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Soundcheck

Tuesday, May 22, 2007
  • Album cover of "Way to Blue: An Introduction to Nick Drake"
    Album cover of "Way to Blue: An Introduction to Nick Drake"

    Back From the Dead

    Long after their untimely deaths, songwriters like Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley continue to inspire new generations of fans, and their catalogs continue to grow. Today we look at the risks and rewards of opening musical vaults that were once locked. Also: Before organist John Medeski and drummer Billy Martin became two-thirds of the popular band Medeski, Martin and Wood, they wanted to do a jazz album. They finally got to it, 20 years later. Finally: in a post-Tower Records world, where do classical music fans buy their CDs? We hear about one retailer, a site called Arkivmusic.com.

Not the Last Goodbye

New and upcoming CDs featuring the songs of Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, and Jeff Buckley point to the perils of releasing music long after the artist is around to weigh in. Today, we talk to Smith's sound engineer Larry Crane and Billboard.com reporter Katie Hasty about how estates and marketing opportunities change musicians' legacies.

Posthumous releases on tap from Drake, Buckley

John Medeski and Billy Martin

Billy Martin and John Medeski (of Medeski Martin and Wood) met in 1989 and first played together in Billy's Brooklyn loft. That two-hour session led to the formation of Medeski Martin and Wood. Now they've released "Mago,' their first duet collaboration, which they share with us today.

John Medeski and Billy Martin on MySpace

Get Your Classical CD's Here...

New York Times classical music critic Anne Midgette talks about CD buying in the post-Tower Records world, particularly with respect to one classical lovers' destination: a Web site called Arkivmusic.com.

Archivmusic.com

Best Live Performances of 2008

Soundcheck

We revisit memorable in-studio performances from Toumani Diabaté, Cat Power, Regina Spektor, and others.

The Year in Music and Branding

Soundcheck

Pop music and advertising go together like peanut butter and jelly. Grey Group music director Josh Rabinowitz shares his picks for the best song picks and ad campaigns of 2008.

Critics Week

Soundcheck

Music writers look back at the year's best pop, rock, hip hop, classical, jazz, Latin and world albums. Plus: the worst music of the year and the best online music. Read our critics' lists here. And don't forget to cast your vote in our best-albums poll.

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.