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Soundcheck

Thursday, November 03, 2005
  • Tommy Dorsey: Livin' in a Great Big Way, A Biography by Peter Levinson - Da Capo Press
    Tommy Dorsey: Livin' in a Great Big Way, A Biography by Peter Levinson (Da Capo Press)

    Big Bands and Minimal Musings

    2005 marks the centennial of the birth of the legendary trombonist and bandleader Tommy Dorsey. Peter J. Levinson, author of the new biography Tommy Dorsey: Livin' in a Great Big Way, discusses the life of arguably one of the hardest-working men of the swing era. This year also marks the centennial of the birth of Italian composer Giacinto Scelsi, an eccentric whose attraction in the 1940s to minimalism, Eastern yoga and mysticism, and other ideas made him far ahead of his time. Today, George Steel, executive director of Miller Theater at Columbia University, discusses the composers' life and music, in advance of an all-Scelsi concert tomorrow night. Also, after video operas and sampling, Steve Reich is going back to his roots on his new CD. The master of minimalism joins us with a preview.

On the Life and Times of Tommy Dorsey

Peter J. Levinson, author of the new biography Tommy Dorsey: Livin' in a Great Big Way, sheds light on the trombonist/bandleader.
» Tommy Dorsey: Livin' in a Great Big Way, A Biography

Steve Reich

Composer Steve Reich discusses his new CD featuring the "You Are (Variations)" and "Cello Counterpoint."
» Steve Reich's Web site

An Intro to Giacinto Scelsi

George Steel, executive director of Miller Theater at Columbia University, introduces us to the life and music of Giacinto Scelsi.
» Miller Theater's Web site
» A Scelsi bio

The Ill Effects of Urban Noise

Soundcheck

Soundcheck received an overwhelming response to our segment on the effects of urban noise. So much so that Arline Bronzaft decided to address the feedback. Listen to the original segment and read Bronzaft's response.