New Sounds from WNYC

Listen to folk-inspired ballads, featuring male folk-singers & wandering minstrels on this New Sounds.  There are surreal songs from a haunting record, “Hirta Songs,” by Alistair Roberts and poet Robin Robertson, with texts inspired by the history, landscape and people of the remote Scottish archipelago of St. Kilda (about 100 miles off the coast of Scotland.)  The record is named after the largest of these islands, where the main employment was fowling the great quantities of sea birds.  (Sheep-herding, crofting and fishing were ways of life as well.)  The eerie songs we’ll hear are both based on Celtic melodies; "A Fall of Sleet," is based on the tune 'The Battle of Inverlochy.' while the other, "Exodus," concerns the 1930 voluntary evacuation of the islands and is based on two tunes.

Listen to music for quartets on this New Sounds - but not the usual two violins, viola, and cello.  Rather, the guiding principle will be four musicians, playing everything from marimba to mandolin.  Hear from the electric guitars of Dither Quartet, along with music from the Prism Sax Quartet (saxophones).  Then there's music from the Brooklyn-based percussion quartet Ensemble et al, - whose members "take a garage band approach" to chamber works, minimalism, modal jazz, and instrumental rock- on marimba, vibraphone, glockenspiel, and drum set. (The KISS t-shirt in some of their online photos does wonders to set their tone.)

For this New Sounds program, listen to an hour of music inspired by  architecture.  Hear Neil Rolnick's electronic violin concerto, "Gardening at Gropius House" featuring violinist Todd Reynolds and members of Alarm Will Sound conducted by Alan Pierson. (Walter Gropius was an influential architect and founder of the Bauhaus school, whose Massachusetts residence was carefully designed both in the structure as well as the grounds, which included a Japanese garden.)

Listen to music between two worlds on this New Sounds program, namely works with elements of classical music-be it orchestra, choral, or chamber music- which also embrace elements of pop, rock and electronic music.  Hear the latest from Son Lux (Ryan Lott), who builds lush orchestral sounding pop music, working with contemporary classical musicians like yMusic to create dramatic and catchy slices of music designed to make classification a challenge.  Also, listen to music from Icelandic keyboard player / composer Olafur Arnalds along with something from the Baltimore-based electronic wizard, Dan Deacon.  That, and more. Special thanks to our hardworking New Sounds Assistant, Isabel Kim, for making this podcast possible.

For this New Sounds program, listen to “Mixed Music” – a term coined by musician/composer Joseph C. Phillips Jr.  -which is a blend of jazz improvisation and groove-based minimalism or other forms of composed music.  There’s brand-new music from the Brooklyn-based Peter Kerlin Octet, an outfit consisting of two vibraphonists, two bassists, an organist, a drummer, a percussionist, and a violist.  On his record, “Salamander,” bass player/composer Kerlin offers up ambitious bass-driven compositions that weave through post-rock and minimalist territory, with improvisational jazz-like detours along the way.

For this program, listen to a whole bevy of world music, from August 2013.  There's music from Madagascar, Ethiopia, Poland, and India, to name a few.  Listen to Malagasy blues from Lala Njava, somkething from Mulatu Astatke's latest featuring Fatoumata Diawara, and Polish folk music singers accompanying themselves with kitchen instruments.  There's also a selection from the "Red Hot & Fela" compilation as done by members of TV on the Radio, Kronos Quartet, and Stuart Bogie, the musical director of the broadway show, "Fela!" And more.

