Declaration of Indie

Thursday, November 29, 2007

For music fans, defining the term "indie rock" can be a bit complex -- even controversial. Today on Soundcheck, find out why Blender magazine’s list of "The 100 Greatest Indie-Rock Albums" caused a stir in the blogosphere. And, we'll hear an indie-rock band live in our studio: the Brooklyn-based trio Mobius Band. Plus: The show must go on -- now that a strike by Broadway stagehands has been settled. We'll talk with one of the hundreds of musicians heading back to work tonight.

Is Gregorian Chant Alive and Well?

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

The pope says he's dissatisfied with modern sacred music in the Catholic Church, and is looking to force a return to traditional sacred music such as Gregorian Chant. Today, we find out if the days of folk-inspired worship songs are numbered. Also: Singer-songwriter Nicole Atkins hails from the quaint seaside town of Neptune City, NJ. She also sings about the Garden State on her new album, fittingly titled, "Neptune City." She performs live in the studio.

Punk in Pictures

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

The hundreds of photographs in the new book "Punk 365" capture the frenzy of a musical genre as it evolves over three decades. Author Holly George-Warren explains how she compiled the collection. And later: Soprano Measha Brueggergosman has a pierced nose, a towering Afro and sings barefoot. But it's her voice that could shake up the world of opera. She performs live in our studio.

'Tis the Season for Silver Discs

Monday, November 26, 2007

Holiday shopping is tough enough. Buying music for friends and family is even tougher. Three music critics join guest host Katherine Lanpher to offer tips on what CDs to buy your friends, family — and even your enemy. And later: Ben Jaffe of the New Orleans Preservation Hall shares tracks from "Made in New Orleans," a collection of archival jazz tracks -- and unusual artifacts.

Trading Rock Clubs for Golf Clubs

Friday, November 23, 2007

Rock musicians are thought to be rowdy rebels. But a growing number of them are spending their free time with the ultimate gentleman's game: Golf. From Lou Reed and Neil Young to Huey Lewis, Willie Nelson and even Marilyn Manson, artists of all stripes are out teeing up when off-stage. Today we speak about the trend with Alice Cooper, heavy metal pioneer and author of Alice Cooper, Golf Monster; and with Jaime Diaz from Golf Digest magazine. Plus: punk pioneer and roots rocker John Doe plays songs from his sixth solo album, A Year in the Wilderness, live in our studio. This is a repeat edition of Soundcheck.

One Album for Eternity

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Never mind food, water, and shelter. If you could take one album to a desert island, what would it be? Music critics who answered that question for a new anthology explain their picks, plus we take your calls. And: British actress and singer-songwriter Minnie Driver performs live in our studio. This is a repeat broadcast of Soundcheck

Protesting in Silence

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Grocery stores, a radio network, and thousands of British citizens are swearing off music for 24 hours. Today on Soundcheck, we talk to the musician behind the U.K.'s annual No Music Day. And later: For hundreds of years, a nomadic people called “the Travellers” have lived on the edge of society in Ireland. Alen MacWeeney, an Irish-born photographer who lived with the Travellers, shares their songs and stories.

Where Downtown Music Lives On

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

The space formerly home to CBGB will soon house a men's clothing boutique. But the club's memory lives on in a new DVD set that brings to life classic performances from the famed rock club by The Ramones. Today, Tommy Ramone, the punk band's former drummer, talks about the group's music and legacy. Also: Citizens Band, a Downtown cabaret-style collective, deal with a variety of political and social issues, including heath care and the environment. As the group opens their sixth original show in three years, we sample their unique brand of music and commentary. Finally: Soundcheck's CD picks of the week.

The Freewheelin' Biopic

Monday, November 19, 2007

It took six different actors and dozens of musicians to portray Bob Dylan on the big screen. Today on Soundcheck, Newsday film critic Gene Seymour joins us to preview the unusual storytelling and star-studded soundtrack at the heart of the new film "I’m Not There." Then, Kim Kashkashian joins us to talk about the traditional songs from Spain and Argentina on her latest album. And later: New York quartet So Percussion explores everything from minimalist classics to ambient electronica. They play live in our studio.

Naming Rights and Wrongs

Friday, November 16, 2007

Sports stadiums are regularly named after corporate sponsors -- and orchestras may not be far behind. Today on Soundcheck, we look at the state of "strings attached" funding in the classical music world. Plus: Welsh opera singer Bryn Terfel an unusual role in Mendelssohn’s oratorio "Elijah" and he explains what it takes to project one’s voice in a big opera house.

Culture: The Other Financial District

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Conversations about New York City’s financial well-being tend to start and end with Wall Street. Today on Soundcheck, the author of The Warhol Economy argues that policymakers are ignoring an even more vital economic sector: music, fashion and the arts. Later on the show: composer and violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain mixes classical music with progressive electronica. He joins us to talk about his debut album and a new multimedia piece, plus he plays live in our studio.

