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laimagendelmundo/flickrThe Universal Mystery of Music
One person's spoken language might sound like gibberish to another. But when it comes to music, humans beat to a common evolutionary drum. Today, we explore why music is the universal language as we're joined by neuroscientist Jamshed Bharucha and psychologist Laura-Lee Balkwill. Also: Bronx-native and hip-hop and funk artist Stephanie McKay performs live in our studio. Plus: our picks of the week.
Behind the Universal Language
Does people's response to music have a biological basis or is it shaped by our culture? We pose that question to two experts today: Dr. Jamshed Bharucha, a neuroscientist, musician and Provost and Senior Vice President of Tufts University; and Dr. Laura-Lee Balkwill, a psychologist at the Music Cognition Lab of Queens University in Canada.
Jamshed Bharucha Tufts University Page
More about the World Science Festival
More about Laura-Lee Balkwill's research
Soundcheck blog: John Schaefer on the universality of music
Soundcheck's Picks of the Week
Read our full reviews of this weeks picks and download a free MP3 from Mulatu Astatke and the Heliocentrics. Click here.
Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette. Yesterdays (ECM Records) - Picked by John Schaefer
Mulatu Astatke and the Heliocentrics, Inspiration Information, Vol. 3 (Strut) – picked by Joel Meyer
Hess is More, Hits (Nublu Records) – picked by Gisele Regatao
Stephanie McKay
With shout-outs to rapper Kool Moe Dee, phat-laced shell-toes and amorous B-boys, Stephanie McKay toasts hip hop’s formative years on the retro-funk track "Jackson Avenue." The Bronx native joins us with her band to play songs from her latest album, Tell It Like It Is, live in our studio.
Tell It Like It Is on Amazon.com
Stephanie McKay Official Site
Stephanie McKay MySpace Page
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See Tori Amos Live!
Join us Tuesday, Dec. 9 at The Greene Space
Singer and pianist Tori Amos joins us to talk about reworking and reinventing seasonal carols on her new holiday album. And, she performs for a live audience in The Greene Space! Click the link for ticket info.
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