Hear an hour of global jazz on this New Sounds program, with unlikely combinations of instruments and worldwide influences colliding in unexpected and striking ways. Listen to pianist and composer Vijay Iyer's "Playlist For An Extreme Occasion," an eight-part work written for Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble.  It began as a musical interaction between sheng, tabla, and gaita, which evolved into an intricate suite for piano, gaita, percussion, tabla, sheng, violin, viola and cello.  (Vijay Iyer is also the recipient of the 2013 MacArthur Fellowship, the so-called "genius" grant.) Also listen to Indo-jazz by clarinetist Arun Ghosh from a suite inspired by the people, landscapes and music of Bangladesh India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Then, global jazz meets exotic chamber music, in music from Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica.  Plus, hear a combination of jazz and Arabic music from Vancouver-based Oud/Guitarist Gordon Grdina. And more. Special thanks to our hardworking New Sounds Assistant, Isabel Kim, for making this podcast possible. PROGRAM #3527– Global Jazz (First aired on 10/28/2013)                ARTIST(S)  RECORDING  CUT(S)  SOURCE  The Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma  A Playlist Without Borders  Vijay Iyer: Playlist for an Extreme Occasion (Part Zero) excerpt [1:32]  Sony Masterworks myplaydirect.com Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica Where Here Meets There Sansaz [4:46] orchestrotica.com Arun Ghosh A South Asian Suite Sufi Stomp (Soul of Sindh) [4:53] Camoci Records Available on Amazon The Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma A Playlist Without Borders Vijay Iyer: Playlist for an Extreme Occasion (Parts 1-6) [16:29] Sony Masterworks myplaydirect.com Tarun Balani Collective Sacred World Azaan [8:08] OK Listen Media oklisten.com Available on Amazon Gordon Grdina No Difference Hope in Being [7:03] Songlines Recordings SGL 1603-2 songlines.com Available on Amazon Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica Where Here Meets There Maracatune for Chalco [7:34] orchestrotica.com  

Hear new music from Uri Sharlin & the DogCat Ensemble on this New Sounds program. It’s a mixed breed (groan) group featuring guitar, accordion, and percussion trio that infuses Israel and Brazil into New York. Its members collectively have pedigrees from traditional Irish music, the Klezmer scene and orchestral music as well. Perhaps also hear music from Tribecastan and/or the Montreal-based chamber jazzers Esmerine, who most recently collaborated with Turkish musicians. Plus, a few other like-minded hybrid ensembles and more. PROGRAM #3526– Hybrid Ensembles (First aired on 10/24/2013)              ARTIST(S) RECORDING CUT(S) SOURCE Uri Sharlin & the DogCat Ensemble Back to the Woods Night Swim [5:01] Folk Dune Records Available on Amazon Stephan Crump & the Rosetta Trio Reclamation Overreach [5:47] Sunnyside Records SSC1243 bnzr.com Arun Ghosh A South Asian Suite The Gypsies of Rajasthan [6:45] Camoci Records Available on Amazon Esmerine Dalmak Translator’s Clos II [6:52] Constellations Records CST096 cstrecords.com Ted Reichman My Ears Are Bent My Ears Are Bent [8:21] Skirl Records 002 skirlrecords.com Barbez Bella Ciao Umevi Goel [5:15] Tzadik 8180 tzadik.com Stephan Crump & the Rosetta Trio Thwirl Whiteout [4:20] Sunnyside Records 1364 sunnysidezone.com

For this New Sounds, hear a hypnotic work of vocal layers from the electronic duo Matmos, “Just Waves,” from their Ganzfeld EP, a concept record based on their own telepathic experiments.  Throughout the progression of the work, these ebbing and flowing voices -Matmos (M.C. Schmidt and Drew Daniel) together with three other singers: Dan Deacon, Angel Deradoorian (Dirty Projectors), and Clodagh Simonds (Fovea Hex)-  speak-sing the transcripts of the psychic session material in pitched clusters, until the sensations described in the experiment are shaped back into one single phrase about the “triangle at the top.” Then listen to Nico Muhly's "Mothertongue," a four part piece, featuring layers of singer Abigail Fisher's voice and electronic treatments.  There's also music from Paul Lansky's "More Than Idle Chatter," where spoken English is the basis for the work.  Plus, hear music from Joan LaBarbara and Meredith Monk, who both use the sounds of German words in works, and none of the words matter. PROGRAM #3397, When Words Don’t Matter   (First aired on 11/15/2012)                                             ARTIST(S) RECORDING CUT(S) SOURCE Matmos Ganzfeld EP Just Waves [12:44] Thrill Jockey 315 http://thrilljockey.com/thrill/Matmos/The-Ganzfeld-EP Paul Lansky More Than Idle Chatter Just More Idle Chatter [8:48] Bridge Records #9050 www.bridgerecords.com Nico Muhly Mothertongue Mothertongue, Pt. 1 Archive [5:50] Brassland #018 www.brassland.org www.nicomuhly.com Joan La Barbara Sound Paintings Berliner Träume, excerpt [7:10] store.kagi.com Meredith Monk Do You Be Memory Song [6:43] ECM #1336* www.ecmrecords.com

