Music

Fresh Air Classical Music Critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording of Puccini’s Il Trittico (ill TRIT-I-co). Schwartz says this group of one-act operas contains some of Puccini’s best music.

Singer/Songwriter Marshall Crenshaw. He will talk about and sing songs from his new CD, “No. 447.” Crenshaw has been writing, recording and performing his songs for some 20 years. “No. 447” is his 10 th album. Singer/Songwriter Marshall Crenshaw. He will talk about and sing songs from his new CD, “No. 447.” Crenshaw has been writing, recording and performing his songs for some 20 years. “No. 447” is his 10 th album.

Fresh Air Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the Marcus Roberts Trio CD "In Honor of Duke."

Fresh Air rock critic Ken Tucker gives us HIS ten best list for the year 1999, and then picks the recordings from the century he'd take with him If he were stranded on a desert Island.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz tells us what music he most wants to remember from the 20th Century. His selections come from the new box set “Stravinsky REV: Conducting Stravinsky” (Sony), The Dvorak Cello Concerto with Pablo Casals (EMI Reference disc), Joseph Szigeti’s Prokofiev Concerto (Pearl), Artur Schnabel on a currently out-of-print Schubert CD (Arabesque). And Maria Callas’s recordings (EMI)

Curtis Mayfield, the great soul singer and songwriter, died yesterday at the age of 57. We'll remember him with a 1993 interview. (3/23/1993)

Classical Music Critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the new John Harbison opera, The Great Gatsby, based on the book by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

We feature an interview with singer/Hollywood legend Rosemary Clooney. She will talk about her life as a singer and performer. We will also listen to songs from throughout her career. Her new autobiography, called Girl Singer, reads like a who's who from the golden age of Hollywood. She has also released a CD companion to the book. Its called Songs from the Girl Singer.

From the band the Continental Drifters: singer/songwriters Vicki Peterson (formerly of the Bangles), Peter Holsapple (of the dBs) and his wife Susan Cowsill (formerly of the Cowsills). They've just released their second album, "Vermillion" (Razor and Tie label). They performed earlier this month in New York at a concert called "The Songs of the Century." They play and talk about some of their picks for the greatest songs.

Singer-songwriter Marshall Crenshaw performs some of the songs he did at the same Songs of the Century concert.

Rock historian Ed Ward with part two of his look at Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band. There's a new anthology of their work, "Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band" (Warner archives/Rhino).

Rock historian Ed Ward takes a look at the early years of the band that was alternative 30 years ago, "Captain Beefhart and His Magic Band."

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "The Sweetest Punch" (Decca) guitarist Bill Frisell's new CD featuring the music of Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach, and featuring Elvis Costello himself.

Film historian Rudy Behlmer on the making of "King Kong." The original movie soundtrack for the 1933 classic film has just been reissued on CD. (Rhino) The film was directed by documentarians Merian C. Cooper and Ernest Schoedsack who also worked together on the groundbreaking documentaries, "Grass" and "Chang." The score was by Max Steiner. Behlmer wrote the liner notes for the the new CD. He's also the author of "Behind the Scenes."

Rock Critic Ken Tucker reviews Midnight Vultures, the new CD from Beck.

World music critic Milo Miles reviews "Luzia" (blue thumb label) the latest release by flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia.

Rock historian Ed Ward reviews "Meat Puppets: Up On the Sun" (Rykodisc) one of several early albums by the Meat Puppets that's being reissued.

Pop critic Ken Tucker reviews "The Fragile" a new double CD by the hard-rock group Nine Inch Nails.

We remember Tex-Mex rocker Doug Sahm. For many, he was best known for his stint with the Sir Douglas Quintet, a group of Texans and Mexicans who were packaged to look like a British Invasion band. Sahm had played a variety of styles since, including Tex-Mex, blues, rhythm and blues, rock. Sahm died last week. (Rebroadcast from 9/7/89)

1999 also marks the centennial of Duke Ellington's birth. Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews four notable reissued recordings of Ellington's featured sidemen; all on the RCA label: "Cootie Williams in Hi-Fi," "Wild Bill Davis and Johnny Hodges in Atlantic City," "Paul Gonsalves: Ellingtonia Moods and Blues," and "C-Jam All-Stars: Diminuendo, Crescendo and Blues".