Music

Rock historian Ed Ward begins a 2-part retrospective on the work of Ray Charles, who celebrates 50 years in show business this year. Much of the music comes from "Ray Charles: Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection" (Rhino)

Saxophonist, guitarist, and musicologist Allen Lowe. He's the author of the book "American Pop: from Minstrel to Mojo: On Record 1893-1956" (Cadence Jazz Books) which is an examination of the roots of pop by way of recorded music.

Saxophonist Ravi Coltrane. He's the son of the legendary jazz musician John Coltrane, and was two years old when his father passed away. He's just completed his first album as band leader, "Moving Pictures" (RCA Victor)

Critic Milo Miles reviews Volume One of "Kurtis Blow Presents the History of Rap" (Rhino)

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Dig My Mood" (Upstart/Rounder) the new CD by Nick Lowe.

Journalist Bruce Feiler. His new book is a history of country music: "Dreaming out Loud: Garth Brooks, Wynonna Judd, Wade Hayes, and the Changing Face of Nashville (Avon Books). Feiler writes regularly about American music for The New York Times, The New Yorker, and other publications. He's also a frequent contributor to "All Things Considered."

Novelist Scott Spencer. His new book "The Rich Man's Table" (Knopf) is the story of a boy who discovers he is the illegitimate son of a legendary folk singer, a character said to be based on Bob Dylan. Spencer's previous novels include "Men in Black," and "Endless Love."

Singer Michael Stipe with the band R.E.M. He has a new book of photographs "Two Times Intro: On the Road with Patti Smith" (Little, Brown & Company)

Rock Critic Ken Tucker reviews Bonnie Raitt's latest album "Fundamental." Raitt has new record producers working with her. Instead of Don Was, Raitt is using Mitchell Froom and Chad Blake on "Fundamental." They are best known for their work with Suzanne Vega, Los Lobos and Richard Thompson.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews "Kurt Weill: from Berlin to Broadway, Vol. 2" (Pearl label) and other recordings of "Lady in the Dark" and "Berlin to Broadway" (on the Sony Masterworks Heritage label) as well as Lotte Lenya's "Berlin Theatre Songs" (also on Sony).

Rock historian Ed Ward on Moran Lee Boggs, otherwise known as Dock Boggs, who played banjo like a blues guitar in the 1920s. Boggs died in 1971. His recordings have been collected on a new CD "Dock Boggs: Country Blues" (Reventant label)

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "The Northeast Kingdome" (E-Squared/Warner) by Cheri Knight.

Music Critic Milo Miles talks about the renewed interest in Cuban music in the U.S.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Decksanddrumsandrockandroll" (Dreamworks) the new release by Propellerheads, a pair of musicians from England, making the latest electronic noise known as Big Beat.

We remember Linda McCartney, with an excerpt of her September 23, 1992 interview with Amy Salit. McCartney died Friday of cancer.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new release by the artist formerly known as Prince. It's a 4-CD set, "Crystal Ball." (on his own label)

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the long-awaited reissue of American soprano Helen Boatwright singing Charles Ives' compositions: "The Songs of Charles Ives and Ernst Bacon" (CRI Label)

Today is the 100th anniversary of the birth of the great African-American singer, actor and political activist Paul Robeson. Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews his recording of "Songs of Free Men" (Sony's Masterworks Heritage series).

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 Jessee and bassist Robert Sledge.

Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the new CD "Hubsongs" a new collection of Freddie Hubbard songs performed by Tim Hagans and Marcus Printup. It has been released on Capitol Records.