John Schaefer

Host

John Schaefer appears in the following:

The Greene Space

Battle of the Boroughs 2015: Manhattan

Friday, February 6, 2015

7:00 PM

Fri, Feb. 6 | Sold Out- Manhattan is sold out, but join us for the Bronx on Feb. 13. Manhattan takes the stage in our quest to find New York City's best up-and-coming musical act. 

Jonathan Schwartz + John Schaefer + Bob Dylan

Wednesday, February 04, 2015

Bob Dylan is not a guest on today's show, but WNYC's Jonathan Schwartz and John Schaefer join us to discuss his new Sinatra cover album. 

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The Greene Space

Soundcheck Pop Up: Buster Poindexter

Monday, February 2, 2015

2:00 PM

Mon, Feb. 2 | Buster Poindexter ushers in our new Soundcheck Pop Up Sessions.

Alan Lomax Heard America Sing, We Heard It Rock

Friday, January 30, 2015

On the great folklorist's centennial, Soundcheck's John Schaefer looks at Lomax's legacy with 15 covers you wouldn’t know if it weren’t for his musical discoveries.
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Jen Chapin's 'Gospel' Honors Martin Luther King Jr.

Monday, January 19, 2015

The singer-songwriter and activist's lovely new music video draws a line between the non-violent civil rights movement of the 1960s and the recent "Black Lives Matter" protests.
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A World Of Sci-fi And Horror Classics In Two Songs

Friday, January 09, 2015

On a classic movie bender, Soundcheck's John Schaefer explores a pair of songs that name-check horror and sci-fi films like 'The Day The Earth Stood Still' and 'The Invisible Man.'
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We Are Never, Ever Getting Back Together... Probably

Wednesday, January 07, 2015

At a time when bands reform as quickly as they break up, Soundcheck's John Schaefer mulls over what it means for a band to part ways and how soon it will before they reunite.

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What To Look (and Listen) For in 2015

Friday, January 02, 2015

Soundcheck's John Schaefer turns his ears towards the new year with some things he's excited to hear in 2015, even if some of them are wishful thinking (ahem Joanna Newsom).
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Remembering Joe Cocker, A Mad Dog And Englishman

Monday, December 22, 2014

The rock icon known for songs like "Feelin' Alright" and his Beatles cover "With A Little Help From My Friends" has died at 70. Soundcheck's John Schaefer has this remembrance.
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The Best 5 Versions of 'Silent Night'

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Silent Night has been recorded at least 733 times over the past 36 years. The Takeaway looks at one of the world's favorite Christmas songs.

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The Year's Best Music

Monday, December 15, 2014

WNYC
From a scorching breakthrough performance on Letterman to the Scandinavian explosion, Soundcheck host John Schaefer shares his favorite musical moments of 2014.
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Ready or Not, Listeners Hear John Cage Composition Over WNYC in 1945

Thursday, December 11, 2014

One of the earliest known broadcast recordings of a John Cage work.
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The Only 'Silent Nights' You Need

Thursday, December 11, 2014

"Silent Night" is not just a great Christmas song. It's a great song. Period. Here are the five best versions of the most-recorded holiday tune of all time.
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Young Fathers: The Surprise Winners Of The Mercury Prize Offer A Surprise Track

Tuesday, December 02, 2014

The surprise winners of the U.K.'s prestigious Mercury Prize offer a surprise track that may or may not hint at the sound of new music to come.
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Are These the Best Album Covers of All Time?

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

For many rock music fans in the '70s, the design team known as Hipgnosis were the pinnacle of album cover art. Has anyone since ever come close?
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A Guide to All These Box Sets The Music Industry Keeps Churning Out

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

The holidays are supposed to be a happy time, so let’s talk for the moment about the life preserver the record labels are currently clinging to: The box set.

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Emmy The Great Lives Up To Her Name With 'Swimming Pool'

Thursday, November 20, 2014

In January, Emmy The Great is set to release an EP simple titled S. But why wait til 2015, when you can watch the video for her new single, "Swimming Pool."
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Sugarhill Gang's Big Bank Hank Cooked Up The Sound Of East Coast Rap

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Henry Jackson, better know as Big Bank Hank, died Tuesday. Soundcheck's John Schaefer reflects on the lasting influence of Hank's voice and the classic track "Rapper's Delight."
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Listen: Julia Wolfe's 'Steel Hammer' with Bang on a Can All-Stars

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

October 14, Bang on a Can All-Stars took the stage at Brookfield Place for a performance of Julia Wolfe's Steel Hammer. Stream the entire show, hosted by WNYC's John Schaefer.

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First Listen: Bryan Ferry, 'Avonmore'

Sunday, November 09, 2014

Bryan Ferry rolls back the years with Avonmore, an album with eight original songs that recall his classic mid-'70s albums with Roxy Music, as well as two covers that are by themselves worth the price of admission. Ferry's "Loop De Li," the album's opener, has the stinging guitars, ...

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