WNYC's Soundcheck

Drummers: Heart of the Band...Or Butt of the Joke? (Soundcheck: Tuesday, 09 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:54 GMT

The drum kit has its fair share of esteemed idols: Neil Peart of Rush, Dave Grohl of Nirvana, ?uestlove of the Roots and many more. Yet drummers have always had a reputation for being unreliable and misanthropic. On today’s Soundcheck Smackdown, we debate whether the skin-bashers of the world deserve all that bashing. Guests include Janet Weiss, former drummer of Sleater-Kinney and currently of Quasi and Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks; and Will Layman, an NPR contributor and jazz critic for PopMatters.com.

P-Star Rising (Soundcheck: Tuesday, 09 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:00 GMT

When she was nine years old, Priscilla Star Diaz became P-Star. At night, she rapped in lower Manhattan nightclubs. During the day, she napped in the one-room shelter in Harlem she shared with her father and sister while longing for her crack-addicted mother. Filmmaker Gabriel Noble followed her dreams and dramas for four years to make the documentary P-Star Rising. Noble and Priscilla join us to talk about the film.

The Fame Monster (Soundcheck: Monday, 08 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:05 GMT

In the media coverage that followed the death of J.D. Salinger, the writer's infamous desire for privacy and his refusal to publish was discussed as much as Catcher in the Rye. Today: the tricky relationship between fame and artistic productivity, with Anne Paris, author of Standing at Water's Edge: Moving Past Fear, Blocks, and Pitfalls to Discover the Power of Creative Immersion. And, New York Times pop music critic Jon Pareles talks about his interview with Sade, the guarded British pop star who will release her first album in 10 years this week.

The Borromeo Quartet (Soundcheck: Monday, 08 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 05:00 GMT

With the help of technology, The Borromeo Quartet is pushing the centuries-old traditions of the string quartet into the 21st century. We'll hear about their use of Pro Tools software, digitized sheet music and more. And, we'll hear some "oldies," when they preview an upcoming all-Beethoven concert at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

Blending Music with Rehabilitation (Soundcheck: Friday, 05 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:01 GMT

In prisons around the world, music is increasingly used as a rehabilitative tool. Carnegie Hall recently launched a program that would send musicians into facilities like Sing Sing and Riker's Island. Other programs including the nonprofit Rehabilitation through the Arts and the Scottish Arts Council are getting inmates to learn, write and perform pieces first-hand.

Today, we look at the effectiveness of arts in rehabilitation. Joining us is Emeline Michel, a Haitian musician who has performed at Rikers Island; and Katherine Vockins, founder and executive director of the nonprofit Rehabilitation Through The Arts.

DJ/rupture (Soundcheck: Friday, 05 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:42 GMT

New York-based DJ, producer, and blogger Jace Clayton - a.k.a. DJ/rupture – creates a complex palette of sound using backbeats, samples and effects. DJ/rupture joins us to talk about his album with Matt Shadetek, "Solar Life Raft," which draws from electronica, world music, hip hop and more.

The Story of Oooooooh (Soundcheck: Thursday, 04 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:57 GMT

Melisma, the art of running many notes from one syllable, dates to Gregorian chants and Indian ragas. It was adopted by African-American churches and popularized by soul singers like Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin. In another installment of our Thursday series, "Sing Out," we’ll find out how melisma became the singing style among American Idol contestants. We're joined by Laura Barton, columnist for the British newspaper The Guardian, and Anthony Heilbut, Grammy-award winning music producer and author of The Gospel Sound: Good News and Bad Times.

Allison Moorer (Soundcheck: Thursday, 04 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:00 GMT

Allison Moorer began her career as a Nashville-based country artist in the 1990s, but she quickly embraced soul, standards and many other styles. Moorer now lives in New York with her husband, the songwriter Steve Earle, and she's set to release her seventh album, Crows, next week. She gives us a sneak preview, live in our studio.

Shoot 'em Up, Cue the Strings (Soundcheck: Wednesday, 03 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:00 GMT

Berklee College of Music is among a handful of schools offering classes on composing music for video games. Today: Berklee professor and game composer Michael Sweet tells us about a market for new music that barely existed 10 years ago.

Blog: John Schaefer on a new musical frontier

Tell us: Are you a gamer? What do you think of new game soundtracks? Do you secretly long for vintage game music?

Growing Pains for Music Games (Soundcheck: Wednesday, 03 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:44 GMT

The video game industry got good news and bad news at the end of 2009. On one hand, December was the industry's best month ever, with sales of $5.5 billion. On the other, total sales of $19.7 billion for the year were down 8 percent compared to 2008. One genre that's slumping: music games, like the much-hyped title The Beatles: Rock Band. We ask Chris Kohler, games editor for Wired.com, if plastic guitars and tiny microphones have jumped the shark.

Miguel Zenon (Soundcheck: Wednesday, 03 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:55 GMT

Growing up in Puerto Rico, Miguel Zenon saved money to come to the US by playing in salsa bands with friends. Two years ago, the New York-based saxophonist received the MacArthur “genius” award for his blend of jazz and Puerto Rican jibaro music. He joins us for a live performance of pieces for his latest album, “Esta Plena.”

Behind the Halftime Show (Soundcheck: Tuesday, 02 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:09 GMT

Over 100 million viewers are expected to tune in for Super Bowl 44 on Sunday night. For an inside perspective on the event we're joined by Don Mischer, a veteran director and producer of live television events including several Super Bowl Halftime Shows. He's the winner of 13 Emmy Awards.