John Schaefer sorts through the stacks of new CDs, the Soundcloud files, and other digital submissions which have come across his desk and into his inbox to present some of the finest new releases for the month of June 2013.  Hear music from Dawn of Midi, who make groove music that sounds as though it is electronica, but it's made acoustically.  Then, listen to the Mobius Trio, who make new guitar ensemble music, along with multi-layered 6-string magic from Ben Brody. Also, hear the bayan, an accordion-like instrument, as it is used in the Bester Quartet. Plus, music from Philippe Petit which may or may not involve electric cymbalum, triple caterpillar drum guitar, and/or electric psalterion. And more.  Special thanks to our New Sounds Summer Intern, Ross Harriss, for helping to make this podcast possible. PROGRAM # 3483, New Releases, June 2013   (First aired on 6/28/2013)                                  ARTIST(S) RECORDING CUT(S) SOURCE Mobius Trio Last Light Making Good Choices 3 (Brendon Randall-Myers) – Pt 1: Running with Scissors, excerpt [1:30] www.mobiustrio.com Clint Allen/Martin Fondse/Zapp 4 Impulse Impulse [6:48] Clint Allen Music clintallen.bandcamp.com Bester Quartet The Golden Land Dos Lidl Fun Goldenem Land [5:59] Tzadik TZ 8178 www.tzadik.com Julia Hülsmann Quartett In Full View Feist: The Water [4:23] ECM 2306 www.ecmrecords.com Dawn of Midi Dysnomia Atlas [6:38] Thirsty Ear  THI 57206.2 www.dawnofmidi.com www.thirstyear.com Mobius Trio Last Light Making Good Choices 3 (Brendon Randall-Myers) – Pt 1: Running with Scissors [5:23] www.mobiustrio.com Ben Brody Flow State Mirrors and Beyond, part 1 benbrodymusic.bandcamp.com Philippe Petit Extraordinary Tales of a Lemon Girl, Chapter 3 - Hitch-Hiking Through Bronze Mirrors 4, excerpt [1:00] Aagoo 052 www.philippepetit.info Les Rhinoceros II Seepy Seepy [6:45] Tzadik TZ 7808 www.tzadik.com Philippe Petit Hitch-Hiking Through Bronze Mirrors 4 [3:02] 2, excerpt [:30] Aagoo 052 www.philippepetit.info  

by New Sounds Staff — Since the 1990’s, Zorn has written over 500 songs inspired by traditional Jewish music.  This Masada collection, as it’s known, is divided into two books, both using Jewish scales as a springboard for improvisation. He performed the first 200 songs of Book One with the rotating members of the Masada ensemble for a decade.  Then, in late 2004, he wrote 316 new pieces in the form, in just three months. He refers to this second part of Masada as “The Book of Angels,” with each piece given the name of a Biblical angel. Rather then gearing this project towards a particular band as the first Masada songbook did, Zorn instead decided this time around to invite many different collaborators to have at the book, folks as wide-ranging as Joe Lovano to Medeski, Martin & Wood, Basya Schechter to Cyro Baptista, and Pat Metheny to Marc Ribot. On the occasion of his 60th birthday, Zorn came by the studio to present music from just some of the recordings of The Book of Angels.  The two Johns, Zorn and Schaefer, picked a bunch of music (see pic below) – too much to fit into one New Sounds show. So the remaining songs are included here (with a few extras) on this New Sounds special podcast. Visit www.zornat60.com  for a full listing of events during the citywide celebration of Zorn@60 throughout New York. Special Podcast 3510.5, More Music from Zorn’s Masada Book2: Book of Angels (9/10/2013)              ARTIST(S) RECORDING CUT(S) SOURCE Masada String Trio  Haborym (Masada Book 2: Book of Angels, Vol. 16) Carniel [4:42] Tzadik 7384 www.tzadik.com The Dreamers (Cyro Baptista: Percussion Joey Baron: Drums Trevor Dunn: Bass Marc Ribot: Guitar Jamie Saft: Keyboards Kenny Wollesen: Vibraphone) Ipos (Masada Book 2: The Book of Angels, Vol. 14) Galizur [7:33] Tzadik 7380 www.tzadik.com Koby Israelite Book Of Angels: Orobas Vol. 4   Nisroc [4:56] Tzadik 7356 www.tzadik.com Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz (Aram Bajakian: Guitar Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz: Gimbri Eyal Maoz: Guitar Keven Grohowski: Drums) Abraxas-The Book of Angels Vol 19 Domos [4:00] Tzadik 8302 www.tzadik.com Jamie Saft Trio Astaroth: Book of Angels Vol. 1 Ariel [6:30] Tzadik 7348 www.tzadik.com Cyro Baptista/Banquet of the Spirits Caym: Book of Angels vol. 17 Briel [4:18] Tzadik 7388 www.tzadik.com David Krakauer  Pruflas: The Book of Angels vol. 18 Ebuhuel [3:51] Tzadik 7396 www.tzadik.com Medeski Martin & Wood   Zaebos: Book of Angels vol. 11  Tutrusa'I [5:09] Tzadik 7368 www.tzadik.com  

