Soundcheck

Mexican singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas is considered a living legend among her peers. But when it’s just her and her favorite musical instruments, like the piano, the accordion, or the Venezuelan cuatro guitar, her artistry is just as raw, honest, and vulnerable as it was in her early days in music.  On her new record, Norteña, Venegas acknowledges the fact that none of us are as innocent as we used to be. Missing that pre-internet naïveté and going back to her roots played a big part in her writing process. Still, she’s not one to live in the past. As she puts it: “You have to let go of things… Even the things you think are really the best moments of your life are not going to be, because then you’re going to keep on going, and you’re going to find other best things in your life.” This art of being at peace with present time is most apparent on this edition of Soundcheck, where she performs two singles from her new album, as well as a beloved song from two decades ago. In the studio, Venegas is known to fuse pop, rock, and regional Mexican music with well-thought-out and expansive arrangements. But here, she picks up a different instrument for each song, singing and playing organically, as she injects her momentary emotions into every note. (- Sırma Munyar) Setlist: 1. La Línea  2. Tiempos Dorados 3. Oleada  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Gamelan Yowana Sari is a Balinese art ensemble in residence at the Aaron Copland School of Music at CUNY Queens College made up of students, alumni, faculty, and community patrons – all guided by GYS founder Michael Lipsey and co-directors Fred Trumpy and Ruka Shironishi. This contemporary group of percussionist ringers (ahem) are “fostering the creation of new works for gamelan”, and are “deeply committed to the transmission of Balinese culture through traditional music” (Bandcamp). GYS recently traveled to Bali to record some of these new works - some for gamelan and electric guitars- for their self-titled debut album, (which is out now on Cantaloupe Music.) Recently, they traveled from Queens and elsewhere with their heavy metal arsenal of traditional metallophones and gongs;  7- and 8- string guitars; and a hi-hat turtle to play (and count in cycles of fives and sevens) in the Jerome L. Greene Performance Space. Bonus - there's also a tour of the instruments! (- Caryn Havlik) 1. Stones Are the Flowers (Kyle Miller) 2.  Guirlandes, mvt 1 (Theo Merigeau) 3. aERIFORm kiTE (Evan Ziporyn) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New York-based Sofia Rei is a Grammy-nominated vocalist, songwriter and producer from Buenos Aires, Argentina who was classically trained as a singer and fell in love with Brazilian music. Her new album, Antónima expands the concept of chamber music, looks to South American and Caribbean dance music (cumbia, candombe), and combines elements of Oya’s healing thunder and improvisation – all while flirting with jazz and experimental pop - as she and longtime collaborator and co-producer JC Maillard skillfully layer her voice and electronic sounds. Then there’s the all-star lineup of featured guest musicians on the album - many of them visionary Latin American women creators – who help Sofía Rei to celebrate future sounds. She and JC Maillard play in-studio. (- Caryn Havlik) Set list: 1. El Mundo Es Redondo (Anonimous) 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.

Morgan Nagler writes new songs every day, whether she’s in a room with the likes of Phoebe Bridgers and HAIM, or by herself playing an acoustic guitar in her bedroom. When she’s collaborating with other artists, there’s a lot of thought put into what each song is supposed to be about. But in private, Nagler refers to her tried and true “puke method”, eager to see what emerges, unfiltered.  Then perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that her debut album, which was born after a series of side projects, carries an intimate, conversational tone. Despite the layered electric guitar textures and thoroughly arranged instrumentals, Nagler sings as though she’s right there, sitting next to you. In her co-write sessions with other artists, she “shows up and there’s nothing, but by the end of the day, you’ve got a song with a nice demo recorded. And then, you can just wipe your hands of it.” Such is the privilege of a songwriter stepping into another artist’s universe. In her own universe though, Nagler assesses all her heartbreaks and existential crises, summing it all up with an appropriate album title: I’ve Got Nothing to Lose, and I’m Losing It In the making of her album, Nagler had “the time of her life”, having so many of her collaborators show up for her passion project. But for this edition of Soundcheck, she’s accompanied by nothing but her own guitar, putting her story in front and center. (- Sırma Munyar) Setlist: 1. Cradle the Pain 2. Hurt 3. Heartbreak City Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.