Music

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the latest release by Hootie and the Blowfish "Fairweather Johnson" (Atlantic)

French Composer Michel Legrand. He composed the score for the 1964 classic French film, " The Umbrellas of Cherbourg." In the film every bit of dialogue is sung to Legrand's music. The film has recently been restored; for years it was unavailable because no decent print existed.

Classical Music Critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the new two-cd set of a 1962 performance of the opera "Susannah." It features the legendary American soprano Phyllis Curtin. The cd set is available on the VAI label. Schwartz is Classical Music Editor of the Boston Phoenix.

World Music critic Milo Miles tells us about the concert he recently attended by the albino singer from Mali, Salif Keita. His new album is "Folon" on the Mango label.

Rock historian Ed Ward continues his series on the instruments of rock and roll. Today's installment: is the Saxophone.

Rock Critic Ken Tucker reviews the new album "The Score" by the hip-hop band the Fugees.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "Lighter" (Geestgronden label, dist. by BVHaast Records, Prinseneiland 99 1013 LN Amsterdam, Phone: 020 6239799, FAX 020 6243435) the new release by Dutch musician Guus Janssen (khoos YAHNsuh).

Rock historian Ed Ward continues his series on the instruments of rock and roll. Today's installment: the keyboards.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the long awaited reissue of Virgil Thomson's "Four Saints in Three Acts," (RCA Victor)

Part (3) of Rock Historian Ed Ward's series on the instruments of rock 'n roll. Today he tells us about the guitar.

Rock historian Ed Ward continues his look at the instruments of rock and roll. Today's installment: the bass.

Rock historian Ed Ward begins a series on the instruments of rock n' roll. Today's installment is drums.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "I Feel Alright" (Warner Bros) the latest release by country-rock artist Steve Earle.

Michael Cuscuna and Charlie Lourie are co-founders of Mosaic Records, a label committed to reissuing classic jazz recordings, many of them originally recorded by Blue Note. The two have also collaborated on the new book, "The Blue Note Years: The Jazz Photography of Francis Wolff," (Rizzoli International Publications). It includes 200 photographs taken by Francis Wolff from 1941-1965, who also co-founded the Blue Note label. Many of Wolff's photographs were used as Blue Note album covers.

Milo Miles reviews "Heart of the Congos" by The Congos. (Blood and Fire, USA--in L.A.)

Singer/songwriter Mark Eitzel is the former leader of American Music Club, which meshed blues, country, folk, R&B and post-punk rock. He's just released his first solo album, "60 Watt Silver Lining" (Warner Bros). He's backed by a jazz trio.

Mezzo-Soprano Lorraine Hunt. She appeared in Peter Sellars' productions of Handel and Mozart. Hunt has been called the "reigning Handel diva of our day." Hunt's Handel recordings can be found on the Harmonia Mundi label. Her latest is "Handel: Ariodante."

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the latest recording by mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt: "Handel's Ariodante" on the Harmonia Mundi label.

Rock historian Ed Ward on one of the forgotten heroines of rhythm and blues: Camille Howard. She played piano with Roy Milton and his sold Senders during the 1940s and 1950s. She also made a couple of hit recordings of her own. ("Camille Howard, Vol. 1: Rock Me Daddy" -- Speciality Records (Dist. by Fantasy, Berkeley, CA)

Rock critic Ken Tucker tells us about the latest British invasion: Spacehog (their new album is "Resident Alien"--Sire Records), Black Grape ("It's Great When You're Straight"--Radioactive Records) and Pulp ("Different Class"--Island Records).