Soundcheck

(Gregory J. Wilson)

Practice, Practice, Practice ... But Where?

Friday, February 01, 2008

All artists need a creative space. And for New York musicians, that space can be expensive, cramped — or worse. Today on Soundcheck: the state of rehearsal spaces in the city. And, we announce the winners of our Rehearsal Space Photo Contest. Later: songwriter and harpist Baby Dee paid her dues in the downtown scene, a South Bronx church, and a Coney Island sideshow. She performs live in our studio.

Listen to the whole show

Rehearsal Space Photo Contest

It's tough enough to find a place to live in New York. Finding a place to rehearse is even harder. We talk with Eugenie C. Cowan of NYC Performing Arts Spaces, a nonprofit organization that recently studied the availability of rehearsal spaces for musicians. And, we announce the winners of our first-ever rehearsal space photo contest, judged by Ryan Duffy, producer of VBS TV’s "Practice Space."

Our categories:

Coolest Rehearsal Space
Awarded to a space with outstanding aesthetic appeal
WINNER: Jennifer Hoopes of Emergency Party (Bushwick, Brooklyn)

Ugliest Rehearsal Space
Awarded to a space that excels in disorganization or just plain dirtiness
WINNER: David Ferraro of Barkuna (Farmingdale, Long Island)

Most Creative Rehearsal Space
Awarded for brilliance and vision in finding a place to rehearse
WINNER: Jay Klein of The Zero Effect (Inwood, Manhattan)

View the Winner's Circle!

Slideshow: Rehearsal Space Photo Contest Submissions

VBS.TV's "Practice Space"
NYC Performing Arts Spaces' study "Where Can We Work?"

Baby Dee

Baby Dee started her career strumming the harp in Central Park. The Cleveland native went on to perform in a Coney Island sideshow (as the "bilateral hermaphrodite," play organ in a South Bronx church, and work with Antony and the Johnsons. Her latest solo album, Safe Inside the Day, sounds anything but safe. She performs live in our studio.

Baby Dee website