The Tragic Figure Behind Country-Rock

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Name any number of modern-day alternative-country bands and you can be sure that they trace their influences back to the singer and songwriter Gram Parsons. In working with groups like The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, Parsons fused country and rock and created something entirely fresh. Today, David N. Meyer, the author of the new biography Twenty Thousand Roads, talks about Parsons' music and tumultuous life. Later: the Peruvian style "Chicha" blends indigenous melodies, Columbian cumbia, and surf rock. The band Chicha Libre performs live in our studio.

Vivaldi's Young Star

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

The Baroque genius Antonio Vivaldi composed much of his work for an all-female orchestra and chorus based at an orphanage. Today on Soundcheck, the author of a new historical novel talks about the girl who was Vivaldi’s star pupil. Plus, the 27-year-old Russian pianist Yevgeny Sudbin is already known for his powerhouse keyboard style. He performs live in our studio. And later: guest reviewer Peter Morén of the Swedish band Peter, Bjorn and John joins us for Soundcheck’s Picks of the Week.

Leaders of the Old School

Monday, November 12, 2007

As hip-hop approaches its 30th year, an album and song canon is beginning to take shape. Today we talk with author Brian Coleman and Duke University professor Mark Anthony Neal about the creation of the hip-hop canon. Also: Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective perform their unique and soulful music from the Caribbean coast of Central and South America.
This is a repeat broadcast.

Inspired by Berlin's Strange and Colorful Spaces

Friday, November 09, 2007

Since the 1960s, musicians from around the world have made pilgrimages to the legendary Hansa studios ("Hansa at the Wall") in Berlin. The recording studio's credits include major albums by David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Luciano Pavarotti, Nick Cave, and U2, among many others. In the fifth and final installment of our shows recorded in Berlin, we learn about Hansa's colorful past. We then travel to a very different space: the KulturBrauerei, a former 19th-century brewery where the acoustic folk-rock band 17 Hippies records their high-energy, danceable music. Finally: hear about the man at the helm of the Berlin Philharmonic: conductor Sir Simon Rattle.

Slideshow: Hansa Studios: Then & Now

Soundcheck in Berlin is supported in part by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

What's Next, Berlin?

Thursday, November 08, 2007

This week, Soundcheck presents a series of shows from Berlin, a city known for its legendary music scene. The series continues today with a look at where the city’s edgy sound is headed next. We'll find out about producing and presenting music in a place where the bar for underground music is set very high. Plus: we visit the home studio of a rising star on Berlin's DJ scene, Henrik Schwarz.

Soundcheck in Berlin is supported in part by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

In Berlin, What's Old is New Again

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

All this week, Soundcheck presents a series of shows from Berlin, a city Billboard magazine called one of the world's hot spots for music in 2007. Our series continues with a look at the city's rich musical past. The sardonic and stylish cabaret singer Max Raabe explains why cabaret and theater songs from the Weimar era are popular once again. And journalist Kay Meseberg tell us why some Berliners are nostalgic for artifacts (musical and otherwise) of the Communist era. Finally, singer Klaus Hoffmann shares his life stories and songs which span Jacques Brel to his own cabaret-tinged chansons.

Soundcheck in Berlin is supported in part by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Berlin's Newest Sounds

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

All this week, Soundcheck presents a series of shows from Berlin, a city Billboard magazine called one of the world’s hot spots for music in 2007. Our weeklong series continues with a look at how newcomers are changing the sound of the city. We speak with a Turkish DJ and visit the studios of Radio Multikulti to learn about the musical world of Berlin's immigrants. Plus: a report on one of the city’s newest imports: the Brazilian music and dance known as frevo.

Soundcheck in Berlin is supported in part by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Berlin: is it hot or is it over?

Monday, November 05, 2007

All this week, Soundcheck presents a series of shows from Berlin. The German capital has been getting plenty of attention lately. Billboard magazine place it among its top five cities to watch in 2007; London's Guardian recently wrote that Berlin is "on it's way to becoming the new New York." Today we kick off our series by examining why the music scene seems to be so hot right now -- and whether it's already peaked. Also: The Berlin-based band Contriva combines elements of minimalism, acoustic folk and electronica in their sound. They perform live in their home studio.

Soundcheck in Berlin is supported in part by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Evolution, Music and the Brain

Friday, November 02, 2007

Enjoying a concert from the comfort of your seat is perfectly normal -- but your brain has other things in mind. Today, the neuroscientist Daniel Levitin explains why it’s only natural to dance when you hear music. Plus, on the eve of Soundcheck’s own special from Berlin, chanteuse Ute Lemper kicks off Carnegie Hall’s Berlin in Lights festival. She joins us for a preview. And later: a look at Plastic People of the Universe, the Czech rock band whose music is at the heart of a new Broadway play.

Rap Visionary or Un-Original Gangster?

Thursday, November 01, 2007

An early screening of the new film "American Gangster" stoked the creative fires of rapper Jay-Z. Today on Soundcheck, Jeff Leeds of the New York Times explains why the rap veteran spun off the movie and what it means for his career. Plus, Sufjan Stevens discusses his orchestral homage to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. And later: jazz veteran Roy Haynes looks back on 60 years of swing with the release of a career retrospective.