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Soundcheck

Monday, June 19, 2006
  • Are the Arts Better off Without Government Support?

    New Jersey governor Jon Corzine says his state is tapped out for arts money and is proposing $2.5 million in budget cuts. Several other states have proposed similar cuts. While some experts say that corporations should step in to fill the void, others wonder if the arts may be better off without government subsidies altogether. Today we hear from Lawrence Goldman, the president and CEO of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, a recipient of state funding; Alice Goldfarb Marquis, author of "Art Lessons: Learning from the Rise and Fall of Public Arts Funding;" and from Norman Lebrecht, the British cultural critic and BBC commentator. Plus, a look into the intersection of Bollywood and hip-hop. And Paul McCartney turned 64, has the world changed?

Public Funding and the Arts

A conversation with Lawrence Goldman, the president and CEO of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and from Norman Lebrecht, the British cultural critic and BBC commentator, and Alice Goldfarb Marquis, author of "Art Lessons: Learning from the Rise and Fall of Public Arts Funding."
» New Jersey Performing Arts Center's Web site

Bollywood Meets Hip-Hop

Sammy Chanda, member of the hip-hop group "Karmacy," talks about beats, rhymes...and the tabla.

Paul Turns 64

Paul McCartney recently turned 64. So, do we feed him? Do we need him? A look into his song, 40 years later.

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

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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

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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!

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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

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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.