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Soundcheck

Thursday, May 25, 2006
  • Singer Daddy Yankee at the 2006 Billboard Latin Music Awards in Hollywood, Florida. (Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images)
    Singer Daddy Yankee at the 2006 Billboard Latin Music Awards in Hollywood, Florida. (Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images)

    How Latin Music Found its Way to Main Street, USA

    While the U.S. Senate advances a sweeping immigration bill, Latin music continues to boom. Between 2004 and 2005, Latin music sales jumped by 14% while overall music sales declined by 3.9%. Los Angeles Times reporter Agustin Gurza and Putumayo records president Dan Storper examine why. Also on the show: a live performance from Elizabeth and the Catapult, a young band that meshes classical piano sounds, soulful vocals, and funky rhythmic grooves. Finally, the backlash from bad-mouthing the Bush administration ousted the Dixie Chicks from the country community, but it earned them lots of credibility and, according to some critics, a fresh sense of purpose. We look at their new bluegrass-meets-lite-rock CD, "Taking the Long Way."

Behind the Latin Music Boom

Los Angeles Times reporter Agustin Gurza and Putumayo records president Dan Storper talk about the boom in Latin music.
» Putumayo records Web site

Elizabeth and the Catapult

The band Elizabeth and the Catapult performs live in the studio.
» Elizabeth and the Catapult Web site

In the Line of Fire

A look at how the Dixie Chicks are back with their brand of adult country-pop.
» Time magazine cover story on the Dixie Chicks

Noteworthy New York

Soundcheck

We have invited musicians and artists to help us select their favorite cultural destination in the neighborhood where they live. From parks and coffee shops to bowling alleys and museums, the options are as diverse as our group of contributors.

Your "Democracy Song"

Soundcheck

As we march toward Election Day, Soundcheck wants you to identify a song that captures the spirit of democracy. It might be Woody Guthrie’s populist classic “This Land Is Your Land” or Sly and the Family Stone’s funky hit “Everyday People.” It might even be a current Top 40 hit with mass appeal. Put on your musical thinking cap, get creative, then post your song here.

Buying Music: A Smackdown Series

Soundcheck

Check out our ongoing series of Soundcheck Smackdown debates on the music marketplace -- and how we shop inside it. Part I: the pros and cons of MySpace. Part II: two documentarians throw down over music at Wal-Mart. Coming up: Part III: iTunes and Part IV: iPod vs. Zune

Atmosphere

Soundcheck

With minimalist beats and confessional rhymes, the hip-hop duo Atmosphere became the toast of the hip-hop underground after it formed 10 years ago. Now, the group has turned to classic funk and soul, and frontman Slug is still telling captivating stories. They perform in our studio.

Tin Pan Alley

Soundcheck

A two-block stretch of West 28th Street was once the home of American songwriters and music publishers. But buildings in area are now up for sale, and preservationists fear a major development is in the works. We look at the history and future of Tin Pan Alley.

I Am Azerrad ... No, I Am Azerrad!

Soundcheck

Nirvana biographer and indie-rock historian Michael Azerrad writes about musicians for a living. Now, the British band Tubelord (pictured) has written about him -- and the lyrics are a tad scary.

Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile

Soundcheck

Two major players from the worlds of classical and American roots music have joined forces for an album of new material. They perform in our studio.

Tina Dico

Soundcheck

Singer-songwriter Tina Dico tops the charts in her native Denmark. She joins us to share songs from her latest full-length album, "Count to Ten," as well as a trilogy of EPs.