wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

On Demand

Program Schedule

Topics

Soundcheck Archive


August 2007

The Art of Concert Photography

Friday, August 31, 2007

We asked, and you submitted. Today, the winner of Soundcheck's month-long Summer Concert Photos Contest is revealed. And we visit with two veteran photographers: John Abbott, whose work includes portraits of jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie and Abby Lincoln; and Henry Diltz, the rock photographer who was the official photographer for all the Woodstock festivals. Also on the show: Brazilian singer Bebel Gilberto shares her new album, "Momento."


The Brains Behind the Music

Thursday, August 30, 2007

The managers who guide rock careers have been lauded (The Beatles’ Brian Epstein), vilified (Elvis svengali Colonel Tom Parker), and parodied (This Is Spinal Tap). Today on Soundcheck, we peek inside one of the oddest jobs in music: band manager. Plus, the full-length debut from New York-based Battles sounds less like rock circa 2007 than rock circa 2097 (or so says the indie music website Pitchfork). They join us to talk about their refreshing take on computer-aided music.


The Greatest Opening Song Lines

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

First impressions count in life as in pop songs – whether it's Simon & Garfunkel singing "Hello, Darkness, my old friend," the Beatles crooning "she was just seventeen," or Fiona Apple's declaration "I've been a bad, bad girl." Today, we look at what makes for a great opening lyric. Also: jazz bassist and composer Omer Avital performs live in our studio.


Wrath to Enlightenment

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Sit Down and Shut Up is part autobiography, part Buddhist philosophy treatise, and part punk rock memoir. Author Brad Warner joins us to talk about the unlikely encounter between punk rock and Zen philosophy. Plus, concert pianist Simone Dinnerstein is earning enthusiastic reviews for her recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations. She performs live in studio.


The Maturing of Minimalism

Monday, August 27, 2007

Composer Philip Glass turned 70 this year and minimalism is as popular as ever. It's also controversial, as some feel it's been overly commercialized and misrepresented. Today, music critics Kyle Gann and Steve Smith debate what – and who – is minimalist. Also on the show: Anoushka Shankar, the sitarist and daughter of Ravi Shankar and Karsh Kale, a producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist team up on the album "Breathing Under Water." They join us to share their musical and cultural fusions.


Hot Wax Drives Niche Market

Friday, August 24, 2007

Digital music downloads are booming and CD sales are plummeting. But an old format has found a special place in the hearts of music retailers. Join guest host Joel Meyer for a look at why sales of new vinyl LPs are on the rise. Plus: Christopher Denny, a singer songwriter from Little Rock, Ark., performs songs from his album, Age Old Hunger, in our studio. And, Nickelodeon's Yo Gabba Gabba tries to make kids TV more entertaining -- for parents.


The Best Album You've Ever Read?

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Kate Schatz wrote the book "Rid of Me" based on PJ Harvey's 1993 album of the same name. She joins us today to talk about the album's significance, and about basing a novel on an album. Also: With their 2001 record, Camera Obscura drew comparisons to another Scottish group with a clean pop sound, Belle & Sebastian. But with their latest album, "Let's Get Out of This Country," the group brings a catchy pop force-to-be-reckoned-with, thanks in large part to lead singer Tracyanne Campbell. They play live in studio. And finally: the strange phenomenon of R. Kelly's online video series "Trapped in the Closet."


Live Music, Low Profile

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Underground clubs offer a sneak peak at next year’s buzz bands and DJs. Today on the show, join guest host Beth Fertig to find out why musicians and fans alike are heading for secret and not-so-secret venues in Brooklyn. Plus, innovative jazz vocalist Kurt Elling performs songs from his latest CD, Nightmoves, live in our studio.


Fear and Loathing on the Podium

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Conductors used to be larger-than-life dictators who terrorized orchestras. But as recent conductor appointments by the New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic demonstrate, maestros are getting younger and more accessible. Today, we examine why the days of the conductor-as-tyrant are over. Also: Jazz saxophonist Jacques Schwarz-Bart was raised by a black Guadeloupean mother and a French Jewish father. He mixes African funk, jazz and Guadeloupe's gwoka rhythms on his new album, Soné Ka La.


Summer Road Trip

Monday, August 20, 2007

Join Soundcheck for a one-day tour of vibrant music scenes around the country. Guest host Fred Mogul looks at indie hip-hop in Minneapolis, chamber music in Silicon Valley, and the free-jazz underground in Lexington, Ky. Plus, San Francisco singer-songwriter John Vanderslice performs songs from his latest album, Emerald City.


The Raw Power of Iggy Pop

Friday, August 17, 2007

In the late 1960s, a Michigan kid named Jim Osterberg turned into a "streetwalkin' cheetah with a heart full of napalm" and became the godfather of punk. Today, we examine the legacy of Iggy Pop. Plus: a look at the Iraq art world after the U.S. invasion. And finally, Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Luke Temple performs in our studio. This is a repeat edition of Soundcheck.


