Music

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new two-disc set of historical recordings of the theater music of Kurt Weill: "From Berlin to Broadway," (Pearl Records)

Record producer Nick Venet. He has produced more than 300 albums in his career and has collected numerous Grammy nominations and awards. He is co-producer of a new Bobby Darin box set (Rhino). Venet was also Darin's producer and friend.

World Music critic Milo Miles comments on his three favorite Latin releases of the last few months.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg discusses Gerry Mulligan, jazz, and the use of the world cool.

Part Two of Rock historian Ed Ward's piece on the burgeoning Austin, Texas music scene. The SXSW (South by Southwest Music & Media Conference) is meeting at the Austin convention Center March 13-17.

Rock historian Ed Ward on the burgeoning Austin, Texas music scene. The SXSW (South by Southwest Music & Media Conference) is meeting at the Austin convention Center March 13-17.

Poet, musician Dave Alvin, is best known for his songwriting and guitar playing for the Blasters and the influential punk band X, as well as his solo career. He has a new collection of his poems and writings called, "Any Rough Times Are Now Behind You,"(Incommunicado)

Veteran music businessman Bill Alder, and poet Bob Holman are partners of Mouth Almighty Records which is distributing the condensed soundtrack of the PBS series, "The United States of Poetry", a MTV version of the spoken words featuring everything from rappers to beat poets. (the label Mouth Almighty, is distributed by Mercury Records, in New York, 212-333-8000)

British musician Sting was the bassist and lead singer for the Police, which from 1978 to 84 produced a creative and popular blend of jazz and rock. Since beginning his solo career in 1982, Sting has released six albums. His latest "Mercury Falling," is scheduled for release in the United Sates on March 12.

Cultural critic Greil Marcus. He is the author of "The Dustbin of History" (Harvard University Press) about the history embedded in cultural moments. He'll talk with Terry about one of the essays in the book about the song, "Too Soon to Tell," written by Deborah Chessler and recorded by the Orioles in 1948.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews Volume 1 of a series called "Keyboard Wizards of the Gershwin Era" featuring pianist Pauline Alpert (Pearl label).

Ramblin' Jack Elliott is a folk singer who has hopped freights, hitched cross-country, competed in rodeos, toured with Woody Guthrie, and influenced a young Bob Dylan. He's been singing since the late 1940's. He has his first studio album in over twenty-five years, "South Coast." (Red House Records, P.O. Box 4044, St. Paul, MN 55104 1-800-695-4687). (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews a debut album by two Japanese women from the Lower East side of Manhattan, "Viva! La Woman" by Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda. The name of their duo is Cibo Matto.

Singer/songwriter Bonnie Raitt. Her newest release is her first live album, "Road Tested," (Capitol). It's been nominated for a Grammy. But today, Raitt is on Fresh Air to talk about the musicians and performers that inspired her. She'll play recordings by such blues artists as B.B. King, Mississippi Fred McDowell, and Sippie Wallace. Raitt recorded one of McDowell's songs on her new album.

Music critic Milo Miles comments on the final tour of the Ramones. After the tour the group is disbanding. Also an excerpt of a 09/08/1988 interview with Joey Ramone.

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Dennis Brennan. His new album is "Jack-In-The-Pulpit" (Upstart Records). Brennan names Barry & the Remains, Howlin' Wold, Buck Owens, Otis Redding, and the Stones as his influences. Brennan is from Boston and a review in The Boston Globe calls him "one of the city's foremost melodic-rock songwriters. He has a raw survivor's voice, but he delves under the skin like Elvis Costello. . .then rocks with the populist abandon of Bruce Springsteen and the Stones."

Anthropologist Elizabeth McAlister is an expert on Haitian Vodou and she's studied Haitian Vodou in Brooklyn and in Haiti. She's compiled a new album of sacred and ceremonial music recorded in Haiti and in New York, "Rhythms of Rapture" and contributed to a new book "Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou." (Smithsonian Folkways).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Aimee Mann's new release, "I'm with Stupid."

Nancy Sinatra daughter of Frank Sinatra. She's recorded a few hits of her own including "These Boots are Made for Walking," and "Something Stupid," the duet she recorded with her father. Nancy Sinatra has written a book about her father, Frank Sinatra: An American Legend (General Publishing Group). Nancy Sinatra has a new album too, (her first in 20 years) "One More Time." (Cougar records). (WE AIRED PART OF HER INTERVIEW 12/12/95 ON THE OCCASION OF HER FATHER'S 80TH BIRTHDAY.)

We remember band leader and composer Mercer Ellington, the son of Duke Ellington. He perpetuated the big band tradition his father made famous as head of the Duke Ellington Band. When he was a young man, Mercer Ellington had hoped to break into his father's band on the saxophone. But after years of frustration, he could see that he would never crack the legendary Ellington reed section. He finally was accepted as a trombone player and later played french horn and trumpet. With the death of his father in 1974, Mercer Ellington took over his father's orchestra.