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Soundcheck

Friday, March 02, 2007
  • Miles Davis
    Miles Davis

    Kind of Blue

    He gave birth to cool but behind the scenes Miles Davis struggled with addiction and violent mood swings. Today on Soundcheck, the great trumpeter’s son, and a respected jazz critic, each weigh in on the man and his legacy. Also: 25-year-old composer Nico Muhly talks about working alongside Bjork and Philip Glass and performing at Carnegie Hall. And finally: why the Vienna Philharmonic has only one female musician.

Kind of Blue

He gave birth to cool but behind the scenes, Miles Davis struggled with addiction and violent mood swings. Today on Soundcheck, we get two views on the legacy of Miles Davis. We talk to his son Gregory Davis, about the legend's embattled personal and professional life, and speak with Richard Cook, a respected jazz critic, about his landmark recordings.

Nico Muhly

25-year-old composer Nico Muhly has worked alongside Bjork, and Philip Glass, and has even set Strunk and White's grammar rulebook "Elements of Style" to music. He joins us to talk about curating at the Brooklyn Phil and about his upcoming concert at Carnegie Hall.

Nico Muhly's Website

The Vienna Philharmonic's Glass Ceiling

Newday's classical music and architecture critic, Justin Davidson, asks why the Vienna Philharmonic has only one female musician.

Newsday: Vienna is Slow to Change its Tune

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.