Best of the Soundcheck Podcast 2024

The team behind the Soundcheck podcast series offers their favorite live performances from the WNYC studios this year: including Mexico City-based cellist, producer, and singer Mabe Fratti and her trio; Brazilian composer Amaro Freitas playing the piano's insides; and the soulful mambo of Cuba big band Orquesta Akokán. Plus, Norwegian punk cabaret sextet Kaizers Orchestra, Georgia singer and musician Lizz Wright, and Brooklyn-based Zelenaya with their Eastern European folk songs set to heavy metal (cough...nepotism on that last band...cough.)

Also, fiery roots music for everyone by American singer-songwriter Fantastic Negrito, multi-instrumentalist Shabaka's flute-based meditative spiritual jazz, and the saucy multi-instrumentalist Joan Wasser of Joan As Police Woman at the piano.

Playlist:

ARTIST: Kaizers Orchestra
WORK: Bøn Fra Helvete [1:01]
RECORDING: Live on Soundcheck, Oct. 2024
SOURCE:  This performance not commercially available. The song appears on the album, Ompa til du dør
INFO:  https://kaizers.no

ARTIST: Orquesta Akokán
WORK: Con Licensia [5:12]
RECORDING:  Live on Soundcheck, July 2024
SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. 
INFO:  https://www.orquestaakokan.com/

ARTIST: Fantastic Negrito
WORK: Son of a Broken Man [5:02]
RECORDING: Live on Soundcheck, Oct. 2024
SOURCE: This performance not commercially available.
INFO: https://www.fantasticnegrito.com/

ARTIST: Lizz Wright
WORK: Sparrow [6:31]
RECORDING: Live on Soundcheck, April 2024
SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. 
INFO: https://www.lizzwright.net   

ARTIST: Joan as Police Woman
WORK:  Lemons, Limes, and Orchids [5:55]
RECORDING: Live on Soundcheck, Sept. 2024
SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. 
INFO: https://www.joanaspolicewoman.com/  

ARTIST:  Shabaka
WORK: I’ll Do Whatever You Want [4:46]
RECORDING: Live on Soundcheck, May 2024
SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. 
INFO: https://www.shabakahutchings.com/#/

ARTIST: Mabe Fratti
WORK: Kravitz  [2:54]
RECORDING: Live on Soundcheck, Sept. 2024
SOURCE: This performance not commercially available. 
INFO:  https://tinangelrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sentir-que-no-sabes

ARTIST: Kaizers Orchestra
WORK: Bøn Fra Helvete [1:01]
RECORDING: Live on Soundcheck, Oct. 2024
SOURCE:  This performance not commercially available. The song appears on the album, Ompa til du dør
 INFO:  https://kaizers.no/

ARTIST: Zelenaya
WORK: Okro Mch’edelo [4:58]
RECORDING:  Live on Soundcheck, June 2024
SOURCE: This performance is not commercially available
INFO: https://zelenaya.bandcamp.com/album/folk-songs

ARTIST: Amaro Freitas
WORK: Danca do Martelos [1:48]
RECORDING: Live on Soundcheck, Oct. 2024
SOURCE: This performance is not commercially available.
INFO:https://amarofreitas.com