Hear fingerstyle guitar music with a wash of drones - "Psychedelic Appalachia"- from steel string shredder Daniel Bachman, whose latest effort is the full-length “Seven Pines.” His playing has evoked the names of both John Fahey and Robbie Basho, in both the technicality and the emotional depth.  However, it’s actually the late fingerstylist Jack Rose to whom he has been most often compared in that Bachman also relocated from Fredericksburg, VA to Philadelphia and the American Primitive guitar spirit runs strong in him. (They did have a direct connection too: Bachman did the cover art to one of Rose’s records, “Luck in the Valley.”) Formerly performing as Sacred Harp, Bachman fell in with the thriving (“freak”) folk community in Philly, and there is definitely a psychedelic cast to his playing.  Also, according to an interview from the Philadelphia Weekly, he admits to a “weird, irrational obsession with the Civil War,” going so far as to title the record after the Battle of Seven Pines, and dubbing one of the tunes on it “Copperhead,” the nickname for the northern sympathizer.  There's that music from Daniel Bachman, some John Fahey, something from banjo player and songwriter Matt Bauer, and other like-minded works of so-called "psych-folk" or "freak folk" for this show. Special thanks to our New Sounds Summer Intern, Ross Harriss, for helping to make this podcast possible. PROGRAM #3390, At the Junction of Psych and Folk (First aired 10/19/2012) ARTIST(S) RECORDING CUT(S) SOURCE John Fahey Voice of the Turtle   A Raga Called Pat, Part III, excerpt [1:30] Takoma TAKCD-6501 (C-1019) Daniel Bachman Seven Pines Sun Over Old Rag [6:35] Tompkins Square 260 www.tompkinssquare.com John Fahey Voice of the Turtle A Raga Called Pat, Part III [9:00] Takoma TAKCD-6501 (C-1019) Available at Amazon.com, Emusic.com or iTunes Espers Espers II Dead Queen [8:13] Drag City DC310 www.dragcity.com facebook.com/pages/ESPERS Fern Knight Music for Witches and Alchemists Murder of Crows [3:19] VHF www.vhfrecords.com www.fernknight.com Matt Bauer Wasps and White Roses The Owl And The Snake [2:10] Crossbill Records crossbillrecords.com www.mattbauermusic.com Available on iTunes, Emusic.com Matt Bauer Wasps and White Roses Sea Lion Woman [2:52] See above. Daniel Bachman   Seven Pines Seven Pines, excerpt [1:00] See above. Lewis & Clarke Blasts of Holy Birth Comfort Inn [7:37] LSE 006 La Société Expéditionnaire la-soc.com/lewis&clarke.html

Listen to some music by bass players on this New Sounds.  Hear the orchestral double bass, as represented by German bass player Eberhard Weber, along with the electric bass guitar, represented by the Swedish bass guitarist Jonas Hellborg.  There's also music by California bass player Michael Manring, whose signature instrument, the hyperbass, he helped to develop and is designed for limitless altered tunings.  Plus, music from bassist/composer and jazzer/rocker Ben Allison (also composer of NPR’s On the Media theme) - his tune "Slap Happy" from the record "Peace Pipe," and more. Special thanks to our New Sounds Summer Intern, Ross Harriss, for helping to make this podcast possible. PROGRAM # 3472, Music for Bass  (First aired on 5/22/2013)                                                    ARTIST(S) RECORDING CUT(S) SOURCE Eberhard Weber Fluid Rustle Quiet Departures [18:02] ECM 1137 www.ecmrecords.com Jonas Hellborg Aram of the Two Rivers, Live in Syria Salah  al Din [9:47] Bardo Music 038 www.bardorecords.com Ben Allison Peace Pipe Slap Happy [8:05] Palmetto Records pm2086 benallison.com Michael Manring Soliloquy Selene (live) [4:50] Helios [4:20] Manthing Music www.manthing.com Gary Burton Quintet w/Eberhard Weber   Ring Silent Spring (C Bley), excerpt [1:00] ECM 1051 www.ecmrecords.com

