Music

Rock historian Ed Ward profiles blues harmonica player, Sonny Boy Williamson.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews two new Angel recordings featuring British conductor Roger Norrington. Norrington is known for his use of original instruments. The albums feature music from the 19th century by Schubert, Mendelssohn, Weber, Wagner, and Berlioz.

Musician and actor John Lurie. He appeared in Jim Jarmusch's off-beat films "Down By Law," and "Stranger Than Paradise." Lurie also scored the music for these films, and he performs and records with his group, The Lounge Lizards. Lurie has a new album, Voice of Chunk, which he produced and is marketing himself through TV ads and an 800 number.

A stereo concert with Brave Combo The quartet founded the "nuclear polka" movement, and on their latest album, "Humansville" (Rounder Records), they continue their global exploration of musical styles.

Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new CD featuring Carmen McRae. It's "Carmen Sings Monk" on the BMG/RCA label. The recording is a first: no other performer has been permitted to record the lyrics to Monks' songs. McRae got special permission from the Monk family. The CD also features the late saxophonist Carlie Rouse.

World music commentator Milo Miles reviews the album "Jali Roll." He says it's an ambitious effort involving African folk musicians playing a traditional instrument called the kora, and members of the English group 3 Mustaphas 3. (Three-MUS-TAUF-us-Three).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews what he thinks are some of the best new albums on independent labels...The Spanic Boys' debut album on Rounder Records and Ben Vaughn's new album on Enigma, "Dressed in Black."

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz has a review of a new recording of composer Paul Hindemith conducting his own works with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. The composer died in 1963 and these recordings are live recordings from the archives of his Orchestra. (on the Orfeo label)

Rock historian Ed Ward plays us some tracks from the "Million Dollar Quartet" sessions. It was an early 60s recording date at the Sun Studios in Memphis, featuring Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash.

Musicians Tom and Ian Spanic. Together, the pair form the rock and roll band, The Spanic Boys. The band plays a country-twang influenced type of rock and they just released their first album, also called "The Spanic Boys." It's on Rounder Records.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "Jumpworld," the new album from jazz singer Cassandra Wilson. It's on JMT records.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a never-before-released recording of two Kurt Weill pieces...."The Lindbergh Flight," a collaboration with Bertolt Brecht, and "The Ballad of the Magna Carta," with a text by Maxwell Anderson.

Milo Miles looks at the career of Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango.

A combination concert and interview with pianist and composer Joel Forrester. Forrester is co-founder of the quirky jazz group, The Microscopic Septet.

Rock historian Ed Ward concludes his two part look at the early days of singer Little Richard.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "The Best of Teo Macero," a reissue of Macero's so-called "third stream" work from the 50s. It's on Stash records.

Rock historian Ed Ward begins a two-part profile on Little Richard. This week he tells us about Little Richard's early years, when he had more ambition than success and was still trying to make his mark in the music world.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new release of works by 20th century composer Leon Kirchner. Lloyd say Kirchner has managed to fuse the two major influences of 20th-century classical music, Schoenberg and Stravinsky. (the album's on the Elektra/Nonesuch label).

Jazz tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon was one of the creators of bop and one of the most influential players of the 1940s and 1950s. Gordon received a Best Actor Academy Award nomination for his role in the 1986 film Round Midnight. He died this morning of kidney failure. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead joins the show to remember Gordon.

Writer and critic Nelson George. George is one of this county's most prominent chroniclers of black music. He's the black music editor at Billboard, is a columnist for Playboy, and regularly writes for the Village Voice and Essence. George was the editor of a new book called, "Stop the Violence," a collaboration of today's top rappers working to end black on black violence. George's earlier books include a history of Motown called "Where Did Our Love Go?" and "The Death of Rhythm and Blues."