Smackdown: The Halftime Show (Soundcheck: Tuesday, 02 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:46 GMT

Lampooned and celebrated in equal measure, Super Bowl halftime shows are a lightning rod. Some of the biggest stars in music take the stage -- but not without controversy. Performances can be underwhelming, predictable and even censored. (Or not, in the case of Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction in 2004.) As The Who prepares to take the stage this Sunday, music writer Maura Johnston and Baltimore Sun sports columnist Kevin Cowherd debate live music at the Super Bowl in another Soundcheck Smackdown.

Garrick Ohlsson (Soundcheck: Tuesday, 02 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:14 GMT

Chopin might be Garrick Ohlsson's destiny. In 1970, Ohlsson was the first American to win the International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition. He has recorded the complete Chopin piano works -- twice. Now, Ohlsson is celebrating Chopin's bicentennial as part of a Lincoln Center series. He talks about the celebrated "poet of the piano" and plays live in our studio.

It's a Woman's World (Soundcheck: Monday, 01 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:09 GMT

Beyonce's six awards set a record for most Grammys won by a female artist in a single night at Sunday's Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Taylor Swift took home the evening's biggest prize, Album of the Year. Joining us to explain what that means for the state of pop culture is Ann Powers, pop music critic of the Los Angeles Times.

Girl Power (Soundcheck: Monday, 01 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:22 GMT

After we hear about female artists at last night's Grammy Awards, we dive into the history of women in music. In the 1990s, rock gave rise to two brands of feminism: the underground riot grrrl scene and the glitzy "girl power" of the Spice Girls. Marisa Meltzer, author of Girl Power: The Nineties Revolution in Music, tells us about the relationship between the two - and how they influence today's female stars in rock and pop.

Tell us: What did you think of riot grrrl and girl power in the '90s? What do you think of them now? Do you think they're relevant today?

Nneka (Soundcheck: Monday, 01 February 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:02 GMT

Nneka is a Nigerian-German hip-hop and soul singer who has performed with stars like Lenny Kravitz and The Roots. She joins us in studio to to play songs from her politically charged album Concrete Jungle.

Fifty Years of Mellodrama (Soundcheck: Friday, 29 January 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:07 GMT

The world's first sampler might be the Mellotron, a keyboard that plays recordings of real instruments like violins and pianos. Born in the 1960s as a parlor instrument, it can be heard on recordings ranging from The Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever” to Kanye West’s “Gold Digger.” We hear the story of this unusual instrument from Dianna Dilworth, director of the documentary Mellodrama: The Mellotron Movie.

Musicians: Have you used a Mellotron or a Chamberlin? Tell us about your experience. Leave a comment!

Meet the New Boss... (Soundcheck: Friday, 29 January 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:23 GMT

A Justice Department ruling has cleared the way for concert-industry giants Ticketmaster and Live Nation to merge. The new company, Live Nation Entertainment, stands to reshape the entertainment business. New York Times music reporter Ben Sisario joins us to explain what the deal means for music fans.

Another Look at Henry Cowell (Soundcheck: Friday, 29 January 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:19 GMT

Conductor and musicologist Leon Botstein has made a specialty of tracking down forgotten gems in music. His latest venture focuses on the music of Henry Cowell, a revolutionary composer who helped create a modernist American music. Botstein talks about the neglect of Cowell’s work, his life as president of Bard College, and his work with an educational project in American prisons.

Maestro Leon Botstein conducts the American Symphony Orchestra in an all-Henry Cowell concert at Avery Fisher Hall, tonight at 8 pm.

When Voices Keep on Truckin' (Soundcheck: Thursday, 28 January 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:49 GMT

Last week, three days before turning 69, superstar tenor Placido Domingo appeared at the Metropolitan Opera at in title role of Verdi’s opera “Simon Boccanegra.” The reviews have been largely positive. Yet other singers have much less success with vocal preservation. Today, we look at how aging effects the voice, and why vocal longevity is admired in some cultures (India, for example) while in others, the vocal retirement age is quite young.

Joining us to explore this question is Sasha Frere-Jones, pop music critic of the New Yorker; Sheila Jordan, a veteran jazz singer; and Marlena Malas, who teaches opera students at the Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music.

Bill Withers (Soundcheck: Thursday, 28 January 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:19 GMT

One of the sweetest voices of soul’s golden era in the 1970s, Bill Withers is best known for hits like “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Lean on Me,” about growing up in a West Virginia coal mining town. His life and career is chronicled in the documentary Still Bill. Withers joins us in studio to talk about it.

Still Bill screens at IFC Center through Feb. 4. Bill Withers will appear in-person at screenings tonight at 6:55 and 8:50. More information here.

When Houses of Worship Pump Up the Volume (Soundcheck: Wednesday, 27 January 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:59 GMT
Churches from Marine Park, Brooklyn to upstate New York have been engaged in battles with neighbors over the volume of bells that chime day and night. In some cases, bells have been piped through rooftop speakers. In the latest installment of our monthly series "Sound Off," we explore the conflict between religious ceremonies and city life. Joining us are Arline Bronzaft, chair of the noise committee on the Mayor’s Council on the Environment; and Nadine Strossen, a professor at New York Law School who served as president of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1991 to 2008.

Tell us: What do you think of sounds of religious observance in your neighborhood? Do you find them inspiring, musical or annoying? Leave a comment -- we might read yours on today's show.

Sofia Tosello (Soundcheck: Wednesday, 27 January 2010)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 05:00 GMT
Sofia Tosello grew up in Argentina listening to local singers, as well as to Brazilian music and Duke Ellington. She moved to New York when she was 18 and went to study with legendary jazz singer Sheila Jordan. She’ll play live songs from debut album, which mixes the sounds of Buenos Aires’ streets with downtown New York.