Music

World music commentator Milo Miles turns to one of the newest countries in the world, Mozambique and discovers a local band called Eyuphuro. Their new CD, Mama Mosambiki is polished, with a skillful blend of acoustic and electric instruments, and a strong feminist message.

Greg Ford and Hal Willner produced of a new album of live, orchestral performances of the composer's music, which helped defined the the classic Warner Bros. cartoons.

Badalamenti composed the music for David Lynch's Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, and Wild at Heart. Before writing film scores, he had a workaday musician's life, arranging and playing piano in bands.

Esteban "Steve" Jordan grew up partially blind in a poor family in Texas. Also known as El Parche, he became an accomplished accordionist playing conjunto and other regional styles. World music critic Milo Miles has this profile.

After a government decree that Indonesian musicians reject Western music and focus on local traditions, a new style emerged, called Jaipongan. It combines gamelan rhythms, a charismatic woman singer, and melancholy lyrics about jilted lovers. World music critic Milo Miles reviews two CDs featuring vocalist Euis Komariah.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the music featured in Days of Thunder, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, and Dick Tracy. Whatever you may think of the movies, each soundtrack album has at least a few gems.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz says the one downside of the current crop of Broadway CDs is that few releases feature excellent singers. A reissue of the once-rare Mary Martin Sings, Richard Rodgers Plays is a noteworthy exception.

World music critic Milo Miles returns to Fresh Air to discuss another popular genre from Trinidad and Tobago, called soca, which brought a faster, more danceable feel to calypso.

Troxel founded the Olympia-based vocal group with Gretchen Christopher and Barbara Ellis in the late-1950s. The Fleetwoods have a new best-of CD on Rhino Records.

Fresh Air Terry Gross's most pressing question for the blues and gospel group is, Why hasn't she heard of them before? For over twenty years, the real life brothers Sherman and Wendell, along with bandmate Popsy Dixon, have performed soulful, vocal-driven music. Their new album is called In the Spirit.