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WNYC Studios

Soundcheck

A Performing Arts , Arts and Music podcast

#96 in Performing Arts · 🇺🇸 #100 in Performing Arts · 🇬🇧
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About the show

WNYC, New York Public Radio, brings you Soundcheck, the arts and culture program hosted by John Schaefer, who engages guests and listeners in lively, inquisitive conversations with established and rising figures in New York City's creative arts scene. Guests come from all disciplines, including pop, indie rock, jazz, urban, world and classical music, technology, cultural affairs, TV and film. Recent episodes have included features on Michael Jackson,Crosby Stills & Nash, the Assad Brothers, Rackett, The Replacements, and James Brown.

Newest episodes

Best of Soundcheck: Mary in the Junkyard, Ryan Bingham

50 min

Some songwriters take their inspiration from fiction, summarizing the journeys of compelling characters in music. Others find such characters in real life and tell their stories from a surreal lens. Texas aficionado Ryan Bingham is a singer-songwriter who gained wide recognition by earning both an Oscar and a Grammy Award for “The Weary Kind,” which he co-wrote and recorded for the film, Crazy Heart. He then went on to play the character called Walker on the hit neo-Western television series, Yellowstone, and it’s safe to say that both as an actor and a musician, Bingham has always been involved with the art of fiction. London-based art rock trio Mary in the Junkyard acquire their sung heroes from all sorts of places, both real and imagined, and create a musical form of dream state where the mood is oddly otherworldly. Their critically acclaimed sophomore record Role Model Hermit turned heads in North America, and the band has just been announced to make their Coachella debut in April 2027. Hear both their and Ryan Bingham’s exclusive live performances from our studios on this episode of Soundcheck. Mary in the Junkyard's Setlist: 1.New Muscles  2.Myrtle  3.Blood Ryan Bingham's Setlist: 1.Let the Big Dog Eat  2.Relevance  3.Blue Skies Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ohio-born Funk Jazz Band Huntertones Play with Joyful Cohesion, In-Studio

35 min

Not all bands stay together after college, but Huntertones did. The funk jazz sextet got their start at The Ohio State University where they soaked in the football culture and house parties on Hunter Avenue in Columbus. They no longer play those parties, having moved to Brooklyn over a decade ago, but the spirit and joy of those times live on in their music. Now, the brass band is back with a new album called Transmission, in which they transmit human-made music, recorded in a single room without isolation, to their listeners. Most songs are originals with a couple of renditions of familiar classics thrown in. But not a single track is overproduced. Microphone bleeds are fully embraced. As a result, hearing the band perform live feels quite akin to listening to their record. For this episode of Soundcheck, Huntertones play a few of their new originals at our studio, with awe-inspiring cohesion. - Sırma Munyar Setlist: 1.Valley Bee 2.Melodian 3.Messenger (Photo by Karston Tannis) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

American Songster Dom Flemons Revives Musical Histories, In-Studio

41 min

There are many folk singer-songwriters out there, but not all concern themselves with folklore. Dom Flemons does. A modern-day troubadour, Flemons breathes new life into old-time music, often accompanying himself with a banjo or guitar. Listening to him perform feels like an auditory journey back in time, and if that illusion wasn’t already cemented, it certainly will be when his upcoming record, Making American Music: The Smithsonian Sessions, releases in January 2027. The inception of the project dates back to 2018, when Flemons became the first Artist in Residence at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Being around countless legendary instruments, including the 140-year-old Emory guitar that once belonged to Mississippi John Hurt, Flemons felt deeply inspired to revive history through music. Fortunately, he was invited to record with some of those precious instruments that are ordinarily safely guarded at the museum’s vault. The sessions resulted in Flemons’ third studio album on Smithsonian Folkways, which is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. And though there’s only one single available so far, Flemons performs a few of his unreleased songs from the album to give a taste of what’s coming for the listeners of Soundcheck. - Sırma Munyar Setlist: 1.Lost River Blues  2.Night And Day  3.Take Me Back to Bronzeville (Dom Flemons photographed by Emily Cummings) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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The newest 50 of 332 episodes

Best of Soundcheck: Mary in the Junkyard, Ryan Bingham

50 min

Some songwriters take their inspiration from fiction, summarizing the journeys of compelling characters in music. Others find such characters in real life and tell their stories from a surreal lens. Texas aficionado Ryan Bingham is a singer-songwriter who gained wide recognition by earning both an Oscar and a Grammy Award for “The Weary Kind,” which he co-wrote and recorded for the film, Crazy Heart. He then went on to play the character called Walker on the hit neo-Western television series, Yellowstone, and it’s safe to say that both as an actor and a musician, Bingham has always been involved with the art of fiction. London-based art rock trio Mary in the Junkyard acquire their sung heroes from all sorts of places, both real and imagined, and create a musical form of dream state where the mood is oddly otherworldly. Their critically acclaimed sophomore record Role Model Hermit turned heads in North America, and the band has just been announced to make their Coachella debut in April 2027. Hear both their and Ryan Bingham’s exclusive live performances from our studios on this episode of Soundcheck. Mary in the Junkyard's Setlist: 1.New Muscles  2.Myrtle  3.Blood Ryan Bingham's Setlist: 1.Let the Big Dog Eat  2.Relevance  3.Blue Skies Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ohio-born Funk Jazz Band Huntertones Play with Joyful Cohesion, In-Studio

35 min

Not all bands stay together after college, but Huntertones did. The funk jazz sextet got their start at The Ohio State University where they soaked in the football culture and house parties on Hunter Avenue in Columbus. They no longer play those parties, having moved to Brooklyn over a decade ago, but the spirit and joy of those times live on in their music. Now, the brass band is back with a new album called Transmission, in which they transmit human-made music, recorded in a single room without isolation, to their listeners. Most songs are originals with a couple of renditions of familiar classics thrown in. But not a single track is overproduced. Microphone bleeds are fully embraced. As a result, hearing the band perform live feels quite akin to listening to their record. For this episode of Soundcheck, Huntertones play a few of their new originals at our studio, with awe-inspiring cohesion. - Sırma Munyar Setlist: 1.Valley Bee 2.Melodian 3.Messenger (Photo by Karston Tannis) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

American Songster Dom Flemons Revives Musical Histories, In-Studio

41 min

There are many folk singer-songwriters out there, but not all concern themselves with folklore. Dom Flemons does. A modern-day troubadour, Flemons breathes new life into old-time music, often accompanying himself with a banjo or guitar. Listening to him perform feels like an auditory journey back in time, and if that illusion wasn’t already cemented, it certainly will be when his upcoming record, Making American Music: The Smithsonian Sessions, releases in January 2027. The inception of the project dates back to 2018, when Flemons became the first Artist in Residence at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Being around countless legendary instruments, including the 140-year-old Emory guitar that once belonged to Mississippi John Hurt, Flemons felt deeply inspired to revive history through music. Fortunately, he was invited to record with some of those precious instruments that are ordinarily safely guarded at the museum’s vault. The sessions resulted in Flemons’ third studio album on Smithsonian Folkways, which is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. And though there’s only one single available so far, Flemons performs a few of his unreleased songs from the album to give a taste of what’s coming for the listeners of Soundcheck. - Sırma Munyar Setlist: 1.Lost River Blues  2.Night And Day  3.Take Me Back to Bronzeville (Dom Flemons photographed by Emily Cummings) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: Grace Cummings, Isaiah Collier

