Music

We remember bluesman, songwriter and pianist Charles Brown. He died yesterday from congestive heart failure. (REBROADCAST from 6/22/89)

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Beck's new CD "Mutations." Bong Load records.

Country music singer Ray Price He was a close friend and protege of Hank Williams. Price's hits include "Talk to Your Heart," "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes," "I'll be There," "Crazy Arms," "For the Good Times," and more. In 1996 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. His latest album is "Ray Price: The Other Woman" (Koch).

We remember Jamie Hammerstein, Broadway producer, director and son of composer Oscar Hammerstein. He died last week at the age of 67 from a heart attack. (REBROADCAST from 3/14/95)

Rock historian Ed Ward remembers the record label, Red bird, founded by songwriters and producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Their hits included "Chapel of Love," and "Leader of the Pack."

Music writer Peter Guralnick has written volume two of his biography of Elvis Presley. "Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley." (Little, Brown and Company). Part One of his biography is, "Last Train to Memphis."

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "Sunset and the Mockingbird:The Birthday Concert" by pianist Tommy Flanagan on Blue Note.

Critic Milo Miles reviews "Bloque" (pronounced, "Blow-K") from Colombia(Lukabob/WArner).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Fool's Parade" by Peter Wolf.

Musician and singer Peter Wolf. He's the former lead singer with the J. Geils Band which he was with for 17 years. He's been a solo artist for a while. On his latest CD "Fool's Parade" (Mercury) he's incorporated the Memphis sound.

First violinist Arnold Steinhardt is one of the founding members of the Guarneri (Gwa-NAIR-ee) String Quartet, which has been playing together for 35 years. He's written a new memoir, "Indivisible by Four: A String Quartet in Pursuit of Harmony" (Farrar Straus & Giroux). The Quartet is considered to be one of the finest string quartets performing today.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new two-cd set of Stephen Sondheim's "Follies"

The Fresh Air rock critic gives his picks for the best albums of the year. Tucker is critic-at-large for Entertainment Weekly.

Musicians Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello join us to talk about their new collaborative album, "Painted From Memory." (Mercury) The two have been working together for nearly two years, beginning with the Grammy-nominated single "God Give Me Strength" (from the film "Grace of my Heart"), included on this album. Singer-songwriter Elvis Costello has recorded over 17 albums in his 25 year career. Composer Burt Bachrach is said to have revolutionized the sound of the sixties, with dozens of top ten hits, several Grammys and Academy Awards.

Rhino Records has just released "Guilty: 30 Years of Randy Newman." a new four CD box set that includes an entire disc of Newman's previously unreleased tracks. Newman's most popular songs include "Short People" and "I Love L-A." He's also written music for the films, "Ragtime," "The Natural," and "Toy Story," among many others.

Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews Burt Bacharach's new collection, "The Look of Love."

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews two recent recordings by the German singer Thomas Quasthoff of Mozart and Schubert (both on RCA Red Seal).

Cooper helped popularize the Hammond B3 organ as part of rock music, performing on recordings of Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, and The Who. He was a member of the legendary Blues Project, and later founded the group Blood Sweat & Tears. Now he teaches at The Berklee College of Music in Boston, and writes a monthly column for EQ Magazine. His autobiography, "Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards: Memoirs of a Rock 'n Roll Survivor" (Billboard Books) which was first published in 1977 has just been updated and reissued.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews "Hear My Prayer: Choral Music of the English Romantics" (on the Chicago label, Cedille).

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the new Miles Davis reissue, "The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions."