Music

She's been called The Queen of Swing and The First Lady of Las Vegas. Smith is perhaps best known as the duet partner and wife of Louis Prima. Smith and Prima drew crowds to the lounges of Las Vegas in the 1950s. Their hits include Jump, Jive, an Wail, Just a Gigolo, Ive Got You Under My Skin, and That Old Black Magic. Smith talks about her marriage to Prima, the music they made together, and her career. Smiths newest CD is Keely Sings Sinatra

Music critic Milo Miles reviews the new documentary about Latin jazz, Calle 54.

Hal Blaine's distinctive sound could be heard on thousands of recordings from the late 1950s and on for 25 years. He played on the hit records, Be My Baby by The Ronettes, Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys, I Got You Babe, by Sony & Cher, Mr Tambourine Man, by The Byrds, Monday, Monday by the Mamas and the Papas, Strangers in the Night by Frank Sinatra, and many many more. Last year Blaine was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

No one in jazz was as far out and far in as tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler. Far out in terms of how he improvised. Far in, in terms of the songs he wrote to improvise on. They sounded like a jumble of bugle calls, national anthems, nursery rhymes and drinking songs. Music ran in the family. As a boy, Ayler had studied music and listened to jazz with his father, and they also played saxophone duets in church. As a memento, Albert later recorded an album of spirituals called Goin' Home.

Classical music critic Lloyd Shwartz reviews a new re-issue of the original cast recording of the 1943 revival of Rodgers & Hart's Connecticut Yankee

Kevin Whitehead continues his Avant Garde Made Easy series with a look at pianist Cecil Taylor.

Rock Critic Ed Ward on the music of the 60s band Love. Their album Forever Changes has just been reissued by Rhino.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Tropical Brainstorm the final album by the late British singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead continues with part three of his Avant-Garde Made Easy series. This time he considers composer, improviser and saxophonist Anthony Braxton.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Isolation Drills the new release by the band Guided by Voices.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead begins a new six-part series we call Avant-Garde Made Easy, highlighting some of the important modern jazz mavericks of the so-called Avant Garde. Today we consider the music of trumpeter Lester Bowie.

Joey Ramone the lead singer of the punk band The Ramones. He died on Sunday at the age of 49. He had lymphoma. From their start in 1974, the Ramones combined fast, deafening guitar with precise drumming to create a hurricane of sound. Their songs had titles like Beat on the Brat, Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment and Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue.

Classical pianist and conductor Murray Perahia. Hes been exploring the music of J.S. Bach in his recordings. His latest is Bachs Keyboard Concertos vol. 1 which he recorded and conducted with the St. Martin in the Fields ensemble. He also recorded the Goldberg Variations and Bachs complete English Suites. (All are on Sony Classical). In 1994 Perahia suffered a thumb injury that left him unable to play regularly for a year. He took up his first conducting post as Principal Guest conductor of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. They just completed a 10-city tour.

Music critic Milo Miles reviews a new anthology of music by singer-songwriter Tim Buckley, “Morning Glory”

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead begins a new six-part series we call Avant-Garde Made Easy, highlighting some of the important modern jazz mavericks of the so-called Avant Garde. We begin the series with pianist, composer, and band leader Sun Ra.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews 2 new albums: “Just Push Play” by Aerosmith and “Crown Royal” by Run DMC.

Rock historian Ed Ward tells us about Chicago singer and songwriter Barbara Acklin who almost made it big.

Rock Historian Ed Ward talks about Pub Rock.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews, Poisonville, the new CD by singer Ronny Elliott.