Soundcheck

Six-String Sticker Shock

Friday, June 01, 2007

Electric guitars are like fine wine: the older, the better. Today on Soundcheck, two vintage guitar dealers talk about the booming market for classic instruments — and why it might be headed for a crash. Plus: Elana Arian, a singer-songwriter inspired by classical, jazz and folk traditions, performs songs from her new album, "How to Stand in the Rain." And, a (brief!) preview of this weekend’s 26-hour long Bang on a Can Marathon.

Listen to the whole show

Guitar Sales Hit the Ceiling

Stop fretting about the housing market: The rare-guitar bubble is ready to burst. Over the last five years, some vintage axes have quadrupled in price, but some say that market is about to crash. We'll talk to two vintage dealers, Stan Jay from Staten Island and George Gruhn from Nashville, to hear different perspectives on the forces that are driving guitar prices up — and down.

Elana Arian

Singer-songwriter Elana Arian is a folk artist who learned the discipline of classical music and the freedom of jazz music as a student. On her sophomore album, "How To Stand in the Rain," Arian crosses style boundaries with ease, backed by an impressive cast of players known for their work with Norah Jones, Dido, Lisa Loeb and They Might Be Giants. She performs live in studio.

Elana Arian's web site

Bang on a Can Marathon

For the first time in its 20-year history, the annual Bang on a Can Marathon will run for 26 consecutive hours. Starting on Saturday night, an eclectic lineup of innovative and experimental musicans will perform the equivalent of a baton-relay race at the World Financial Center Winter Garden in lower Manhattan. Randy Nordschow, of Newmusicbox magazine, offers a sneak preview of the lineup, which includes indie-rockers Yo La Tengo, Argentine singer-songwriter Juana Molina, jazz pianist Vijay Iyer, and dozens more.

Bang on a Can web site