Music

Rather than shop around their works to established big bands, the New York Composers Orchestra founded their own ensemble. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead is impressed by their self-titled debut.

Near gained national attention when she joined Jane Fonda in antiwar protests. She joins Fresh Air to talk about developing her skills as a performer, her early acting career, and how she defines her sexuality. Her new memoir is called Fire in the Rain--Singer in the Storm.

In the 1950s, Elvis Presley encouraged Jackson to sing rockabilly. She was notable for writing and performing her own independent and forceful songs, says rock historian Ed Ward. Her sexual persona matched Presley's, but proved to be a detriment to her career -- so she returned to country music.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews two new country albums by women singers. Carlene Carter's I Fell in Love features her first hit song; Kelly Willis's Well Traveled Love showcases her rich voice. Both records are uneven but satisfying.

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.

Artists like Bonnie Raitt and Bob Dylan had hits with songs by John Hiatt. Despite Hiatt's success as a songwriter, he hasn't yet topped the charts as a performer. He joins Fresh Air to talk about his career, quitting drinking, and his new album, Stolen Moments.

Classical music critic reviews Creators' Records, which compiles historic recordings from 1877-1903 of legendary operas sung by the original performers.

Was is half of the rock group Was (Not Was). They have a new album called Are You Okay?. Was, who is white, has also become an in-demand producer who is heavily influenced by black music. He helped make Bonnie Raitt's comeback album, Nick of Time.

Vaughan recently died in a helicopter crash. Milo Miles joins Terry to discuss the late musician's legacy.

Fred Ho is a first-generation Chinese immigrant sax player who incorporates Asian melodies into his ensemble work. Carlo Actis Dato's music has a distinct Italian folk flare. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says their recent albums are irresistible.

Hidalgo and Perez's Los Angeles-based band fuses traditional Mexican music with more straightforward rock. Their new album is called The Neighborhood, which is inspired by the different cultural communities of their home city.

Rock critic Ken Tucker says that the album Graffiti Bridge, which is also the soundtrack for an upcoming film, is a return to form for the artist, with simple, straightforward songs with strong hooks.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz says Russell Sherman's performances of these compositions are both technically accomplished and narratively powerful. A new recording has been released by the Albany Records label.

The early rock singer had a few big hits in 1957. By 1959, after a series of flops, he was washed up. What followed included jail time for a drug-related crimes and, eventually, death by a gunshot wound that may have been self-inflicted. Rock historian Ed Ward has this profile.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead thinks there's nothing better than Duke Ellington's masterful compositions, arrangements, and performances. He reviews two new CDs he thinks are particularly excellent.

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.

Mark Halliday returns to Fresh Air to recite two of his poems, about families, nostalgia, music, and memory.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews two albums representative of the new, technology fueled variation on the classic Jamaican style. He says its accessibility may give reggae the larger audience it deserves.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording of "Flavio" on the Harmonia Mundi label. He says it's perhaps the best performance of the opera since Handel's own time.

Rock historian Ed Ward talks about how the city's music scene in the late '70s and early '80s incorporated rockabilly with bands like X, and Mexican traditions with Los Lobos.