51 min

Grace Cummings is a contemporary Australian musician whose songs often have the big, technicolor sound of the 1960’s. But the featured sound is always her striking voice – as we’ll hear when she plays solo in our studio. Her latest album, Bloodhorse!, wrestles with darkness and doubt, Shakespeare and spirituality. And speaking of spirituality, sax player Isaiah Collier has spent much of this year marking the centennial of John Coltrane’s so-called spiritual jazz by playing Coltrane’s classic A Love Supreme around the country. But at the same time, Collier has also been singing his own brand of spiritual R&B. He brings his band to our studio to play some of his latest tunes from his EP, Joy. Grace Cummings set list: 1.John Lennon 2.I'm Not Crazy 3.FAKE Isaiah Collier set list: 1. Where I'm Loved 2. Joy Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Historical Cello-Rock Band Rasputina Rides Again, In-Studio

27 min

New York-based Rasputina, the steampunk cello-rock outfit led by Melora Creager, draws lyrical inspiration from history and the headlines. What began as an ad seeking women for an electric cello choir became a touring electro-chamber outfit known for original songs with unsettling perspectives and inventive arrangements of rock classics, all with an eye for retro fashion of the 19th century. Grigori Rasputin, the Russian mystic and faith healer, is the figure after whom the band is named - although their lyrics may look further back in history to the 1590’s with the Shakespearean authorship controversy (The Oxford theory that the actual author was Edward de Vere), show music of Elizabethan times (the first) by Thomas Weelkes, and madrigals. (During their interview, Creager seemed open to the suggestion to adapt the J.S. Bach Cello Suites with pedals, and invoked My Ladye Nevells Booke, a collection of works for keyboard by English Renaissance composer William Byrd.) Even as inspiration may also come from macabre events – mutiny, disease, war, and/or news headlines over the centuries, the storytelling is always front and center. Rasputina’s trajectory from major label to indie cello rockers happened early on in the 1990’s (despite the origin myth of having formed in the 1890’s), when after having toured with Nirvana, Creager made a choice to opt out of fame and world domination. Recently though, Rasputina has been offering some music online, yet some things are still kept old school and in limited runs; their latest release, Daddy Likes Bread, is a three-song seven inch vinyl record, available only in person, at “recitals” where the band does public performances. Rasputina, the “Traveling Ladies’ Cello Society” (Bandcamp), is once again coming to a music hall near you after a years-long break; they play live, in-studio. - Caryn Havlik Watch the video performances on the New Sounds YouTube channel:Set list: 1. Draconian Crackdown 2. Hunter’s Kiss          Hosted by...

Argentine Folktronica Artist Juana Molina Constructs an Inimitable Sonic World, In-Studio

37 min

Juana Molina began her professional career not as a musician, but as an actress – and a fairly successful one at that. In her home country of Argentina, she gained popularity as a sketch comedy star, even getting her own television show in the 90s. Feeling more drawn to music rather than acting, Molina began writing and singing songs at the peak of her success and never looked back. Now, she has eight studio albums under her belt, with her latest, Doga, receiving praise from critics all over the world. The record proves that Molina has an insatiable thirst for creating sophisticated music with unpredictable yet thoughtful sound design; a product of endless hours of experimenting with her collaborators. It was years in the making, with some songs dating back to 2019, but Molina’s perception of the process shows how symbiotic her relationship with music is: “When you get into it, and you just let you go, and you don’t think anymore, then sounds get awakened, and they start talking to you and tell you what to do with them. It’s easy.” Now, almost a year after the release of Doga, Molina visits our studios to play a few of her new songs amid her world tour, for this episode of Soundcheck. - Sırma Munyar (Photo of Juana Molina by Verena Algranti) Setlist: 1.Uno es árbol  2.Caravanas  3.La paradoja  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: Gracie & Rachel, Alisa Weilerstein

50 min

We perceive loneliness as a human emotion. Dive into any decade and you’ll find countless songs written on the subject. But it’s not only humans who sing about being lonely – birds do it, too. On this episode of Soundcheck, you’ll get to hear one of those birdsongs, recorded in 1987, when the now extinct, last Moho braccatus bird of Hawaii called for a mate that no longer existed. Argentine composer Osvaldo Golijov’s piece inspired by that birdsong, “The Last Moho Braccatus”, is performed live in our studio by acclaimed cellist Alisa Weilerstein, alongside her renditions of a couple of familiar Bach pieces. The chamber pop duo, Gracie & Rachel, who are equally moved by themes of loneliness and dealing with absence, also share their introspective songs from their latest album with an exclusive full band performance. Gracie & Rachel's Setlist: 1.Leaving Home Is Going Home  2.Green Light  3.Caroline  4.Myself Again Alisa Weilerstein's Setlist: 1.Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, Prelude, BWV 1007  2.The Last Moho Braccatus / J.S. Bach Cello Suite no. 5 in C minor, Courante, BWV 1011 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Americana/Folk Songwriter Allison Russell Celebrates Her Unyielding Joy with The Rainbow Coalition, In-Studio

31 min

Montreal-born Americana/Folk singer Allison Russell is a multi-instrumentalist who spent nearly two decades performing with music groups like Po’ Girl and Birds of Chicago, before launching her solo career in 2021 with her monumental debut record, Outside Child. A survivor of abuse, Russell poured her emotions into her songs not to revisit her darkest memories, but to celebrate her resilience and eagerness to live a fulfilling life, surrounded by the people she loved. In “Nightflyer”, she sang, “I’m the wounded bird, I’m the screaming hawk, I’m the one who can’t be counted out,” elegantly summarizing the journey it took her to get to a place she’s immensely proud of — and rightfully so. Now back with her latest and third album, In the Hour of Chaos, Russell readily shares her joy and unyielding hope, celebrating humanity and her community, one collaborative song at a time. The record is filled with a wide range of guest artists including Brittney Spencer and Norah Jones. And though they’re not present for Russell’s exclusive live performance for Soundcheck, The Rainbow Coalition is, with Caoi de Barra on drums, Caoimhe Hopkinson on guitar, and Ganessa James on bass. All band members also join Russell on vocals, sometimes even singing the lead parts, as Russell also plays the clarinet. - Sırma Munyar (Photo of Allison Russell by Mason Poole) Setlist: 1.No Springtime  2.Black Lavender  3.Really Real Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Guitarist and Singer Ruthie Foster Shares Her Genuinely Soulful Brand of Folk Blues, In-Studio

35 min

Ruthie Foster was born into music, grew up with music, and it was only natural that music would follow her wherever she’d go. The now Grammy-winning singer-songwriter was a soloist in a local choir in her hometown of Gause, Texas, soaking in the soulful melodies of gospel music. After high school, Foster majored (much expectedly) in music – and broadcast journalism. She joined the Navy shortly thereafter, where she often took the stage to sing. Soon, she’d be in New York City, developing her unique brand of blues and folk music as a regular at local clubs where she’d end up on the radar of Atlantic Records. Her label and Foster had different ideas about the kind of artist she could be at the time. But Foster still walked into every session with an open heart where she often felt the urge to write about being back at home in Texas. So, she went back home, leaving her record deal behind, to be with her family and live a simpler life, which would eventually lead to the creation of her aptly titled record, Full Circle. In the following three decades, Foster never stopped making and releasing music. Having become highly comfortable playing her guitar, she actively toured, sometimes with a band and other times solo. Now back with her fourteenth album, Just Say Yes, Foster brings her skillful guitar playing and powerful vocals to our studio for a solo performance to share some of her new songs for this episode of Soundcheck. - Sırma Munyar (Photo by Jody Domingue) Setlist: 1.Yes  2.Thank You  3.Tangled Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: Everlast, Ghost Hounds

51 min

The artist known as Everlast was the lead rapper in the group House of Pain, whose single “Jump Around” remains one of hip hop’s most familiar songs. But in the 1990s he began adding bluesy guitars to his songs - which continues with his latest, Embers To Ashes. Everlast plays his B-boy country punk rock blues in-studio. Then, Ghost Hounds is a Pittsburgh-based blues-rock band with a sound that may remind you of classic early 70s bands like The Rolling Stones. In fact, they’ve opened for the Stones and do a cover of that band’s song “Gimme Shelter” on the new Ghost Hounds album. But most of their music is original and their latest record, called Justified, is full of apocalyptic imagery and songs that swagger their way through the End Of Days. Ghost Hounds brings a rootsy, intimate version of the band to play these new songs, in-studio. in-studio for this episode of Soundcheck. Everlast set list: 1. Losing Man's Game 2. Stones Ghost Hounds set list: 1. Something Wicked 2. Pale Horse Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Raw and Punchy Soul From Brooklyn-Based Eli Paperboy Reed, In-Studio

31 min

For the past 20 years or so, Eli Paperboy Reed has been making records that revel in the vintage sounds of Memphis and Chicago soul, with a healthy dose of R&B, early rock’n’roll, and a bit of country. His latest album is called Getting There, a mature reflection on love, life, and romance-  where in the face of hard times, romantic partners “respond with more determination, more commitment and more love” (EliPaperboyReed.com). Eli Paperboy Reed and his band have set up camp here in our studio, and they’ll play some of their latest bluesy-soulful grown folks music. Watch the video performances on the New Sounds YouTube channel:Set list: 1. Getting There 2. Asking For a Friend 3. One Man's Trash (Is Another Man's Treasure) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welsh Indie Rock Band The Royston Club Bare Their Emotions, In-Studio

32 min

It’s rare to come across a traditional origin story like The Royston Club’s nowadays: a group of small-town kids from Wrexham, Wales, coming together to form a band in high school and taking the stage on open mic nights at their local pub. Their music, woven with nostalgic lyrics and crunchy, anthemic guitars, also feels as though it belongs to a different time. And yet, The Royston Club has no trouble finding new fans with each release and tour they embark on, having hit the top 20 on the UK album charts with both of their albums, Shaking Hips and Crashing Cars and Songs for the Spine. Now based in Liverpool, the band still visits their hometown frequently, keeping all the people that cheered them on close. Even the word “spine” from the title of their latest record refers to those same people in their lives, who hold them up and keep them going, as The Royston Club travels the world to reach new masses.  The band takes a short break from their US tour to play a few new songs in our studio for this episode of Soundcheck. - Sırma Munyar Setlist: 1.Shivers  2.Glued to the Bed  3.Cariad (Photo by Sam Crowston) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: Helado Tropical, Martin Hayes With Kyle Sanna

51 min

Helado Tropical ("tropical ice cream") is a collaboration between Helado Negro, the experimental pop project of Ecuadorian-American singer/songwriter Roberto Carlos Lange, and Reyna Tropical, which is the work of the Mexican-American musician Fabi Reyna (also of the cumbia band Savila).They bring their langorous brand of Latin electro-pop to our studio. And another duo takes a more acoustic approach: Irish fiddler Martin Hayes and guitarist Kyle Sanna. Hayes is one of the great fiddlers of our time, and one of the things that makes his playing so distinctive is the way he incorporates elements of jazz and contemporary classical music. Hayes is a founding member of the Irish-American supergroup The Gloaming, and he’s led a couple of ensembles, the Martin Hayes Quartet and the Common Ground Ensemble, that include musicians from the New York new music scene, including guitarist Kyle Sanna. They also play jigs, reels, and hornpipes in-studio for this episode of Soundcheck. Helado Tropical Set list: 1. Tocando 2. Sensacion 3. Soledad Martin Hayes / Kyle Sanna Set list: 1. The Wild Geese/Lord Leitrim 2. Port An Deoari/My Mary Ann 3. The Golden Castle/Mikey Callaghans Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mexico City Cumbia Punk Marimba Band Son Rompe Pera Brings the Sweaty Mayhem, In-Studio

27 min

They started as a street band in Mexico City, but Son Rompe Pera has attracted attention as far south as Chile. Formed in 2017, they’re a party band with a distinctive sound centered on brothers who play marimbas and draw on punk, ska, pop, and the ubiquitous Latin dance rhythm called cumbia. Now they’re back with a new album called Marimbazos de Oro, and while the marimbas and the punk are still evident, there’s a lot going on here – with songs that use the cumbia rhythm, as well as the sounds of salsa, reggae, hardcore, psychedelic guitars, traditional Mexican and Colombian rhythms, even Andean music. Son Rompe Pera brings their danceable and "sweaty, respectful mayhem" to the studio (without the marimba mosh pit) for this edition of Soundcheck. Set list: 1. Lagrimas 2. Nada que Hacer 3. Reptilio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Messthetics With Marc Ribot Leave Space For Play and Crunch, From the New York Guitar Festival 2026

31 min

From the 2026 New York Guitar Festival, recorded live at Bryant Park, hear a set from the instrumental trio called The Messthetics -who are Anthony Pirog (guitar), Joe Lally (bass) and Brendan Canty (drums). Pirog has played avant-rock, ambient, and freely improvised music, often in his own projects and in his duo Janel & Anthony. Bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty were the rhythm section of the Washington D.C. band Fugazi. They were joined by special guest guitar hero Marc Ribot, who is one of the most in-demand and unpredictable guitarists around. He’s played with Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, and John Zorn, and led bands that deal in noise, rock, Latin, and free jazz. Hear a set from the Messthetics with Marc Ribot from that August night in this special podcast. 1. Mythomania 2. Rules of the Game 3. Inner Ocean 4. Gestations 5. Touch Earth, Touch Sky Photo of the Messthetics, courtesy of the artist's Bandcamp Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: Humbe, The Lone Bellow

51 min

Some vocal performances are so emotionally compelling that you can’t help but hang on every word while eagerly anticipating the next. Such spellbinding experiences are the live performances of two acts that come from two different parts of the Americas: Mexican singer-songwriter Humbe and the Nashville-based folk-rock trio The Lone Bellow. Humbe may be young in years, but he’s been writing and releasing songs that sound timeless for almost a decade. His viral hit “Fantasmas” opened a new chapter for the Latin Grammy nominated star on the rise. The Lone Bellow has been around for a little while longer, consistently growing a loyal fan base since the early 2010s. But they hit a roadblock as they were working on their latest album, What a Time to Be Alive, after a break-in to their tour van resulted in the loss of the precious hard drives that contained their vocal recordings. Thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign, the band managed to finish the record and get back on the road. Both acts tell these tales behind their music, and more, as they share heartfelt renditions of their songs for this episode of Soundcheck. - Sırma Munyar The Lone Bellow's Setlist: 1.I Did It for Love 2.You Were Leaving 3.No Getting Over You Humbe's Setlist: 1.Harry Stamper 2.Fantasmas 3.Morfina Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mexican Alternative R&B/Pop Artist Girl Ultra Reinvents Her Musical History, In-Studio

31 min

Girl Ultra is the project of Mexico City-born Mariana de Miguel; a singer-songwriter whose creativity knows no bounds. Though she started her musical career as an underground R&B artist on Soundcloud about a decade ago, nowadays she experiments with all kinds of genres from Pop and Rock to Reggae and Funk, mixing her musical and cultural influences into her stories about lust, heartbreak, friendship, intimacy, and more. Born out of a longing to create an alter ego inspired by a superhero heroine, Girl Ultra became an invigorating entity for de Miguel that kept her attached to girlhood as she welcomed her thirties. As she continues to perceive life through this lens, de Miguel also often collaborates with other innovative musicians. In fact, her latest record, titled RRRomeo, is filled with exciting guest appearances – most notably the Canadian electro-funk duo Chromeo, who are featured on five of the eight tracks. It all started when Chromeo reached out to de Miguel to produce new music for Girl Ultra during lockdown. “I never took so long – like five years – just marinating this project… It was a fun exercise to just come back to it with different skills along the years,” says de Miguel, describing the process that began in Burbank, California at Chromeo’s studio. Now, finally ready to share RRRomeo with the world, de Miguel brings some of those skillfully put together, eclectic songs to our studio, for this episode of Soundcheck. - Sırma Munyar Setlist: 1.Mentirasmentiras  2.Te Caigo  3.Denisse Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Adventurous Harpist Lara Somogyi Weaves Time Patterns, In-Studio

35 min

California-based harpist Lara Somogyi may be classically trained, but there’s nothing classical about her approach to making music. She surrounds herself with several effects pedals to expand the sound of her harp into an otherworldly orchestra. Between her technical skillset and deep understanding of electronic music production, Somogyi has carved a path of her own, both as a session musician recording for film and TV scores such as Hans Zimmer’s The Lion King and the Netflix series Bridgerton, as well as a collaborator to electronic experimentalists like Bonobo and Ólafur Arnalds. On her new record, titled a [time] patterned, Somogyi reinforces the relationship between her existential contemplations and sound design adventures. “This record was all really born from my curiosity on how we experience time,” she says, adding that she experiences time in a sensory way, associating various periods of her life with the sounds she hears, like crickets or rustling birch trees in the summer. Becoming obsessed with the idea that “music can decorate our time”, Somogyi began to layer and alter the timing of her plucked harp sequences, stretching them into ambient soundscapes or crystallizing them into fragmented pieces through electronic processing. Every tool she used on the record was a time-based tool, and she brings some of them to our studio for an unforgettable performance, featuring a string quartet with Laura Metcalf on cello, Angela Pickett on viola, and Maria Im and Caroline Cassio on violin, for this episode of Soundcheck. - Sırma Munyar Setlist: 1.mirabel 2.elsewhere 3.acceptances Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: Steve Earle, Anjimile

51 min

Hardships tend to take time to overcome, and some songwriters turn to music to process their emotions as they move from one battle to the next. Two of those songwriters are Steve Earle and Anjimile, who come from very different walks of life. Steve Earle has earned multiple Grammy Awards and an induction into the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville after spending decades reflecting on his experiences as an activist, actor, and a man who happened to go through seven marriages and spend a couple of months in jail for drug possession. Anjimile, on the other hand, was born to immigrant parents from Malawi who were both devout Christians, which made his journey as a trans man a complex situation that kept unraveling as years went by. As Anjimile performs some new songs that explore sexuality, gender, spirituality, and more, Steve Earle plays some of his old hits that document the troubled but full life he has lived, for this edition of Soundcheck.  Steve Earle's Setlist: 1.Copperhead Road 2.City of Immigrants Anjimile's Setlist: 1.Rust & Wire 2.The Store 3.Waits for Me Watch the live performance videos on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/newsoundsmusic Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Song-Maker Somi Refuses to Fit Inside Any Artistic Box, Plays In-Studio

34 min

During her two-decade career, the singer, actor, playwright and two-time NAACP Image Award winner Somi has blended the sounds of American and African music – jazz and R&B, but also Afrobeat, folksong, and highlife. Her last album was a tribute to the South African singer Miriam Makeba; that record also served as a companion to an Off-Broadway musical that Somi wrote – under her full name Somi Kakoma, called Dreaming Zenzile. Now a Harvard PhD recipient (the Creative Practice and Critical Inquiry Program), Somi has a new album of original music called What Does It Take To Bloom. Written and recorded between Dakar, Lagos, Paris and New York City, Somi’s latest explores the many facets of self-discovery – questions of becoming and of identity (she is the Midwestern daughter of immigrants from Uganda and Rwanda) – and navigates uncertainty, loss, and change (Somimusic.com). Somi joins us to perform some of these songs, in-studio. Photo of Somi by Knoor The Luo Set list: 1. We're All Falling 2. Ngayaya 3. AiwahWatch the live performance videos on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/newsoundsmusic Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Australian Singer-Songwriter Grace Cummings Brings a Visceral Twist to Pretty Melodies, In-Studio

34 min

Australian singer Grace Cummings is the kind of songwriter who believes in the spontaneity of the creative process. “I’m a loner. I talk to myself a lot,” she says, and amid those internal conversations, she stumbles upon some mistakes that eventually lead to good writing. She’s no longer a stranger to how songs make their way out of her brain, having already recorded four albums. Her latest record, titled Bloodhorse!, is filled with snapshots of her tumultuous emotions, referencing both religious and mythological themes in a grand musical context of orchestral folk-rock arrangements. But when she picks up the guitar or sits in front of a piano for a solo performance, it’s hard to predict how far she’ll stretch her deep, soulful voice into visceral cries that, evidently, can’t be contained. For this edition of Soundcheck, Cummings performs a few songs from her latest record in a way that can only be described as personal, inimitable, and untamed. - Sırma Munyar Setlist: 1.John Lennon 2.I'm Not Crazy 3.FAKE Watch the live performance videos on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/newsoundsmusic Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: Guitarricadelafuente, Donnie McCaslin

51 min

Blackstar was David Bowie’s last record, a musical farewell, and it featured the sax player Donny McCaslin. In fact, Bowie ended up using Donny McCaslin’s whole band for that album. The experience led McCaslin to expand his already restless musical palette, and on this episode of Soundcheck, he brings his quintet to our studio to play some of his post-Bowie tunes. There's also a visit with Guitarricadelafuente, a rising young Spanish singer and guitarist with a couple of high profile collaborations of his own - with Australian pop star Troye Sivan. He’s also had two hit singles in Spain, and he’ll play songs from his album Spanish Leather, a title borrowed from Bob Dylan. Guitarricadelafuente and his band play an intimate set in our studio. Donny McCaslin Quintet Set list: 1. KID 2. Solace 3. Mercy Guitarricadelafuente Set list: 1. Poses 2. Mataleón Photo of (L) Guitarricadelafuente by Pedro J Pacheco, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Photo of (R) Donny McCaslin courtesy of the artist   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ever-Shifting Guitarist Wendy Eisenberg Dares With Homegrown and Poetic Songs, In-Studio

36 min

Wendy Eisenberg is a Brooklyn-based guitarist, improviser, and songwriter who uses guitar, pedals, the tenor banjo, the computer, the synthesizer and the voice. They are also a professor of songwriting, and a constant collaborator in many different circles: with the improvising trio Squanderers, an art rock band called Editrix, and the minimalism-inspired guitar quartet led by Bill Orcutt, to name a few. Their latest album, also called Wendy Eisenberg, is full of tracks that almost present as conventional songs, but which actually dance around form and genre. Some of them may be indebted to jazz, and also inhabit the in-between space where folk, pop, outsider country music, and math rock all hang out. OH. And the riffs! Their masterful fingers climb through odd rhythms, spidery melodies, and unexpected progressions, taking sudden swerves and turns while still creating a sense of spaciousness. On the record, the songs also feature contributions from friends and collaborators on pedal steel, strings, synth, bass, drums. Over this all, Eisenberg’s clear voice conversationally addresses time – reflecting on memories, embracing change, growing - while they describe “moving through this new world right now,” (Bandcamp). Wendy Eisenberg plays some of their songs in a solo set, in-studio. – Caryn Havlik Photo of Wendy Eisenberg by Eleanor Petry Set list: 1. Meaning Business 2. Vanity Paradox 3. Will You Dare Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Everlast Dishes Out Gritty Humanity in Blues-Rock Style, In-Studio

37 min

The artist known as Everlast was the lead rapper in the group House of Pain, whose single “Jump Around” remains one of hip hop’s most familiar songs. But in the 1990s he began adding bluesy guitars to his songs, creating enormous hits like “Put Your Lights On,” his collaboration with Santana, and the plea for empathy called “What It’s Like.” Everlast is still writing songs, and his latest album – his first in eight years, Embers To Ashes, was produced by Yelawolf and recorded in Nashville. It’s a collection of unflinching and moving songs that tell tales of glory grasped and lost, along with hard-earned wisdom and warnings. Everlast plays a stripped-down set in-studio. Photo of Everlast by Lisa Franchot Set list: 1. Losing Man's Game 2. Happy You Can Cry 3. Stones Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: Annahstasia, Patrick Wolf

50 min

It’s common for songwriting artists to process their emotions through composing music. LA-based folk singer Annahstasia spent many years crafting her debut album, Tether, doing just that, without a metronome guiding her: “We’re human beings in a room following our heartbeats and the natural rhythm that we feel together… My production style is essentially like energy doula-ing,” she says. As for English baroque pop experimentalist Patrick Wolf, the making of his latest album, Crying the Neck, as well as other batches of new songs he’s been releasing that ended his decade-long hiatus, was a way to acknowledge that he was “a damaged vehicle”, after losing his mother to cancer and struggling to recover from a hit and run. Both artists are known for their big, often orchestral songs, but on this edition of Soundcheck, they each put on a solo performance, revealing the raw side of their lyrics and melodies. Annahstasia's Setlist: 1.Be Kind 2.Slow Patrick Wolf's Setlist: 1.Enter the Day 2.The Last of England Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Norwegian Chord Progression Artist Sondre Lerche Sings Acrobatic Melodies, In-Studio

38 min

Norwegian singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche defines himself as a “chord progression artist”: “You establish a pattern, and then of course, you have to break it,” he says. This line of thinking is likely what drives him to disrupt the normal sequence of his daily life too, by staying out all night before a recording session, just to tap into the right emotion for a song the next day. Some artists don’t respond well to structure while creating and Sondre Lerche is definitely one of them. Whether he’s exploring acrobatic melodies that push his lungs to their limits or jumping from one genre to another, he seems to put the art first and figure out where he fits in it as a vessel later. Sondre Lerche’s latest album, aptly titled Acrobats, contains a big, cinematic sound, while blending elements of folk, jazz, pop, and rock. But his background in musical theatre becomes more apparent when it’s just him and his guitar, as he addresses the subjects of his songs as though they’re right by his side with unmistakable realism, for this episode of Soundcheck. - Sırma Munyar PS – Sondre Lerche is on tour in North America and Europe this Fall: https://www.sondrelerche.com/tour (Photo of Sondre Lerche by Hilde Solli) Setlist: 1.Little Kids 2.Acrobats 3.How Much of This Was Planned Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Indie Rock Band Shearwater Performs Cerebral Songs with Laurie Anderson, In-Studio

38 min

Shearwater is the project of singer, songwriter, and ornithologist, Jonathan Meiburg, who recently took a trip to the Antarctica to study the “the bizarre life of the polar seafloor” and wrote a book called A Most Remarkable Creature : The Hidden Life of the World’s Smartest Birds of Prey. As he made significant attempts at understanding his natural surroundings, Meiburg also had several collaborators in Shearwater. Now, he’s back with a new album titled, The New World, joined by pianist Emily Lee and multi-instrumentalist Dan Duszynski. On the album, the band is also joined by a wide array of other respected musicians, from Firaz Zriek on qanun to Shahzad Ismaily on drums, bass, synthesizers, and more. But they bring a couple of other contributors to our studio: legendary avant-garde artist Laurie Anderson on vocals and violin, and Doug Wieselman on clarinet. Together, they perform skeletal, subdued, and sophisticated renditions of some of their cerebral new songs. Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater will be at Rough Trade Below on Thursday, September 17th, in New York, for a live acoustic performance and signing. - Sırma Munyar Setlist:1.Daydream Unbeliever 2.More and More 3.You and Your Dog Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: Sofia Rei, Mike Doughty

