Music

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Living With The Law," the new album from singer and songwriter Chris Whitley.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews two new Brahms recordings by the Boston Chamber Music Society. Lloyd says it's great music, and a great argument for chamber music written for something OTHER than string quartet. (The recordings are on Northeastern).

Television critic David Bianculli goes out on a limb, and reviews two live shows before they air..."Paul Simon Live in Central Park," which airs Thursday night on HBO, and "The Elvis Files," a syndicated show that tries to prove that Elvis Presley is still alive.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "Shadows 'N' Dreams," the new solo album by jazz pianist Dave McKenna. (It's on Concord).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Warm Your Heart." It's the first solo album in a decade from Aaron Neville, of the Neville Brothers. The album was produced by Linda Rondstadt.

Rock and roll historian Ed Ward looks back at the Gold Star recording studio and the summer of 1958, when a 17-year-old Phil Spector wrote his first hit.

World music commentator Milo Miles tells us about David Byrne's latest anthologies of world music--Cuba Classics.

Drummer Charlie Watts. For a quarter century, Watts has been the drummer for the rock band The Rolling Stones. Watts has also had a life-long love for jazz, particularly the jazz of Charlie Parker. Watts has put together a jazz combo that pays homage to Parker, called "From One Charlie," and he's written a kid's book about Parker, called "Ode to a Highflying Bird." (Both are published by UFO Records in England). (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new Impulse reissue of saxophonist Stanley Turrentine's album, "Let It Go." On that album Turrentine is accompanied by his wife, organist Shirley Scott.

It was 10 years ago today that MTV first debuted. Television critic David Bianculli looks back at the network's influence.

Pianist JOHNNIE JOHNSON. For nearly 30 years, Johnson was Chuck Berry's pianist. He played on all of Chuck's great hits, and he gained rock and roll immortality when Chuck Barry wrote the song "Johnnie B. Goode" about him. Now Johnnie Johnson has his own album, called "Johnnie B. Bad." (It's on Elektra/Nonesuch).

Jazz French horn player Willie Ruff. Ruff's new autobiography, "A Call to Assembly," chronicles his childhood in the South, his enlistment in the army in 1946, his gaining admission to Yale, and his decision to pass on a career in classical music and follow a life in jazz. (It's published by Viking).

Rock historian Ed Ward profiles English disc jockey John Peel.

A live concert with The Jolly Boys. They're a Jamaican band that plays a style of music called mento (It's the Jamaican analogue to calypso, and it paved the way for reggae and ska). The Jolly Boys have a new album on Rykodisc, called "Sunshine 'N' Water." The Jolly Boys include: Moses Deans on banjo, drummer and singer Allan Swymmer, Noel Howard on guitar, and Joseph Bennett on thumb piano.

Part two of our interview with Sonny Bono. Today, he talks about the Sonny and Cher years, their breakup, and his going on to be elected mayor of Palm Springs, California. Bono has a new autobiography, called "And The Beat Goes On" (published by Pocket Books).

The first of a two-part interview with Sonny Bono. Today, Bono discusses his early years in the record business, his work with Phil Specter, and his meeting Cher. Tomorrow, he talks about the Sonny and Cher years, their breakup, and his going on to be elected mayor of Palm Springs, California. Bono has a new autobiography, called "And The Beat Goes On" (published by Pocket Books).

Record producer and consultant Colin Escott. Escott's had a long association with Sun Records, the company responsible for many of the great acts from the dawn of rock and roll. Escott has a new book about Sun, called "Good Rockin' Tonight" (published by St. Martin's Press).

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording of Mozart piano sonatas by Yugoslavian pianist Dubravka Tomsic (TOM-sich).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Luck of the Draw," the new album from Bonnie Raitt. It's the follow-up to her hugely successful 1989 album, "Nick of Time."

Rock Historian Ed Ward reviews a 9-CD reissue from the old soul label Stax, the Memphis label that brought us Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, Sam and Dave, and Booker T and the MG's.