Music

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Blue Moon Swamp" (Warner), the first solo album by John Fogerty in ten years.

Earlier this year, 75 year old South Carolina resident Mary Moran had the unique opportunity to go to Sierra Leone with other members of her family. Moran's mother had taught her a song in an African language which had been in the family since an ancestor had been brought over from Africa two hundred years ago. In 1989, through the efforts of anthropologist Joseph Opala and ethnomusicologist Cynthia Schmidt, it had been discovered that this song, composed in the Mende language, was still sung by certain villagers in Sierra Leone.

Michael Hashim talks about and and shares a recent recording of a rare and newly discovered composition of Billy Strayhorn "Up There." The composition had previously been recorded as the tune "Skippy." Strayhorn was best known for his collaborations with Duke Ellington.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Dig Me Out" by the rock band from Olympia, Washington called Sleater-Kinney.

Music critic Milo Miles reviews Capitol Records' "Ultra Lounge" reissue series.

Rock historian Ed Ward looks at how drinking has been portrayed in R&B music over the years.

Rap vocalist Darryl McDaniels of RUN-DMC talks about the group's success. McDaniels is the "DMC" of the group. They were the first rap group to earn gold, platinum and multi-platinum albums. Their most recent album is "Down with The King" released in 1994. But RUN-DMC is expected to release their next album later this year. The group is credited with bringing new fashions, new dances, and new language to popular culture.

In honor of Fresh Air's 10th anniversary as a national show, musician Dave Frishberg performs an original song, commissioned by the show's staff.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One" (Matador) the new recording by the band Yo La Tengo.

Composer Alf Clausen is the man behind the music of "The Simpsons." There's a new compliation CD of music from the animated cartoon TV series, "The Simpsons: Songs in the Key of Springfield" (Rhino).

Ken Tucker reviews the newest CD "Middle of Nowhere" by the group Hanson. They're a trio of teenage brothers with strong pop sensibility.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews Abbey Lincoln's new release " Who Used to Dance." Lincoln is now in her 60s.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the Chemical Brothers' newest CD "Dig Your Own Hole."

Rock historian Ed Ward profiles Bob Wills, who helped define the western swing sound while in the band The Texas Playboys.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the reissue collection "Lee Konitz meets Jimmy Giuffre" (Verve).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "So Long So Wrong," the new album by Allison Krauss and her band Union Station.

Critic Milo Miles remembers singer/songwriter Laura Nyro, who died this week.

Critic Milo Miles considers the music made by reggae's cult figure Lee Perry and England's producer Mad Professor: "Who Put the Voodoo 'Pon Reggae" and "Dub Take the Voodoo Out of Reggae" (both on the RAS label).

Tucker became a star at 13 years old with the chart-topping song "Delta Dawn." Since then she has had countless other hit songs, grammy nominations, and in 1991 was voted the Country Music Association's Female Vocalist of the Year. But her success has not been without it's low points, such as problems with drug and alcohol abuse and controversy over the "mature" lyrics she sang as a teenager.

Critic Milo Miles reviews "I Can't Lose" (Blind Pig label), the new recording of blues singer, guitarist and songwriter Deborah Coleman.