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When Animals Sound Off

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Thursday, February 11, 2010

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  • A humpback whale breaches off the coast of California. (zorankovacevic/flickr)

They may not be landing record deals and writing songs, but animals are musical in their own right. Our Thursday series Sing Out looks at why blue whales are singing in a different key today than they did in the age of the Beach Boys. Plus: a history of animals on the opera stage. Also: West African vocalist and guitarist Lionel Loueke performs live in our studio.

Sing Out: Blue Whales Singing a Different Tune

Off the coast of California, blue whales are singing about half an octave lower than they were a generation ago. One theory suggests the change is due to efforts to preserve the animal. We talk with John Hildebrand of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the latest installment of Sing ...

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Animals on Stage

The stages of opera houses are home to a variety of animals: horses, dogs, camels, wildcats, donkeys and other critters, depending on the requirements of each opera. Today, we'll speak with Nancy Novograd, owner of the agency All Tame Animals, about her job as an animal handler at The Metropolitan ...

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Lionel Loueke

Lionel Loueke was 17 when he first picked up the guitar in his native Benin, in West Africa. A few years later, he was playing and recording with big names in American jazz: first trumpeter Terence Blanchard and then pianist Herbie Hancock. Today he'll perform pieces from his new album, ...

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Michał Jacaszek

Gig Alerts: Jacaszek

By Daoud Tyler-Ameen

Jacaszek
"III"
Playing at: Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker St., Greenwich Village)
Get: Tickets | Directions

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Animals in Music: Why Don’t They Do it in the Road?

By John Schaefer

There’s plenty of music about animals, much of it classier than the Beatles song referred to above.  But when it comes to music with animals, that’s where trouble starts.

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Gig Alerts: Blondes

By Daoud Tyler-Ameen

Download a track from one of Brooklyn's best new bands. Blondes perform tonight at Littlefield in Gowanus as part of the Unsound Festival.

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Greg Casseus, a.k.a. Greg Caz

Social Mixer: Greg Caz

By Otis Hart

Stream a set of Brazilian dance hits by one of New York's premier experts on the matter.

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Gig Alerts: Chilly Gonzales

By Daoud Tyler-Ameen

This MC turned solo pianist is playing at Joe's Pub every Thursday in February. Tonight he joins forces with Andrew W.K. Download his bittersweet track "Overnight" for free.

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About Soundcheck ®

Soundcheck®, hosted by John Schaefer, is WNYC’s daily talk show about music. Covering all musical genres, Soundcheck celebrates the musical passions of performers, composers, and critics as well as the public radio audience. Listeners enjoy intimate conversations with and live performances by leading artists from around New York and around the globe.

Hosted by John Schaefer

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