Teaching With a Hip-Hop Beat

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Call it "Schoolhouse Rock" for the hip-hop generation. Some teenagers grooving to rap lyrics on their iPods are actually learning math, science, and civics. Today, we debate the growing trend of hip-hop as a learning tool in the classroom. Also: French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet loves the voice and opera. His latest album, called "Opera Without Words," contains 10 transcriptions of operatic pieces. He shares highlights with us today. This is a repeat broadcast.


When Music Meets Web 2.0

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

User-generated content is the buzz phrase of our time, behind Web sites like YouTube, MySpace, and now Midomi.com, a site that recognizes songs as you sing them. Today, we look at the ups and downs of democratically produced content in the age of Web 2.0. Also: South African singer-songwriter Vusi Mahlasela performs live. This is a repeat edition of Soundcheck.


Is Communism Good for the Arts?

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Without Communism there would be no Shostakovich symphonies, Milos Forman films, or Chinese ballet. Today on Soundcheck: We look at whether Communism is good, or bad, for arts. Also: Jazz pianist Kenny Werner performs live in our studio. This is a repeat broadcast.


Sex, Kids, and Rock 'n' Roll

Monday, August 13, 2007

Music critic Evelyn McDonnell spent her 20s and 30s in the mosh pit of alternative culture. Then she became a mom. She’ll talk about the challenge of setting rules after a lifetime spent breaking them. Also, Singer-songwriter Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter play in our studio. This is a repeat edition of Soundcheck.


Ovation Inflation

Friday, August 10, 2007

There's a new illness afflicting audiences across the land. It's called Excessive Ovation Syndrome. Symptoms include long standing ovations, drawn-out clapping and uncontrollable "bravos." Today, guest host Katherine Lanpher talks with two critics about the causes and symptoms. Also: Zap Mama, the Belgium-based band founded and fronted by Congolese singer Marie Daulne performs music from their latest album, called "Supermoon." It blends styles including Afropop, R&B, reggae, and hip-hop and features guest appearances by artists like Tony Allen, Meshell Ndegeocello, and David Gilmour.


Kid Rock

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Some promising New York rock bands are facing big challenges — like starting the seventh grade. Today on Soundcheck, guest host Katherine Lanpher looks at teen and pre-teen bands that are earning praise from veteran musicians and the press. And, a conversation with the 15-year-old organizer of London’s first Underage Festival. Plus: Jason Russo was a teenager when he joined the acclaimed alternative band Mercury Rev in the late '90s. Now, he’s exploring epic guitar songs with a band named for his hometown. Hopewell performs live in our studio.


Why Jazz is Always in Style

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

From flappers, to zuit suits, to Afros and beyond: Jazz, the quintessential American music, has reflected popular culture not only in its sound but also with its fashion sense. As the Newport Jazz Festival gets underway, we look at the history and the state of jazz fashion. Also: we talk to members of Budos Band, an 11-piece Afro-funk and soul ensemble, which comes all the way from...Staten Island.


Fast Food Nation, Under a Groove

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

McDonald’s and Taco Bell are serving up more than just combo meals this summer. Today on Soundcheck, find out why fast-food restaurants are recruiting pop stars like Sean Kingston for concerts in their parking lots and scouring local music scenes for up-and-coming bands. Plus, singer-pianist Diamanda Galás has been compared to a vampire, a Valkyrie and a lizard queen. She joins us to talk about two programs: one transforming jazz standards about love into haunting elegies to Eros and another combining surrealist French poets with improvised lamentations from Asia. And, a look at the role CD stores play in the lives of Baghdad residents.


It's Salsa Time

Monday, August 06, 2007

"El Cantante," is a new biopic starring Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony about the Puerto Rican salsa pioneer Hector Lavoe. He became one of the biggest Spanish-language singers of the 1970s. Today, a review of the film, and a conversation with the producer who created its score. Also, singer Haale is as comfortable quoting Persian poets like Rumi as she is shredding on the guitar. A New Yorker of Iranian descent, she joins us to talk about her music and perform live in the studio. Finally, how the pauses in music activate our brains.


Blues History Lesson

Friday, August 03, 2007

Three years ago, blues guitar prodigy Kenny Wayne Shepherd traveled through kitchens, porches and nightclubs to learn from the heroes of his craft. Today on Soundcheck, he talks about his journey into the American South and plays with some of the musicians he met along the way. Plus, another guitar virtuoso, Kaki King, performs in our studio. This is a repeat broadcast.


Tori Amos Arrives with her "Posse"

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Since her early '90s breakthrough, Tori Amos has won loyal fans and courted controversy with her songs about sex, religion and politics, not to mention her provocative stage presence. Today, we find out if she's mellowed out or remained provocative when she performs songs from her latest album, "American Doll Posse." Also: Swedish band Peter Bjorn and John. This is a repeat edition of Soundcheck.


Best of Soundcheck Live: Episode Three

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

In the sea of string quartets, they are among the most famous, respected and mature. In our final installment looking back at great in-studio performances on Soundcheck, hear the Juilliard String Quartet perform some of their signature repertoire of Bartok and Mozart. Also on the show: catchy power pop from the Chicago band OK Go; super producer T-Bone Burnett; Malian singer Salif Keita; Bluegrass legend Del McCoury, and more.