Watch out for more music for the duduk (a reed instrument indigenous to Armenia) than you can shake a stick at!  We'll hear from the Gurdjieff Folk Instruments Ensemble, along with music from Andrew Cronshaw's latest cross-cultural collaboration (Armenian & British), "The Unbroken Surface of Snow," at times an unlikely combination of zither and duduk. There's also traditional Georgian music in choral arrangements and in a solo clarinet version by Evan Ziporyn.  Plus, music from the Greek singer Savina Yannatou and her band, in Armenian. Special thanks to our New Sounds Spring Intern, Caroline, for her help in securing these permissions.  Extra thanks to New Sounds Summer Intern Ross Harriss, for more production help.  PROGRAM # 3286, Caucasus Mountain Music  (First aired on 1/4/2012)                                                 ARTIST(S) RECORDING CUT(S) SOURCE The Other Georgia Ancient Harmonies from a Distant Land Rustavi Choir: Tsintsqaro, excerpt [1:30] www.cdbaby.com www.theothergeorgia.us Savina Yannatou & Primavera en Salonico Songs of an Other Sareri Hovin Mernem  [5:34] ECM 2057 www.ecmrecords.com Gurdjieff Folk Instruments Ensemble /Levon Eskenian Music of Georges I. Gurdjieff Armenian Song [2:37] Caucasian Dance [3:47] ECM 2236 www.ecmrecords.com The Rustavi Choir  Georgian Voices Orovela [5:29] Nonesuch/Explorer #79224** www.nonesuch.com * Andrew Cronshaw The Unbroken Surface of Snow Im Hogutz [12:00] CV 2009 www.cloudvalley.com andrewcronshaw.com Kitka Sanctuary A Cathedral Concert Tsmindao Ghmerto (“Holy God”), excerpt [1:50] www.kitka.org OR www.cdbaby.com Evan Ziporyn Bang On A Can Classics Tsmindao Ghmerto (“Holy God”) [4:08] Cantaloupe Music CA21010 cantaloupemusic.com Savina Yannatou & Primavera en Salonico Sumiglia Ganchum Em Yar Ari [3:11] ECM Records #1903 www.ecmrecords.com

For this New Sounds show, listen to post-minimalist works  that are somewhat keyboard-centric.  Hear brand new music by Daniel Wohl, from the musicians of TRANSIT, and featuring vocals by Julia Holter.   There’s also music from French composer Sylvain Chaveau, from a collection of works for cinema.  Plus, the Irish composer Simon O’Connor reworks J.S. Bach for the Ergodos Musicians, and listen to a multi-part work by Nico Muhly from his “Drones” release. Special thanks to our New Sounds Spring Intern, Caroline, for her help in securing these permissions.  Extra thanks to New Sounds Summer Intern  Ross Harriss, for doing the heavy lifting of the editing.  PROGRAM # 3459, Post-Minimalist Keyboard Works (First aired on 4/25/2013)                                                     ARTIST(S) RECORDING CUT(S) SOURCE Nico Muhly Drones Material In D, excerpt [1:00] Bedroom Community HVALUR16 bedroomcommunity.net Sylvain Chaveau Simple (Rare and unreleased pieces 1998-2010) Au nombre des choses [5:41] FatCat 130701 fatcat.sandbaghq.com/sylvain-chauveau Daniel Wohl (with Julia Holter & Transit) Corps Exquis Corpus [5:27] New Amsterdam NWAM048 newamsterdamrecords.com Sylvain Chauveau Simple (Rare and unreleased pieces 1998-2010) Within the Orderly Life [6:21] FatCat 130701 fatcat.sandbaghq.com/sylvain-chauveau Ergodos Musicians I Call to You Simon O'Connor : Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesus Christ (J.S. Bach) [6:43] ER 9 Ergodos.ie ergodos.bandcamp.com Moon Ate the Dark Moon Ate the Dark Capsules 11 [4:49] Sonic Pieces 014 www.sonicpieces.com Nico Muhly Drones Part I Material in D [3:50] Part II Material in a Handsome Stack [2:52] Part III Material with No Tricks [1:55] Part IV Material in a Long Cadence [4:47] Bedroom Community HVALUR16 bedroomcommunity.net