Music

Conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein would have been 75 today: classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz is a converted fan after hearing the Haydn portion of Sony's new "Royal Edition" of Bernstein performances, complete in 100 compact discs.

Book critic John Leonard reviews "The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf," by Kathryn Davis.

Rock historian Ed Ward shares some of the lesser known works from the Motown label.

World music commentator Milo Miles tells us about the tango music of Julio de Caro. He and his band set the standard for tango music in Buenos Aires in the 20's, and his music has just been reissued on the Spanish El Bandoneon label.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new CD of Maria Timo performing the sonatas of Mozart's contemporary, Muzio Clementi.

Cuban-born saxophonist and composer, Paquito D'Rivera. D'RIivera defected to the United States in 1980 during a concert tour. Like his mentor, Dizzy Gillespie, D'RIVERA is a tireless performer and purveyor of Latin jazz. His "Reunion" album (Messidor), recorded with trumpeter Arturo Sandoval was called a "high speed tour of the Pan-American musical map." For his newest record D'RIVERA gathered 23 of the top Cuban musicians from around the world: "Paquito D'Rivera Presents 40 Years of Cuban Jam Session"

Chicago-based blues guitarist Buddy Guy. Eric Clapton has called his "by far and without a doubt the best guitar player alive." Guy was born in Louisiana, son of a sharecropper. He moved to Chicago in the late fifties and played with all the greats...including Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Junior Wells. Guy's now having a comeback. Guy has a new album, "Feels Like Rain." (Silvertone), which follows his Grammy-winning release, "Damn Right I've Got the Blues."

Rock and roll critic Dave Marsh talks about the song "Louie, Louie". He's written a book about it called, "Louie, Louie: The History and Mythology of the World's Most Famous Rock 'n' Roll Song: Including the Full Details of Its Torture and Persecution at the Hands of the Kingsmen, J. Edgar Hoover's F.B.I., and a Cast of Millions; and Introducing, for the First Time Anywhere, the Actual Dirty Lyrics." (Hyperion) The song was written by Richard Berry in 1957...as a tale of a lovesick Jamaican sailor.

Ed Ward on saxophone solos.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the original cast recording for Roger & Hammerstein's "South Pacific." (on Sony).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Sons of Soul," the new hip-hop album by Tony Toni Tone.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new release by U2, "Zooropa," (Island Records).

The man known as "the King of the Surf Guitar," Dick Dale. He launched surf rock in 1960 with his band, the Deltones. He described the surf sound in a 1963 article as "a heavy staccato sound on the low-key guitar strings, with a heavy throbbing beat--like thunder, or waves breaking over you." It's also played loud and with plenty of reverb. Dale defined the California sound, and influenced The Ventures, The Beachboys, and Jan and Dean. He also influenced later groups like Sonic Youth.

Chubby Checker got the credit for "The Twist," but the real credit goes to Hank Ballard who wrote the song and recorded it first (with the Midnighters') in 1958. Balalrd was a notorious figure in the early days of rhythm and blues. His song "Work with me Annie," was considered too lewd for many stations to play. Anyway, Ballard gets the credit for "The Twist," in a new documentary, "Twist" by film maker Ron Mann. Terry talks with both Hank Ballard and Ron Mann.

Rock historian Ed Ward discusses a record collection that "changed his life," "The Anthology of American Folk Music."

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews a new album by Liz Phair, "Exile in Guyville" (Matador records).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the original cast recording of the Broadway show "The Who's Tommy."

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a 2-CD reissue of trumpeter Don Cherry's albums recorded for Blue Note in the 1960's.

Musician and record producer, Ron Levy. He was asked to played in B.B. King's band, when he was just out of high school. He went on to form "Ron Levy's Wild Kingdom, and recorded with the "luminaries" of the late seventies blue wave revival: Kim Wilson and Jimmie Vaughan and others. He started producing for Rounder Records and ended up working with old blues legends on Rounder's Blues label. Levy has long championed the Hammond B-3 organ which has come back into vogue. And he has a new Wild Kingdom release, "B-3, Blues and Grooves." (Rounder).

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a number of new recordings conducted by composer Pierre Boulez (Boo-LEZZ). Three new discs of Stravinsky, Bartok, and Debussy (on Deutsche Grammophon). The Erato label has a new recording, and so does Sony (Boulez's greatest hits).