Music

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Recorded in B-Flat Minor, the new album by the Danish musicians The Raveonettes.

Milo Miles reviews the new album from Carlos Guitarlos, Straight from the Heart.

He originated the staccato, three-finger banjo technique that became known as the "Scruggs style." He got his start playing with Bill Monroe's band in the 1940s, and then teamed up with guitarist Lester Flatt (fronting The Foggy Mountain Boys). The two penned and recorded the tune "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," which was used on the Bonnie and Clyde film soundtrack and was one of the first crossover hits of the genre. They also recorded "The Ballad of Jed Clampett," the theme song for the sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies. It topped the charts in 1962.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews It Still Moves, the new album from My Morning Jacket.

Musical legend Johnny Cash died today at the age of 71. We remember him with a rebroadcast of a 1997 interview with the singer and musician. Cash began recording albums and performing in the 1950s. Representing Cash's varied musical styles, he was inducted into the Songwriters, Country Music, and Rock and Roll halls of fame. Cash recorded over 1,500 songs in his career. Some of the most famous were "I Walk the Line," "Ring of Fire" and "A Boy Named Sue." Cash died of complications from diabetes.

Warren Zevon died Sunday of lung cancer at the age of 56. Rock critic Ken Tucker pays tribute.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews Extended Play — Live at Birdland, a new, live double album from the Dave Holland Quintet.

Music critic Milo Miles looks at the career of reggae greats Toots Hibbert and his band, the Maytals. The group's recent re-issues are Time Tough, Funky Kingston (Island Records) and Monkey Man (Trojan Records).

Pete Best was the drummer for The Beatles in their early days in Liverpool and Hamburg. His mother, Mona Best, was the owner of The Casbah Coffee Club in Liverpool. The various early incarnations of The Beatles played The Casbah more than 90 times. Best has just co-written a large-format book, The Beatles: The True Beginnings. Today he writes, records and tours with his own group, The Pete Best Band.

Kevin Whitehead reviews Thelonious Monk's classic 1962 album Criss Cross, recently reissued on Columbia Records.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Rabbit Songs by the group Hem.

Lloyd Schwartz talks about composer Jerome Moross, whose music included the popular theme music of "Wagon Train" and the song "Lazy Afternoon." He died in 1983. This month, he would have turned 100.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the self-titled album from singer songwriter Liz Phair.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews The Trouble With Being Myself, the new album from Macy Gray.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the long-awaited reissue of trombonist Rod Levitt's octet's first album: The Dynamic Sound Patterns of The Rod Levitt Orchestra.

Rock critic Ken Tucker concludes his look at the current pop-rock bands, with a look at the Brooklyn-based quartet High Strung. Their debut CD is These Are Good Times.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new compilation of Bob Hope's singing, Best of Bob Hope (Capitol).

Sun Studios founder Sam Phillips died today in Memphis at the age of 80. He was revered as one of the leading catalysts in post-World War II American music. As a record producer in the 1950s and 60s, his recordings launched the careers of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis, to name a few. This interview first aired September 15, 1997.

A conversation with music writer Peter Guralnick about the death of Sun Studios founder Sam Phillips. Guralnick is the author of a two volume biography of Elvis Presley: Last Train to Memphis and Careless Love.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews New Beginnings (MaxJazz) the new CD by trumpeter Terell Stafford.