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Soundcheck
On Soundcheck you'll find in-studio performances by everyone from indie rockers to string quartets to jazz ensembles. When artists visit our studios, they are in peak form and often present special tracks, fan favorites and brand-new songs. In case you missed them, here are highlights culled by the Soundcheck staff.
Joshua Bell with Tiempo Libre and Frankie Moreno
Soundcheck
November 10, 2009
Violinist Joshua Bell has appeared in the world’s leading concert halls, on the Oscar-winning score to the film The Red Violin, and even in a Washington, D.C. metro station, at the urging of a Washington Post columnist. But his latest recording, At Home With Friends, was inspired by his long-time practice of holding intimate "musical soirées" at his New York residence. Today, Bell joins us in the Greene Space to perform with two collaborators from the album: the hot young Latin band Tiempo Libre and singer-pianist Frankie Moreno.
Vijay Iyer
Soundcheck
November 03, 2009
Composer and pianist Vijay Iyer has long mixed two genres in his work: jazz and Indian music. On his latest album, Historicity, he not only covers the jazz standards, but also sets his sight on popular music with covers of songs by M.I.A and Stevie Wonder. He performs lives in our studio.
Alessandra Belloni
Soundcheck
November 02, 2009
In Southern Italy, the trance dance known as the tarantella was used to cure a mental disorder among women -- who felt stuck in the spider web of their society. Singer and percussionist Alessandra Belloni joins us to share this and other histories of the tarantella. And, she performs live in our studio.
Ben Gibbard and Jay Farrar's Ode to Jack Kerouac
Soundcheck
October 29, 2009
Two big names in alternative music are joining forces to pay tribute to Jack Kerouac, the godfather of alternative fiction. Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie and Jay Farrar of Son Volt join us to talk about and perform songs from their soundtrack for the new documentary, One Fast Move or I’m Gone: Kerouac’s Big Sur looking at Kerouac's life post-On the Road.
Doris Day: The reclusive Hollywood star
Soundcheck
October 28, 2009
Her "girl next door" looks, charming personality and acting in numerous films such as The Man Who Knew Too Much, Pillow Talk, and Midnight Lace made Doris Day Hollywood's biggest female star from the late 1940s into the early 1960s. While trying to step away from the public limelight in the following decades, she suffered a series of setbacks, both financially and emotionally, that made it all the much harder.
Today we look back at her fascinating career with biographer David Kaufman, author of the book Doris Day: The Untold Story of the Girl Next Door. Also: Singer-songwriter Nellie McKay performs songs from her recently released Doris Day tribute album, Normal as Blueberry Pie, live in our studio.
Pearl and the Beard
Soundcheck
October 27, 2009
The Brooklyn, NY-based trio Pearl and the Beard are known for infusing a little happiness into their dark and alluring folk songs. They stop by our studio for a live performance of songs from their new album, God Bless Your Weary Soul, Amanda Richardson.
The Pacifica Quartet
Soundcheck
October 23, 2009
Known for their extreme performances, The Pacifica Quartet played all six of Elliott Carter’s gruelingly difficult string quartets in a single evening last year. Now, the quartet is taking on a feat of a different kind: a residency at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a prestigious post held for 43 years by the legendary Guarneri String Quartet. In advance of their first performance, the Grammy winning group performs live in our studio.
Revival of the Fittest: The Wiyos
Soundcheck
October 21, 2009
Just because The Wiyos have a flair for vaudeville doesn't mean this Brooklyn-based band appeals to niche audiences. This past summer, they played to huge crowds as an opening act for superstars Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. We'll hear their refreshing take on Americana, live in our studio.
Califone Live
Soundcheck
October 19, 2009
The experimental indie group Califone is hard to pin down – and so is their latest project. It’s either an album or a feature-length film. The band’s primary songwriter, Tim Rutili, joins us to talk about All My Friends Are Funeral Singers, a joint music-and-film project that the band is taking on tour. We get a preview as Califone performs live in our studio.
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