Turkish makams from Edward Hines, music by Les Miserables Brass Band, and more.

Recent Soundtracks

Thursday, November 19, 2009

For this New Sounds, listen to some recent film scores, new music-style. We'll hear from a collection of soundtrack work that Nick Cave has done with Warren Ellis, called "White Lunar." It's a 2-disc set including music from the forthcoming film "The Road," along with music from two documentary films; one about young girls caught up in Cambodia's sex trade and the other, "The English Surgeon," follows a doctor's attempt to bring neurosurgery to post-Soviet Ukraine. Also, we'll listen to a bit of Angelo Badalamenti's score for "Twin Peaks," and some of Carter Burwell's recent "Where The Wild Things Are." Plus, film music from Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang.

Music from Italy

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

This New Sounds program is devoted to music from Italy, featuring music from Enzo Avitabile using traditional percussion - that of barrels, scythes and sticks - to drive spirits away. We'll also listen to a requiem incorporating the accelerated ecstatic drumming of Alessandra Belloni, with its roots in pre-Christian music. Plus music by musician and radio host Nando Citarella with a sidelong glance at Mozart. And more.

Music for Angels

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

For this New Sounds program, listen to some celestial music, but also works that are much darker. We'll hear a bit of the flowing, dreamlike and epic "Angel of Light" by Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara along with an excerpt from Jürgen Knieper's original score for the film "Wings of Desire." There's also music by George Crumb, his "Black Angels," a voyage of a soul fallen from grace, inspired by the Vietnam War. Plus, a 1970's collaboration between David Bedford and Mike Oldfield, called "Instructions for Angels." And more.

Sweet Driving Rhythm

Monday, November 16, 2009

New music from the concert hall now reflects the driving rhythms of rock and jazz. For this New Sounds program, we'll hear several examples, including Oscar Bettison's "O Death," the European classic, "De Staat" by Louis Andriessen, and "Paranoid Cheese" by Marc Mellits. Oscar Bettison, a composer and instrument-maker writes for both rock ensemble and the concert hall, as well as his own instrument creations (dubbed cinderella instruments) and electro-acoustic elements. In his work, “O Death,” he calls for a Wrench-ophone (12 differently-sized metal wrenches arranged like a keyboard), flower pots, metal mixing bowls, anvils, and electric guitar, with distortion pedal. We’ll hear “O Death,” on this edition of the program. Also, music from his teacher, Louis Andriessen, with his loud and aggressive “De Staat,” which suggests clangorous Balinese gamelan, jazz, minimalism, and Stravinsky while kicking it all into overdrive. Plus, “damn catchy” chamber music from Marc Mellits – his work “Paranoid Cheese” a hard-driving, smart, frenetic, and frequently beautiful work, which combines elements of modern minimalism and a love of modern rock.

Tibetan Buddhist-Based Film Scores

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Western film scores built around the sounds of Tibetan Buddhism, including “Kundun” by Philip Glass and “Fate of the Lhapa” by William Susman are featured on this New Sounds program. Listen to some of "Kundun," the score to the 1997 Scorsese film, where Tibetan instruments deepen and enrich Glass's minimalism, and the voices of the Gyuto Monks add an aura of spiritual power. Also, hear some of Susman’s “Fate of the Lhapa” featuring performances by cellist Joan Jeanrenaud (Kronos Quartet Alumnus) and Tibetan vocalist Tsering Wangmo. In this score for the documentary about the last three Tibetan shamans living in a Tibetan refugee camp in Nepal, haunting and lyrical sounds of Asian and Western Music merge to set the tone for a spiritual and mystical journey.

New Music from West Africa

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Hear new music from the Tuareg band Tinariwen on this New Sounds. Fresh from opening for the Rolling Stones this past summer, the band unleashes more electric guitar-driven primal desert blues on their latest effort, "Aman Iman." Also, the Afromotive - a thundering 9-piece band from the Ivory Coast by way of Asheville, North Carolina - make irresistibly Afro-beat-y-licious dance music. We'll sample some of that, and listen for music from Youssou N'Dour, Leni Stern, and others.

New Sounds Live with Vernon Reid

Friday, November 13, 2009

From the New Sounds Live concerts at the World Financial Center, listen to the world premiere of "Artificial Afrika," a multimedia work commissioned by WNYC and created by electric guitarist and composer Vernon Reid. Featuring spoken word artist/throat singer Akim Funk Buddha, DJ Logic, and turntablist/percussionist Leon Lamont, the completed work, years in the making, was unveiled for the first time this past October.

Nu-Jazz Piano Trios and Solos

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Listen to the some new jazz piano in both trio and solo forms. On this New Sounds, we'll listen to the prog-jazzers the Bad Plus, along with something from e.s.t. Also, solo piano music as heard in the propulsive poundings of Francesco Tristano, and the thoughtful musings of Jason Moran. Plus, the latest from Matthew Shipp, "4D," and more.

Sri Jimi, Carnatic Rock

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

The electric guitarist Prasanna comes from a South Indian classical music background, but he also grew up under the influence of western guitarists like Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix, in addition to his exposure to top Indian film soundtrack composers like A.R. Rahman and Illayaraja. For this New Sounds, Prasanna brings his electric guitar and three percussionists (Poongulam Subramaniam on mridangam, S. Karthick on ghatam and Bangalore Amrit on kanjira) into the studio for a live performance of some of his Carnatic rock/World Jazz musical hybrid, including "Sri Jimi" and "Bowling for Peace." There’s also music by sax player Rudresh Mahanthappa, in collaboration with Kadri Gopalnath, from Mahanthappa's latest "Kinsmen."

