You don't have to be the son of a jazz singer to recognize the voice of a loved one as music, made up of sounds so basic to our understanding that they precede language. And yet our digital devices strip much of that away, trading intimacy for efficiency. But what is the essential part of our voices, and what isn’t? Guests include: jazz singer (and Damon's mom) Nancy Harrow, Roman Mars of 99% Invisible, and musicologist Gary Tomlinson.

This is the third episode of Ways of Hearing, a six-part podcast hosted by musician Damon Krukowski (Galaxie 500, Damon & Naomi), exploring the nature of listening in our digital world.

Credits: Produced by Damon Krukowski, Max Larkin and Ian Coss. Written and hosted by Damon Krukowski. Sound design by Ian Coss. Executive Producer is Julie Shapiro. Showcase is a production of Radiotopia from PRX.