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Soundcheck

Thursday, May 05, 2005
  • Rudresh Mahanthappa and Kadri Gopalnath
    Rudresh Mahanthappa and Kadri Gopalnath

    Sax and Violins

    Today, two skilled musicians from opposite ends of the musical spectrum come together to perform. Kadri Gopalnath and Rudresh Mahanthappa, both accomplished saxophonists, return from a recent collaboration in India to premiere a commissioned suite for the Asia Society. Gopalnath, lauded in Southern India for his mastery of the sax, has developed his own improvisations for the instrument in order to play traditional Indian Canartic music, while Mahanthappa brings Indian music and American jazz together in a unique fusion of the two, creating a style completely his own. Also joining us are members of the contemporary chamber ensemble eighth blackbird. Eighth blackbird have received critical acclaim for their adventurous taste in new music and for their bracing live performances.

Irma Thomas

Soundcheck

August 22, 2008
New Orleans singer Irma Thomas has survived 50 years in the music business - and at least two hurricanes. She joins us to talk about her record, Simply Grand.

Bon Iver

Soundcheck

July 30, 2008
Singer-songwriter Justin Vernon spent a winter holed up in his father's hunting cabin in remote Wisconsin, recording songs about solitude that would be released under the name Bon Iver. He joins us to play some of them live.

Who's On Top and Who Should Be?

Soundcheck

August 14, 2008
Soundcheck looks at the artists who are reigning atop the Billboard albums chart -- and what their rankings tell us about the state of pop music.

The Next Big Things

Soundcheck

Paste magazine editor-in-chief Josh Jackson joins us to talk about Johnny Flynn, Janelle Monae, Bon Iver, Amy MacDonald and other must-hear artists who made Paste’s list of "The Best of What’s Next: 26 Emerging Artists You Should Know."