WNYC launches Soundcheck - a new weekly radio series hosted by John Schaefer

WNYC announced today the premiere of a new weekly radio program hosted by John Schaefer, longtime host of “Soundcheck” and “New Sounds.” Soundcheck, now premiering on the radio, will revisit the best of its namesake podcast to highlight exclusive live performances and interviews, priming audiences for new music releases and upcoming tours. The first episode will air on Saturday, June 27 at 8pm.

Through conversations about craft and process alongside in-studio performances, “Soundcheck” offers an in-depth look at extraordinary artists, their creative endeavors and personal influences. Expertly curated by host John Schaefer, the program is dedicated to introducing an immense array of genres and styles, bringing music from all over the world directly to new audiences. With Schaefer’s unique interviewing style that belies deep curiosity and broad listening experience, the episodes offer a global musical perspective and an exploration of the many brilliant facets of human creativity.

“Whether it’s a solo acoustic set by alt-country pioneer Rodney Crowell or horn-heavy dance music from Cuba’s Orquesta Akokan, ‘Soundcheck’ is not just about live music,” said Schaefer. “It’s about pulling aside the curtain to get a peek at the creative process: like getting to hear Carl Newman of the indie rock band The New Pornographers picking apart a Burt Bacharach tune to show how it broke all the rules of songwriting but still became a big hit. The show is as much about the artists and their stories as it is about the performances.”

“Soundcheck” will air on WNYC and wnyc.org on Saturdays at 8pm ET. Episodes will be available as a podcast after they air in the “Soundcheck” feed wherever you get your podcasts.

EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS:

Episode 1: Tank and the Bangas; Rodney Crowell (June 27)

The New Orleans band Tank and the Bangas have been public radio favorites since they won NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest in 2017. Since then, they’ve built their considerable reputation on their high octane, dance-ready blend of R&B, hip hop, spoken word and pop. The Grammy-winning band has some new songs to play for us from their latest album, “The Last Balloon.” After that, wewelcome Rodney Crowell into our studio, who helped create the genre known as alternative country. He’s written #1 hits for himself and artists like Bob Seger and Waylon Jennings, as well as collaborating with Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow and, most notably, Emmylou Harris. He joins us to tell some tales and give us a taste of his 2025 album “Airline Highway.” 

Episode 2: Horsegirl; Sullivan Fortner (July 4)

Music can be a serious business. But no one says, “I work music.” You play music. In this episode, discover two very different musical acts who understand the significance of having a playful streak. First, we welcome three best friends who formed the indie rock band Horsegirl when they were still in high school in Chicago; they play a couple of songs from their sophomore album, “Phonetics On and On.” Later, New Orleans-born, three-time Grammy-winning jazz pianist and composer Sullivan Fortner makes good use of our piano, performing some of his original music as well as a piece by Chopin in a way only he can.

Episode 3: Carminho; The New Pornographers (July 11)

What makes certain musical moments memorable? In the case of the Canadian indie rock band The New Pornographers, it’s a quarter of a century filled with inventive arrangements, power pop melodies, and striking lyrics that feel both abstract and relatable. And in the case of Portuguese fado singer Carminho, it’s a single, show-stopping moment in the film “Poor Things,” where all the action stops as she sings an aching song from atop a balcony. On this edition of Soundcheck, The New Pornographers play some tracks from their latest record “The Former Site Of,” while Carminho breathes new life into songs from her album, titled “Eu Vou Morrer de Amor ou Resistir: ‘I’ll die of love, or I’ll resist.’”

Episode 4: The O’Farrill Family Band; Michael Winograd (July 18)

New York’s history as a city of immigrants has had a huge impact on music. Six-time Grammy-winning pianist Arturo O’Farrillfollows in the footsteps of his father, Chico O’Farrill, a pioneer of the Afro-Cuban jazz that developed in NY in the 1940s. Now, Arturo O’Farrill often collaborates with his own sons, trumpeter Adam O’Farrill and drummer Zack O’Farrill, in both Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and The O’Farrill Family Band. The latter group comes together to play music from all three generations in our studio. After that, another New York-based musician, clarinetist Michael Winograd and his all-star band, recreates a pivotal moment in the history of klezmer and jazz music, honoring the traditions of an earlier group of musical immigrants, the Jewish people of Eastern Europe.  

Episode 5: Julieta Venegas; Marilina Bertoldi (July 25)

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.

Episode 6: Meklit; The Bad Plus (August 1)

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.