Music

Terry Gross interviews Fresh Air jazz critic Kevin Whitehead. He's worked as a rock and restaurant critic. He believes he distinguishes himself by actively featuring artists outside the insular New York jazz scene. Whitehead is also a former seminarian, and a bassist who plays free improvised music.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz praises a new release of excerpts from Tchaikovsky's Christmas-themed suite, conducted by Yevgeney Mravinsky and performed by the Leningrad Symphony Orchestra. The CD also features what Schwartz says is one of the most powerful performances of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet ballet.

Rock historian Ed Ward says that, in order for rock and roll to survive, listeners must be wary of critics who exaggerate and sensationalize the past in order to sell books.

Aimee Mann fronts the rock group 'Til Tuesday. She wrote several of the songs on their record, Everything's Different Now, with her former partner Jules Shear. The band's drummer, Michael Hausman, joins the conversation.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead shares his favorite releases of the year -- which include three reissues of classic recordings.

TV critic David Bianulli says that the brief history of the Carpenters, particularly Karen Carpenter's death from anorexia nervosa, was tragic, but short on details to make a compelling biopic. With Carpenter's brother Richard serving as producer, the movie shies away from the truth, and ultimately falls flat.

Rock historian Ed Ward says that, despite their rebellious spirit, rock musicians have long been recording Christmas songs. He emembers some classic and oddball examples.

Jazz singer McCorkle returns to Fresh Air with pianist Lee Musiker and Dean Johnson for a special, in-studio Christmas concert.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews recent releases by Jesse Winchester and Guy Clark, two country songwriters who are popular with critics, but who haven't yet found mainstream success. Tucker says Winchester's album leans toward new age, while Guy Clark's work may have more in common with folk than country.

Anderson's music showcases both his technical prowess and sense of humor. As a teenage musician, he never thought he would make a career on trombone; it wasn't until he stopped playing that he realized how central music was to his life. His new album is called Blue Bred in the Bone.

There has been a spate of new recordings of Broadway musicals. Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz says that a new CD release of Show Boat is the best of the bunch, in part because of how it addresses race relations in way that's still relevant today.

Fresh Air performer-in-residence, born Malcom Rebennack, plays some of the blues songs that influenced his own music.

New Fresh Air performer-in-residence Dr. John performs a few of his favorite Hoagy Carmichael songs.

Rock critic Ken Tucker says the recent crop of comedy albums has the chaotic, aggressive spirit of rock music. They don't have the same structure and allure as LPs from the 60s and 70s, but new CDs from Sam Kinison, Will Durst, and Dennis Miller are worth checking out at least once.

The experimental composer, who just celebrated his 80th birthday, has largely abandoned conventional technique in his recent work. But after listening back to some of Carter's earlier songs, classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz says he can hear traces of melody in his more difficult pieces.

The songwriting team of David and Don Was comprise the dance rock band Was (Not Was). The brothers arrange and perform the songs, but feature a rotating lineup of vocalists to sing them. Their newest album is called What Up, Dog.

Songwriters Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller formed the 1950s band The Coasters as a vehicle for some of their goofier work. Rock historian Ed Ward says they were some of the first to recognize the importance of rock music to teenagers.

Harnick collaborated with composer Jerry Bock on hit musicals like Fiorello! and Fiddler on the Roof. One of their earlier works, She Loves Me, has found newfound success; the original cast album has just been reissued on CD.

Trumpeter Jack Walrath played with Charles Mingus, and now leads his own band in the new album Wholly Trinity. Kevin Whitehead says the record is filled filled with variety and humor, and is Walrath's best yet.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews new albums by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Little Feat. He says the former band's latest effort is dreadful, while Little Feat's Let It Roll stakes out new musical territory while retaining the group's original spirit.