51 min

Folk music is known to be the music of the people, but it can sound vastly different from region to region. There are also songs that take inspiration from folk music but fall under a different genre altogether. For American singer-songwriter Mike Doughty, who is a founding member of the cult 90s band Soul Coughing, the art of storytelling found a home in alternative rock music. As for the Argentine recording artist and educator Sofia Rei, using electronics to blur the lines between traditional South American, Caribbean, and contemporary dance music is a natural practice. On this episode of Soundcheck, you get to hear both of their live performances and stories, recorded at WNYC studios. Mike Doughty's Setlist: 1.White Lexus 2.Mr. Bitterness 3.Light Will Keep Your Heart Beating in the Future  Sofia Rei's Setlist: 1.El Mundo Es Redondo 2.Si Una Cae 3.Marciana     Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Recording Artist and Actor Saul Williams Speaks Contemplative Words, In-Studio

35 min

Saul Williams is many things. A poet, a musician, an actor, and a writer, embodying multiple forms of art in his existence. He’s the preacher in the Oscar-winning 2025 film, Sinners. He’s the conceiver of several books, including his latest title, Songs My Mother Taught Me: Why the Artist Must Take Sides. And now, after seven long years, Williams is back with a new album called Leap Year, in which he uses his voice in more ways than one. He sings and speaks his contemplative words, often relying on his vocal samples to enrich the production. But in our studio, his solo performance is thoughtful yet subdued, putting his lyricism front and center. Hear those words, and a few others, as Williams shares his inner world with host, John Schaefer. - Sırma Munyar Setlist: 1.Friends That I Ain't Met Yet 2.Vengeful Spirit 3.Robot Slave (Photo of Saul Williams by Sam Lee) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Quiet Reflection in Acoustic Songs by Daughter of Swords (Archives)

27 min

North Carolina singer and guitarist Alex Sauser-Monnig records under the name Daughter of Swords, in which they "combine the eerie sound of old Appalachian folk music with elegant guitar playing and touches of lo-fi pop." (John Schaefer) They're also part of the alternative folk trio Mountain Man, a group of singers whose precise harmonies offer songs of warmth, belonging, and community. Sauser-Monnig’s record, Dawnbreaker, a homespun country-pop offering of vulnerability, brings liberation to the "breakup record" and hope for the next phase of life. Daughter of Swords joins us to perform in-studio on this episode of Soundcheck from August 2019. - Caryn Havlik  (Photo of Daughter of Swords by Kendall Bailey Atwater)    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: Paris Paloma, Cautious Clay

51 min

Some musicians make ambitious records that dig into the depths of meaning behind art, mythology, time, or life itself. Two of those musicians are the British singer-songwriter Paris Paloma and the American alternative R&B producer Cautious Clay. Both musical adventurers sit down with our host, John Schaefer, to chat about their latest works and perform intimate live sets exclusively for Soundcheck. Hear how hitmaker Paris Paloma’s career progressed after her viral hit, “Labour”, and the process that led to the creation of her sophomore album, The Fatal Flaw. Then, multi-instrumentalist Cautious Clay explains how he takes listeners through each hour of the day and night in The Hours trilogy. Paris Paloma's Setlist: 1.labour 2.Miyazaki 3.Stem the Flow Cautious Clay's Setlist: 1.Tokyo Lift (5am) 2.Art Museum (2am)   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fearless Creative Expression and Lived Experience From Arturo Sandoval Who "Sounds Good", In-Studio

50 min

Trumpeter and bandleader Arturo Sandoval is a Latin music legend who began his career as a co-founder of the essential Cuban band Irakere and since moving to the States has incorporated the sounds of soul, jazz, funk, and Afrobeat into his music. Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and his life was the subject of the film For Love Or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story, with Andy Garcia starring as Arturo. The real Arturo Sandoval was born in Cuba, defected to America with the help of his friend Dizzy Gillespie, and became one of the foundational figures in Afro-Cuban jazz. By the way, he was recently knighted by the King of Spain. His new album shows that Sandoval retains his youthful enthusiasm; it’s called Sangú – an inadvertent bit of Spanglish that simply means “sounds good.” Arturo Sandoval leads his band in some of these latest tunes from Sangú - bebop, funk, Yoruba spiritual memory, riding along with Cuban phrasing and percussion, in-studio. He also demonstrates the jaw harp, shows off his “Red Trumpet”, and tells the harrowing story of how he gained political asylum for himself and his family while touring in Europe in 1990. - Caryn Havlik Set list: 1.Scat 2. La Ventura 3. Sangu  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ghost Hounds Conjures Bluesy Roots-Rock In-Studio

32 min

Ghost Hounds is a Pittsburgh-based blues-rock band with a sound that may remind you of classic early 70s bands like The Rolling Stones. In fact, they’ve opened for the Stones and do a cover of that band’s song “Gimme Shelter” on the new Ghost Hounds album. But most of their music is original  and their latest record, called Justified, is full of apocalyptic imagery and songs that swagger their way through the End Of Days. Ghost Hounds brings a rootsy, intimate version of the band to play these new songs, in-studio.  Set list: 1. Something Wicked 2. Sinner's Prayer 3. Pale Horse Riding Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: Dessa, Omar Offendum

51 min

For this episode of Soundcheck, the rapper, singer, and author Dessa gets political, and Syrian-American rapper Omar Offendum gets historical. Minneapolis-raised singer and rapper known as Dessa has found a way to reflect modern society with scathing satire and wry humor, in both her songs and in her essays and poems. Her explicit commentary on the state of American politics, along with digressions on art, science, business, love, failure, and creativity fuel her latest songs, which she performs in-studio. Set list: 1. Camelot 2. Tough Call 3. What if I'm Not Ready And the Syrian-American rapper, poet, and peace activist Omar Offendum offers a musical history lesson of sorts, one with uncomfortable echoes of our own time, in “The Little Syria Show.”  It’s about a remarkable immigrant neighborhood in New York that lasted from the 1880s to 1940 and was a center of music, poetry, and publishing – including a book you may well have on your shelf.  In a celebration of Arab-American cultural heritage, Omar Offendum shares insights on diasporic memory and performs some of the songs from The Little Syria Show, in-studio. Set list: 1. Peddling Dervish 2. Mojaddareh 3. Not Quite White Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From the 2026 New York Guitar Festival: Gyan Riley; Ziggy & Miles

34 min

Listen to a sampling of some of the 2026 New York Guitar Festival, with pieces by Gyan Riley and an arrangement of Debussy by Australian guitarist brothers Ziggy & Miles, plus,  recorded live in August at Bryant Park. Gyan Riley is the son of the groundbreaking minimalist composer Terry Riley, and began as the guitarist in his father’s All-Star Band.  He plays all the guitars - electric, classical, and bass– with chamber music elegance and brilliant virtuosity.  He was joined by drummer Kenny Grohowski (Imperial Triumphant, Titans to Tachyons, Secret Chiefs) and bassist Greg Chudzik, which made this an all-star lineup. Listen to their set, recorded live at the second night of the 2026 New York Guitar Festival. Then, Australian brothers Ziggy & Miles, who happened to be the first guitar duo (and, oddly, the first Australians) to be accepted into the Juilliard School’s Artist Diploma program play an arrangement of Claude Debussy’s “Claire de Lune.”  Plus, hear another piece by the Chicago-based duo of Goran Ivanovic and Fareed Haque, from night one of the 2026 New York Guitar Festival. Set list:  1. Debussy: “Claire de Lune”, arr. Ziggy & Miles 2. Gyan Riley – “Jibberjab” 3. Gyan Riley, Greg Chudzik, Kenny Grohowski – “Greymaxxing with Blue” 4. Gyan Riley, Greg Chudzik, Kenny Grohowski – “Because Today” 5. Goran Ivanovic & Fareed Haque – “Adventure”   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From the 2026 New York Guitar Festival: Goran Ivanovic & Fareed Haque, and Pierre Bensusan

