Music

George is one of this country's most prominent chroniclers of black music and culture. He was the black music editor at "Billboard" for seven years and is a regular columnist for the "Village Voice." His new book "Buppies, B-Boys, Baps and Bohos: Notes on Post-Soul Black Culture," is a collection of his writings about the last two decades in Black urban culture. George also edited the book, "Stop the Violence," a collaboration of top rappers working to end black-on-black violence.

Rock critic Ed Ward remembers the year that popular music began to diversify -- and made its way to television screens.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the new recording of ballads by the bebop trombonist, called "Vivian." It's on the Concord Jazz label.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews a new album by Guy Clark, "Boats to Build." Clark is a songwriter whose songs have been recorded by many other country artists -- but hasn't had so much success performing them himself.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews two recordings of works by the turn-of-the-century black British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.

Rock historian Ed Ward remembers the year 1973, which, upon further reflection, he concedes wasn't so bad after all.

Rock historian Ed Ward continues his look back at rock's evolution over the decades. In 1963, while the genre flourished in England, American audiences listened mostly to pop music -- some great, some not so much.

Rock historian Ed Ward remembers the R&B-fueled year which preceded the coming rock and roll revolution.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "Nocturne Parisian," by Graham Haynes, and "Overlays," by the Ned Rothenberg Double Band. They're both electric ensembles who work to bring new styles into the jazz tradition.

The L.A. based musician and performance artist fronted the punk-rock group, Black Flag. He's also the current leader of the Henry Rollins Band. His spoken word performances go back and forth between comedy and serious commentary. He has a new album of these performances, "Boxed Life," and a video, "Talking from the Box."

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews new CDs by two women artists who go beyond their country-singer label: "Everytime You Say Goodbye," by Allison Krauss, and "Culture Swing," by Tish Hinojosa.

Producer Roger Kendis, AKA the Invisible Man, of Noisy Neighbors Productions. He's here in Philadelphia, and he's put together a rap recording with clips from Clinton's speeches, called "It's About Hope."

In the late 1970s, Costello burst out of Britian's pop-music scene as an angry young-man with a fresh sound. On his new release, "The Juliet Letters," he works with the Brodsky Quartet. His new songs are based on a correspondence addressed to Juliet Capulet of "Romeo and Juliet."

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new reissue of the Budapest Quartet playing Mozart quartets and quintets.

World music critic Milo Miles reviews the music of Ivory Coast reggae star Alpha Blondy. Blondy's new album is "Masada."

Cahn died last Friday at the age of 79. We rebroadcast an interview Terry Gross recorded with him in 1985. Cahn wrote many of the songs that Frank Sinatra recorded, including Come Fly With Me, Teach Me Tonight and High Hopes. He also wrote the scores for many Broadway shows including Walking Happy and Skyscraper, and for the movies Come Blow Your Horn, Robin and the Seven Hoods, and A Pocketful of Miracles.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new release by singer/songwriter/poet Leonard Cohen.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new album by the avant-garde New York quintet, New and Used, called "Souvenir." It's on the Knitting Factory Label.

Terry talks with rock critic Ken Tucker about his list of favorite records from 1992 across genres.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new album by Freedy Johnston, a 31-year-old rock musician from Kansas, now based in Hoboken.