Music

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Madonna's new release, "Erotica," and Prince's latest effort, who's title is a symbol blending the signs for male and female.

Actor and playwright Vernel Bagneris and pianist Morten Gunnar Larsen perform selections from their show, "Jelly Roll Morton: A Me-morial," with music written by Morton, and a script taken from Library of Congress tapes of Morton from 1938. The New Yorker calls it, "an experimental study, done within a traditional Broadway-musical framework, of the life and death of a black misanthrope. . . a psychomusical."

Classical music critic reviews a new reissue of recordings by the late contralto Kathleen Ferrier, compiled into a 10-CD box set.

In 1966, Young joined L.A. rock band Buffalo Springfield; they split up 3 albums later due to inter-band fighting and a lack of commercial success. He later joined Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, and pursued a solo career. After embracing a loud, grungy sound for years, he's recorded a new folk album, called "Harvest Moon."

Music critic Kevin Whitehead reviews Tony Bennett's new release, "Perfectly Frank," which features fresh interpretations of classic Sinatra songs.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording of the London Symphony Orchestra playing the composer's Adagietto, from his Fifth Symphony.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Us," the singer's new album. Tucker says it's a little too emotionally revealing, which comes across as insincere.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "The Art of Ike Quebec," a new reissue by the late tenor saxophonist Ike Quebec.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the singer's new album "99.9 F," which he says is a "welcome departure" for Vega.

Rock historian Ed Ward concludes his profile of the pop and soul record label, founded on a whim by Florence Greenberg.

Rock and roll historian Ed Ward gives us the first part of a two part history of Scepter Records, which--led by Florence Greenberg--discovered and produced the Shirelles and Dionne Warwick, and helped bring black music into the mainstream.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new box set of Cole Porter's music--which Schwartz says remains fresh all these years later.

Our rock historian Ed Ward has a profile of Sleepy John Estes. He was one of the trailblazers whose songs become American classics. After years of subsistence farming following his initial success, Estes was rediscovered, and made a good living playing in and around Chicago.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the song "Read My Lips" by the group A Thousand Points of Night -- which is actually musician and producer Don Was. The song samples President Bush making a number of contradictory statements.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the new CD, Tippecanoe & Tyler Too! It features political ballads and campaign songs from earlier in America's history.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviewed "Now & Now," the new, varied, and rambunctious album by the Myra Melford Trio.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Tom Wait's new album, "Bone Machine," which Tucker says brings a new freshness and humor to the singer and songwriter.

Fresh Air producer Amy Salit interviews Linda McCartney. She has a new book of photographs, "Linda McCartney's Sixties: Portrait of An Era." The book is a collection of photographs taken of rock groups and personalities from the decade. She's married to Beatles' bassist Paul McCartney.

Rock historian Ed Ward tells us about the infamous "riot" on Sunset Strip and how it galvanized and inspired Los Angeles bands.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new album and a reissue by singer Betty Carter.