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(hirefrank/flickr)Change You Can... Dance To
As Soundcheck airs our first show from our new Varick Street studios, the New York music scene is also undergoing big changes. New venues like Drom, (Le) Poisson Rouge and The Brooklyn Masonic Temple are in. Meanwhile CBGB, Tonic and The Village Gate are out. And the Williamsburg club Galapagos is moving to Dumbo. We’ll find out what's behind the club shuffle.
Also: Vinicio Capossela is the Italian equivalent of Tom Waits, but his live shows come with scary masks and costumes. He joins us to talk about his new album, which includes collaborators like producer JD Foster (Tom Waits/Calexico) and composer Anthony Coleman.
New York's Club Shuffle
Keeping up with the city's ever-evolving club scene is a part-time job. Joining us to give us the latest overview of who's in, who's out -- and who's moved -- are Time Out New York music editor Mike Wolf, Le Poisson Rouge co-owner David Handler, and Galapagos director Robert Elmes.
Our blog: John Schaefer on New York's club shuffle
Le Poisson Rouge website
Galapagos Art Space website
Brooklyn Masonic Temple website
CD Picks of the Week
Each week, the Soundcheck staff digs through our inboxes to find the best new music.
The Hold Steady "Stay Positive" (Vagrant)
One of indie-rock’s top bands, The Hold Steady has been on a tear since moving from Minnesota to Brooklyn. Their latest, "Stay Positive," still has the band’s odd combination of heartland rock’n’roll with Craig Finn’s slice-of-life storytelling. But Finn, who has a distinctive speech/song delivery, actually gets closer to genuine singing on songs like "Sequestered in Memphis." --John Schaefer
Ahmad Jamal, "It’s Magic" (Birdology/Dreyfus Jazz)
In the 50s, pianist Ahmad Jamal was a major influence on Miles Davis. Jamal’s music contrasted simple and complex, sound and silence, can be clearly heard on the album "Miles Ahead." These days Jamal is sampled by rappers like Jay-Z and Nas. And the 77-year-old composer, producer and pianist continues to make music. His new album, “It’s Magic,” features him accompanied by drums, bass and percussion in an exhilarating recording. --Gisele Regatao
Dennis Wilson, “Pacific Ocean Blue” and “Bambu” (Caribou/Sony)
Until now, this flawed rock masterpiece has been tough to find. “Pacific Ocean Blue” was the only solo album released by Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys. When it came out in 1977, it revealed an introspective side of this handsome, funloving drummer. Sadly, his new career would be cut short. Dennis Wilson drowned in 1983 while diving off his boat. He was 39 years old. The reissue comes with an unfinished album called Bambu" that hints at what might have been. --Joel Meyer
Vinicio Capossela
Vinicio Capossela is the Italian equivalent of Tom Waits, but his live shows come with scary masks and costumes. He joins us to talk about his new album, which includes collaborators like producer JD Foster (Tom Waits/Calexico) and composer Anthony Coleman.
Vinicio Capossela will be performing at Highline Ballroom on Jul. 2 at 9 p.m.
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