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Soundcheck

Friday, November 04, 2005
  • Vivaldi - segment of painting (François Morellon La Cave)
    Vivaldi - segment of painting (François Morellon La Cave)

    Better Sport Through Vivaldi

    Forget drugs. A strong dose of James Brown, Steppenwolf or even Vivaldi is more likely to enhance athletic performance. Three new studies show that the right music can make you quicker, stronger and more focused during exercise - even enhancing performance by as much as 20 percent. In advance of Sunday's New York City Marathon, Costas Karageorghis, a sports psychologist at Brunel University in West London, joins us to discuss the correlation between music and athletic performance. We also take your calls. Also on the show: musician and artist R. Crumb once posed the question, "Where has it gone, all the beautiful music of our grandparents?" His own answer: "It died with them, that's where it went." Contrary to that opinion is the new album by The Fiery Furnaces, that features their own delightfully quirky musical takes on the life of their octogenarian grandmother, Olga Sarantos, who herself contributes vocals to the recording. They join us to perform live. To begin, a look at last night's Latin Grammy Awards with Antonio Mejias Rentas, entertainment editor of La Opinion, Las Angeles' Spanish language newspaper.

Latin Grammy Awards

A look at last night's Latin Grammy Awards with Antonio Mejias Rentas, entertainment editor of La Opinion, Los Angeles' Spanish language newspaper. » Complete List of Latin Grammy Winners

Why Music Makes you Exercise Harder

Sports psychologist Costas Karageorghis discusses new research into the connection between music and sport.
» Why Music Makes you Exercise 20% Harder (Times of London)

The Fiery Furnaces

The Fiery Furnaces perform from their ambitious, stream-of-consciousness concept record about the life of 83-year-old Olga Sarantos.
» The Fiery Furnaces Web site

Introducing our Video Contest

Soundcheck

John Schaefer gives the lowdown on Soundcheck's music video challenge with the Fiery Furnaces.

In Studio: Angel Deradoorian

Soundcheck

The 22-year-old multi-instrumentalist performs live in our studio.

Cucu Diamantes Performs Amor Cronico

Soundcheck

Cucu Diamantes went from a tough childhood in Havana, Cuba, to an art school in Rome to underground New York City, where she co-founded the Latin alternative band Yerba Buena.

In Studio: Stephanie McKay

Soundcheck

The local singer-songwriter performs "Jackson Avenue," a nostalgic toast to her childhood in the South Bronx.

In Studio: The Decemberists

The Portland, Ore., band's latest album, "The Hazards of Love," is a concept album with a mythological flair. They joined Soundcheck to play live for a studio audience in WNYC's Greene Space.

Sound Off

Soundcheck

Throughout May, Soundcheck presents “Sound Off” a Friday series on the many aspects of noise in music and our lives. The series -- which coincides with “Better Hearing and Speech Month” -- looks at issues like New York’s noisiest neighborhoods, the latest research on iPods and hearing loss, and what happens when noise becomes a musical ingredient.