Music

Rock critic Ken reviews the new album by Jennifer Warnes, The Hunter. In recent years, Warnes' found modest success with an album of Leonard Cohen songs and some film soundtrack work.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead tells us about the unethical practice by record producers of scavenging their vaults for unreleased music by deceased musicians. Two recent examples are "Doo-Bop," featuring Miles Davis, and "Youkali," a Jim Hall album featuring Chet Baker.

Rich got his start working with the Sun record label in the late 50s, writing tunes for Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash. From there he began making records himself. In the 70s his songs, "The Most Beautiful Girl," and "Behind Closed Doors," were big country-pop hits. During the 80s he dropped out of sight. But he has a new album now, "Pictures And Paintings," of jazz and blues standards.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews two new CDs of Beethoven Sonatas with Andrew Rangell on piano.

A concert and interview with Louisiana born singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams. She's joined by guitarist Gurf Morlix. Her influences include Bob Dylan, Delta Blues man, Robert Johnson, Van Morrison, and writers Flannery O'Connor and Eudora Welty. In the late 70s she made two obscure folk albums. But she didn't really find her own voice until 1988 when she produced her self-titled album. Her new record is called "Sweet Old World."

Jazz critic Kevin Whithead reviews the new reissue of the live recording "Jimmy Guiffre 3, 1961," which, contrary to the neo-traditionalism of artists like Wynton Marsalis, incorporates many classical and avant garde influences.

Adams plays keyboards in the cult band. They have a new album out called "Honest Dollar," which features some of the band's live recordings.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the record curated by Roseanne Cash, whose own contribution sets a high standard for the album.

World music critic Milo Miles surveys the work of Caetano Veloso. Miles says that, of the musician's many albums, each features both knockout songs and slow bores. But that doesn't diminish from his cultural impact -- and ever improving output.

Cage died yesterday at the age of 79. The New York Times wrote that Cage "started a revolution by proposing that composers could jettison the musical language that had evolved over the last seven centuries, and in doing so he opened the door to Minimalism, performance art and virtually every other branch of the musical avant-garde." His compositions include spoken texts, radios, toys and the sounds of vegetables being chopped. In honor of his passing, we present highlights of his 1982 interview with Terry Gross.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording by the Lydian String Quartet, featuring some of the late composer's chamber music.

Rock historian Ed Ward fills us in on the whereabouts of the eccentric musician Arthur Brown, known for his sole hit, "Fire." Brown just happens to live in the same Austin neighborhood as Ward.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews two new albums, one by the Black Crowes, and the other by the former drummer for the Replacements, Chris Mars. The Crowes can't break free from their 70s influences, but Mars uses his to shape something all his own.

Feuer co-produced the original "Guys & Dolls" on Broadway, which is currently in revival. He also produced 11 other Broadway musicals with Ernest Martin, including "Can-Can," "The Boyfriend," and "Silk Stockings." They also produced the film versions of "Cabaret," and "A Chorus Line."

When the hit rap song "The Message," by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, came out ten years ago, many rappers were inspired by its political message. Now "The New Message," an updated version has been released. Melle Mel was featured on both songs. He joins Fresh Air to talk about the direction of rap music today.

When he was 3 years old, Roach was taken from his Aboriginal family and placed with a white family, as part of an Australian assimilation program intended to dilute the aboriginal population. The policy, common practice until 1964, was neither publicized nor explained. At 14, he ran away to find his natural family, and spent ten years on the streets, mostly in Melbourne. He sang first for friends, and then was invited to sing in clubs and on radio. "Charcoal Lane," his acclaimed debut album, has just been released.

Joel Forrester, composer of Fresh Air's theme music, is back. Today he'll talk to Terry about writing music for different groups and ensembles.

The musician and composer will perform from his repertoire of avant garde polkas. He's played with the Brooklyn Philharmonic, the Kronos Quartet, has headlined the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Next Wave Series, and recorded several albums.

Pizzareli has played with musicians as diverse as Benny Goodman, Zoot Sims, Bud Freeman, Dionne and the Belmonts, as well as his son, John Pizzarelli. He peforms a few tunes for a live Fresh Air audience.