Tribute/Appreciation

McKay's Normal as Blueberry Pie is "eccentric yet utterly disarming," says rock critic Ken Tucker. McKay's admiration for Doris Day isn't really a surprise — both artists are cheerful and underrated — and on this album the two seem like "sisters in bright-eyed intelligence."

Fresh Air's jazz critic reviews Mark Miller's High Hat, Trumpet, and Rhythm: The Life and Music of Valaida Snow. It's a biography of jazz singer and musician Valaida Snow, aka "Little Louis."

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead pays tribute to Fats Waller on the centennial of his birth, and reviews Fats Waller: The Centennial Collection, a CD and DVD.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews Teresa Sterne: A Portrait (Nonesuch) a tribute album to Teresa Sterne, a musical prodigy who took over Nonesuch Records in the early 60s and turned it into the respected label it is today. Sterne died last December of Lou Gehrigs disease.

Miles remembers Czech musician Milan Hlavsa leader of the band The Plastic People of the Universe. He died on Jan 5th from cancer.

Rock Critic Ken Tucker reviews two new collections of singer Ted Hawkins who died three years ago at the age of 59. "The Ted Hawkins Story: Suffer No More" Rhino Records and "Ted Hawkins: The Final Tour" Evidence Records.

Rock historian Ed Ward remembers The Velvet Underground. Andy Warhol produced their first album in 1966.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new box-set of film music by Italian composer Ennio Morricone, "A Fistful of Film Music" (Rhino).

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz pays tribute to the late mezzo-soprano Jan DeGaetani (DEE-guy-tahny). DeGaetani died last September; Lloyd reviews her last album, just released by Bridge records. It contains works by Berlioz and Mahler.

Television critic David Bianculli has an appreciation of "Saturday Night Live." The ground-breaking comedy show is celebrating its 15th anniversary.