Music

Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood who are co-founders of the band "Fountains of Wayne". Their second album "Utopia Parkway" has just been released. (Atlantic) Anchored by the song writing team of Chris and Adam , the New York-based band released its debut album "Radiation Vibe" in late 1996. Now the Fountains are back with "Utopia Parkway," described as a concept album about teenage life in the "Greater Metropolitan Areas" outside of New York City.

Singer Mel Torme died Saturday at age 73 of complications from a stroke. We'll hear an interview Terry Gross did with Mel in 1988. For more than 50 years, Torme was one of most accomplished and versatile pop and jazz singers. Known for years as "The Velvet Fog," Born Melvin Howard Torme to Russian-Jewish immigrants in Chicago on Sept. 13, 1925, Torme first made his reputation in the Big Band era as a songwriter, arranger, drummer and singer. He later sang in MGM musicals.

World Music critic Milo Miles reviews a new 5-CD box set of modern Brazilian pop music, "Tropicalia 30 Anos" (Brazilian Polygram).

Singer, songwriter, pianist Ben Folds of the piano-bass-drum trio, Ben Folds Five. They're best known for their hit "Brick" a ballad about an abortion, in which the word "abortion" is never used. The band, from North Carolina, has been in existence since 1994. It includes drummer Darren Jesse and bassist Robert Sledge.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "The Ego Has Landed" the new solo CD by Robbie Williams.

Harry Warren's music publishing company, Four Jays Music, is now headed by his grand-daughter, Julia Riva. She talks about her grandfather and his music.

Today, as part of our series on American popular song, we continue our profile of Harry Warren (1893-1981), a successful but little known songwriter who produced a number of hits during the 1930's, 40's and 50's. Today in part two of our profile, we focus on Warren's songs of the 40's and 50's, including some of the most popular love ballads of the world war two years, one of Dean Martin's biggest hits, and the theme for a tv western.

Philip Furia is currently writing a book on Hollywood's musicals. He discusses the impact of Harry Warren on movie musicals. Furia is the author of The Poets of Tin Pan Alley, and Irving Berlin: A Life in Song. He is chair of the English department at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

The John Pizzarelli trio continues. Listen to the first segment with the John Pizzarelli Trio.

Philip Furia is currently writing a book on Hollywood's musicals. He discusses the impact of Harry Warren on movie musicals. FURIA is the author of "The Poets of Tin Pan Alley," "Irving Berlin: A Life in Song." He is chair of the English department at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

We continue with Philip Furia on Harry Warren's role in the evolution of the Hollywood musical in the 1930's.

We again feature The John Piazzarelli Trio discussing and performing several of Harry Warren's songs.

We feature The John Pizzarelli Trio discussing and performing several of Harry Warren's songs. The trio is John Pizzarelli, guitar and vocals, his brother Martin Pizzarelli bass; and Ray Kennedy, piano.

Harry Warren's music publishing company, Four Jays Music, is now headed by his grand-daughter, Julia Riva. She talks about her grandfather and his music.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new CD "The Hot Rock" by the trio Sleater-Kinney.

Commentator Milo Miles reviews the new album by Olivia Tremor Control, "Black Foliage: Animation Music." (Flydaddy, Inc) The record company says this about the new album. "Foliage is consumed with the exploration of dreams: hopes and longings, fears and phobias that we admit to only when we sleep. It is an attempt to turn our subconscious into music.

Minimalist composer Steve Reich. He's considered one of our foremost living composers. There's a new CD "Reich Remixed" (Nonesuch) a dance album in which American, British, and Japanese DJ's pay tribute to Reich, by sampling and reassembling his music. Reich will be the subject of this summer's Lincoln Center Festival. And Reich's "Triple Quartet" written for and performed by the Kronos Quartet, will have its world premiere on May 22nd at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

Today marks the Centennial of Fred Astaire's birthday. First, we'll hear from Will Friedwald on Astaire's singing ability. He says while Astaire didn't have the best voice, he was still wonderful to listen to. Friedwald is author of several books on Singers including: The Tony Bennett autobiography "The Good Life," "Sinatra! The Song is You: A Singer's Art," and "Jazz Singing :America's Great Voices from Bessie Smith to Bebop and Beyond"

Pianist Peter Mintun talks about how Fred Astaire's movies impacted his career. Mintun is considered one of today’s leading interpreters of popular songs composed between the two world wars which he calls classic melodies that transcend time.

Jazz pianist/composer Dave Brubeck. He turns 80 next year and has been recording for 50 years. There are several new collections of his work: "The Dave Brubeck Collection" (Columbia/Legacy) which reissues five of his classic out-of-print LPs, and "Dave Brubeck: Time Signature: A Career Retrospective"