42 min

Listen to a sampling of some of the 2026 New York Guitar Festival, with pieces by the duo of Goran Ivanovic and Fareed Haque and Pierre Bensusan recorded live in August at Bryant Park. Guitarist Goran Ivanovic is Croatian-born, while Fareed Haque is of Pakistani and Chilean descent.  Both now live in Chicago, and their music is a deep dish pie of South Asian, Latin, and Balkan ingredients, liberally spiced with improvisation. Hear some of their Balkan-South Asian-Latin fusion, recorded live at the first night of the 2026 New York Guitar Festival. Topansko oro 2. IndoBalkan 3. Gypsy Circus Then, Algerian-born French guitarist Pierre Bensusan plays in the open tuning system known as DADGAD. Bensusan draws on Celtic traditional and North African music, adding improvisation, vocalise, and electronic effects to create his own sonic world. Listen to some of his set from the second night of the 2026 New York Guitar Festival. Hekimolu 2. The Alchemist 3. Intuit Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: Public Service Broadcasting; Em Spel

51 min

The London band Public Service Broadcasting makes music out of history: the space race, the UK mining industry, and now, the final flight of Amelia Earhart, have all been turned into albums. Public Service Broadcasting plays live. Then, hear Em Spel, the folk-rock singer from Chicago, also known as Emma Hospelhorn, a classical flutist who is a member of Chicago’s experimental chamber music collective Ensemble Dal Niente. When she steps into the universe of her solo project, Em Spel, she writes and sings surreal, beguiling songs that fall somewhere in between dream pop, art rock, and folk music. Em Spel also plays live for this best of Soundcheck.  Public Service Broadcasting set list: 1. Electra 2. Arabian Flight. 3. Go! Em Spel set list: 1. The Poet 2. Sea Wall Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Flamenco Guitar Pyrotechnicians Rodrigo y Gabriela Spark It Up, In-Studio (Archives)

31 min

The Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela first made a name for themselves busking in Dublin, Ireland, even though they spoke no English at the time. With roots in flamenco, classical, and thrash metal, they perform technical feats of wonder in both originals and incredible covers. The 2019 album, Mettavolution contains driving numbers, some incredibly fleet-fingered virtuosity, and a mind-altering psychedelic cover of a Pink Floyd tune. Rodrigo y Gabriela joined us for some stunning guitar precision in this 2019 session from the archives. Set list: 1. Mettavolution  2. Electric Soul 3. Terracentric Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dan Deacon's Joyous Electro-Acoustic Orchestra Ascends a Mountain, In-Studio

42 min

Baltimore-based Dan Deacon has been a mad scientist of electronic music since releasing his debut album Spiderman Of The Rings in 2007.  He built a reputation for wild, dance-oriented live shows, but Dan is also classically trained and in recent years has been doing a lot of film music, along with scoring music for dance. His latest album is the score for a National Geographic documentary called Time and Water, and Dan Deacon, along with an electro-acoustic chamber orchestra -which includes the Bergamot Quartet, members of Baltimore-based contemporary music group Mind on Fire, and a Yamaha Disklavier (an upright bot-assisted piano) - perform in-studio.  Set list: 1.Weeping Birch 2. A Home For All Of Us 3..Become a Mountain Suite  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: Orquesta Akokán, Hannah Jadagu

51 min

Sometimes music takes us back or far into the future. Other times, time and travel are at the very core of the music we listen to. On this edition of Soundcheck, the (mostly) Havana-based band Orquesta Akokán takes us on a musical time travel through the classic Cuban dance sounds of the mid-20th century, live from our studio. After a substantial dose of mambo, cha-cha-chá, rumba, salsa, and more, Dallas-born and now New York-based singer-songwriter Hannah Jadagu studies the themes of time and travel in her dreamy alt-pop songs, which contain layered vocals that are as light as air.  Orquesta Akokán's Setlist: 1.Con Licencia 2.Pan con Tibiri 3.Caracoles 4.Suave Suave Hannah Jadagu's Setlist: 1.Give Me Time 2.Normal Today 3.My Love Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dominican-Italian Singer-Songwriter YENDRY Weaves Delicate Melodies, In-Studio

32 min

Dominican-Italian singer-songwriter YEИDRY has been around for over a decade, and in the span of her rich music career that’s lived many lives, she compiled highly personal songs, some of which would eventually end up on her debut album coming out this Fall. She called it “Como Agua”, which translates to “Like Water”, aptly summarizing not only YEИDRY’s way of making music, but also her way of life. In the process, she learned to go with the flow, taking her notebook filled with scribbled lyrics into the studio each day and getting comfortable with the cathartic moments of translating her experiences into music. Twice an immigrant with loved ones living all over the world, she hasn’t quite figured out where home is yet; she has found a sanctuary in her art instead.  Having already sustained through many years of her “expensive” music career, YEИDRY likens herself to the mythological character of Icarus, flying too close to the sun. “I’m going to fall at some point if I keep wanting more,” she says, but all that fear disappears as soon as she starts singing her delicate melodies for this edition of Soundcheck. - Sırma Munyar Setlist: 1.Amapolas 2.Mala Mia 3.Espejo Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jazz / R&B Ensemble Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science Amplify Progressive Issues, In-Studio

36 min

Grammy-nominated jazz and R&B ensemble, Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science, are back with their sophomore album, Trip the Night Fantastic, after a seven-year-long break. In line with their debut record, Waiting Game, the group has a new batch of songs dealing with a wide range of social justice issues, voiced in melodies and spoken words. “Once you open your eyes to any social issue, so many others go hand in hand, because they overlap. There are all these intersections, so I can’t really do anything without thinking about gender justice or even racial justice, because those are two huge parts of my identity,” says the bandleader Terri Lyne Carrington, whose day job as the founder and artistic director of Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice undoubtedly highlights the source material for the album. But, at the end of the day, Trip the Night Fantastic is a communal effort, with each member sparking the flame for a new creation which then becomes enriched with the input of guest artists such as Arooj Aftab, Brandee Younger, and Tarriona ‘Tank’ Ball. And though those artists are missing from this Soundcheck session, most of the Social Science band is present, with Terri Lyne Carrington on drums, Matthew Stevens on guitar, Morgan Guerin on bass, joined by guest vocalists Christie Dashiell and Ian Michael, who also plays our piano. - Sırma Munyar (Photo of Terri Lyne Carrington by Meredith Truax) Setlist: 1.Autonomy Song 2.Children's Song 3.Solidarity Song Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: We Are Scientists, Art Brut

51 min

Welcome to the WASABI edition of Soundcheck! No, not the spicy green paste that comes with your sushi order. We’re talking about the collaborative project formed by the London-born indie rock band Art Brut and their New York counterpart, We Are Scientists, known as We Are Scientists Art Brut International. Though they released a collaborative record in 2019, each band visited our studios at separate moments in time. But how could we not combine their sessions into one when they all spoke so fondly of each other? Join us, as we revisit their recent live performances and interviews with our host, John Schaefer. We Are Scientists' Setlist: 1. Please Don't Say It 2. Dead Letters 3. What You Want Is Gone Art Brut's Setlist: 1. Formed a Band 2. Emily Kane Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Yasser Tejeda y Palotré Celebrate Ancestral Dominican Traditions

29 min

Brooklyn-based guitarist and composer Yasser Tejada & the group Palotré combine African-rooted Dominican traditional folk styles and fuse them with R&B, church gospel, funk, jazz, and rock into a celebration of Afro-Dominican culture. On this edition of Soundcheck from 2019, they play some songs from their record, Kijombo, in-studio.  Watch the video of the session here.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Calm Spark of South African Jazz Master Abdullah Ibrahim Persists

22 min

The late South African pianist and composer Abdullah Ibrahim (aka "Dollar Brand") had a notable career, helped early on by Duke Ellington, and  acknowledged later by Nelson Mandela, who called Ibrahim “our Mozart.” In 2019, Abdullah Ibrahim became a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, and he released an album titled The Balance, (which was his 70th or 71st LP, and that's not including his work as a sideman, which might push the total album credits to over 100!). The Balance is full of "lush horn lines, lilting melodies, and uplifting chord progressions, characteristic of Abdullah's own particular brand of Township Jazz," and on this episode of Soundcheck, which was recorded in August 2019, Abdullah Ibrahim performs some solo piano works, in-studio.  Setlist: 1.Dreamtime 2.Nisa 3.The Balance Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: Meklit, The Bad Plus

51 min

On this episode of Soundcheck, a great band bids farewell after a monumental career that lasted more than a quarter of a century. American avant-garde group The Bad Plus spent long years fusing instrumental jazz with rock music, with each member playing their seemingly traditional instruments to their fullest extent in unexpected ways. They perform some tunes from their final record, “Complex Emotions” and reflect on their creative journey. Also, Ethiopia-born, California-based singer Meklit joins us with live renditions of some songs from her album, “A Piece of Infinity,” singing in her native tongue of Amharic and taking inspiration from the Golden Age of Ethiopian pop music. Meklit's Setlist: 1. Ambassel 2. Tizita The Bad Plus' Setlist: 1. Casa Ben 2. Carrier   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alt-Country Artist Tift Merritt Shares Her New Confessional Songs, In-Studio

35 min

After almost a decade-long wait, the Grammy-nominated alt-country artist Tift Merritt returns with her new record Sugar, in which she sings, “I didn’t really want to be here tonight / I don’t need you looking at me / I don’t like the light bright.” Is a romantic love story the inspiration behind these words? Or is it the music industry itself, which is, as Merritt puts it, the ultimate “bad boyfriend”. “This was a little song that was negotiating how I could come back and stay grounded in my own world that I’ve built off-stage,” she explains. And that world recently got a lot bigger. Merritt, alongside her partners, restored a historic boutique hotel in Raleigh, North Carolina, now called, The Gables. “I wanted to build a place where I wanted to hang out,” she says, as she expresses her hope that her neighborhood will feel the same way. For a songwriter who feeds on every day singing at the kitchen table and the strange but lovable characters of the South, a communal space may just become the breeding ground for new stories to tell through music.  Until those songs come to light, we have an entire album to keep us company, and Merritt’s solo performance for this episode of Soundcheck is just the primer we needed. (- Sırma Munyar) Setlist: 1. Everyday Singing 2. Sugar 3. Finest Feelings Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chamber Pop Duo Gracie and Rachel Sing New Introspective Songs, In-Studio

38 min

Chamber pop duo Gracie and Rachel, formed by keyboardist Gracie Coates and violinist Rachel Ruggles, spent many years playing music together, living together, and even growing up together during their high school years. But when time came to work on their new album, they couldn’t write in the same room. Instead, they each turned their attention inward, reflecting on their emotions separately. The result was two batches of songs that undeniably belonged together, in their fourth record titled If We Could, Would We. Gracie and Rachel bring their confessional lyrics, ethereal vocals, dreamy soundscapes drenched in strings, guitars, and synths, back to our studio: this time with Asher Kurtz on guitar and Connor Parks on drums, for this edition of Soundcheck. (- Sırma Munyar) Setlist: 1. Leaving Home Is Going Home 2. Green Light 3. Caroline 4. Myself Again Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Best of Soundcheck: Marilina Bertoldi, Julieta Venegas

50 min

Latin music culture has produced countless artists who amplify decades of traditions and stories through their unique point of view. Two of those artists are Julieta Venegas and Marilina Bertoldi, who have both earned numerous Latin Grammy nominations in recent years. Singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas, who collaborated with superstar Bad Bunny on “Lo Siento BB:/,” is a multi-instrumentalist whose artistry encapsulates pop, rock, and regional Mexican music. And Argentine rock 'n' roll icon Marilina Bertoldi’s creativity contains multitudes, as her retro electric guitar solos pierce through a wall of glitchy and sampled sounds. As you listen to both artists’ performances from our studios, you’ll be transported to a small seaside town in the summer in one moment, and a sweaty nightclub in the next. Julieta Venegas's Setlist: 1. La Línea 2. Tiempos Dorados 3. Oleada  Marilina Bertoldi's Setlist: 1. Pucho 2. La Casa de A  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Experimental Jazz Artist Zoh Amba Presents Their Brand of Gritty Folk-Rock Music, In-Studio

36 min

Multi-instrumentalist Zoh Amba is widely known in the avant-garde jazz world for their remarkable talent as a saxophonist. Having cemented their reputation as a natural improviser, they now turn their attention to seemingly new territory that is really a homecoming: gritty, Appalachian folk-rock music. In their debut singer-songwriter record, titled Eyes Full, Zoh Amba studies the culture of their hometown of Kingsport, Tennessee, picking up the guitar as a main instrument for the first time. With every voice-cracking cry, Zoh Amba embodies the troubles of hardworking small-town people, telling their stories in musical settings that are not sophisticated, but raw and authentic instead. The same spirit of mirroring the struggles of others can be vividly heard in this edition of Soundcheck, as Zoh Amba performs some of their aching new songs live with their band. (- Sırma Munyar) Setlist: 1. Weed Eating 2. Eyes Full 3. Runnin' Bet 4. Southern Soil 5. Dead End Street (Photo of Zoh Amba by A.J. Morales) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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