New Music With Piano

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Listen to some new music with piano on this New Sounds, including compositions from the pianist/composer Blue Gene Tyranny, who has worked with John Cage, Iggy Pop, and Carla Bley, among others. We'll listen to the Digital Music Ensemble of the University of Michigan performing "Intermediary with a Rendition of Stardust." We'll also hear Canadian composer and pianist Lubomyr Melnyk's work, "Song of Galadriel" inspired by Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Plus, music from the minimalist tradition by both Terry Riley, and Belgian composer Wim Mertens.

New Music Em Portugues

Monday, November 09, 2009

Experience Arabic Fado from Lebanese oud virtuoso Rabih Abou-Khalil for this New Sounds. It’s a triumph of an idea - Portuguese poems set to music performed by an international band and fronted by a young fado singer from Lisbon, Ricardo Ribeiro. In fact, the Guardian critic John L Walters, describes the feeling of drummer Jarrod Cagwin and French tuba phenomenon Michel Godard as a kind of heavy precious metal with a Moorish, Mediterranean flavour that invokes a Led Zeppelin twist. Also on the show, a haunting and rich vocal feast from New York singer Lucia Pulido’s latest "Waning Moon," rooted in traditional Colombian music, but infused with the aching sadness of Portuguese Fado. Plus, music from singer/composer Paolo Braganca, who fuses fado with chamber, rock and jazz, along with fado-folk music from Madredeus, and more.

Songs From Around the World

Sunday, November 08, 2009

Hear music by La Mar Enfortuna, the Sephardic side project of legendary noir rock group Elysian Fields, as they explore lost or forgotten music from the 11th to the 16th century, with exotic melodies and instruments. There's also music from Sinikka Langeland, singer and player of the kantele, the traditional Finnish plucked zither. Plus, A song in Aramaic, sung by SAVAE, and others.

New Americans: Eastern Europe

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Hear a brand new release from Kitka, the all-women's ensemble who specialize in Balkan music (in collaboration with the Ukrainian-born singer and composer Mariana Sadovska). Also on the show, music by Ljova, Victoria Jordanova, Dusan Bogdanovic, and Milos Raickovich, among others.

Global Small Ensemble

Friday, November 06, 2009

This New Sounds takes us around the world and then some with some works for small ensemble. We’ll hear some non-traditional works from Argentine composer Gustavo Santaolalla, who has been lauded of late for his film scores for “Brokeback Mountain” and “Babel.” But for Santaolalla’s release, “Ronroco,” he uses a traditional instrument, namely the ronroco, a relative of the South American charango (a small ukulele-like guitar) and forges music inspired by his homeland, while weaving in music of Japan, Africa, and Eastern Europe. Also, out of Italy, the acoustic guitar viruoso Pino Forastiere's "Why Not?" an epic Concerto for electro-acoustic guitar and string orchestra. Plus, northern music by Icelandic composer Skuli Sverrison and much more.

PROGRAM #2847, Small Ensemble Music (First aired on Tue, 9-23-08)

Dark Ambient Electronica

Thursday, November 05, 2009

For this New Sounds, we'll listen to some electronic music from Iceland by the Australian-born composer Ben Frost. Dark acoustically generated guitar and piano textures are expertly combined with electronically processed stabs and eruptions on Frost's record "By the Throat." Plus, there's ambient post-rock music from Mountains, and some of Wendy Carlos' "Sonic Seasonings" from the early 70s, featuring the found sounds of wolves.

New Music for Bass Clarinet

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Usually relegated to the grounding end of things instead of a solo instrument, the bass clarinet has a distinct woody sound, but is actually quite versatile. For this New Sounds, we'll hear everything from electroacoustic work to chamber music, from North African to Alaskan music. Hear pieces by Anouar Brahem, Michel Portal, John Surman, Marty Ehrlich’s Dark Woods Ensemble, and John Luther Adams.

New Music for Kora

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

The ancient harp/lute of the griots (the traditional storyteller/historian/musicians) of West Africa is now a thoroughly contemporary and global instrument, used by rockers like Björk, in film scores, and elsewhere. We’ll hear from Mamadou Diabate, from his own solo record and his collaborations with Irish singer Susan McKeown and jazz bassist/composer Ben Allison; Foday Musa Suso with Philip Glass; the Seckou Keita Quartet; and Toumani Diabate, among others.

Electroacoustic Chamber Music

Monday, November 02, 2009

Today’s chamber music can include electronics, electric guitars and bass, and other sounds borrowed from pop music. It’s not just string quartets and wind quintets anymore. On this New Sounds, we sample some electroacoustic chamber music from the likes of Bing & Ruth and Build. Plus, music from English composer Andrew Poppy and his amplified orchestra. And more.

Asian Fusion

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Asian Fusion is not just a cuisine. We'll hear contemporary music by Gamelan Cudamani - who play a type of hybrid gamelan orchestra with seven tones instead of the usual five. Plus, we'll sample from the Rough Guide To Indian Lounge, with the Indian flute and voices of Bombay Dub Orchestra and the mesmerizing slide-guitars of Debashish Bhattacharya; along with other like-minded explorations.