Music

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Black Eye," the debut album by the new English punk band Fluffy.

Opera soprano Dawn Upshaw performs a concert with jazz pianist Fred Hersch at WHYY. The program includes highlights from her just-released album "Dawn Upshaw sings Rodgers and Hart," as well selections by Leonard Bernstein, Mark Blitstein and George Gershwin. Upshaw joined the Metropolitan Opera in 1984. Later in the show, Upshaw will be accompanied by a 15-piece orchestra, led by Broadway music director Eric Stern, and singer David Garrison.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the reissue of "Earl Hines Plays Cole Porter" (New World).

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a series of live recordings by the Budapest Quartet made at the Library of Congress in the early 1950s

Critic Milo reviews "The Best of the Barely Works," featuring songs by the unconventional British folk group.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "First Band on the Moon" by the Cardigans, an alternative rock band with dark undertones beneath their airy pop.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new solo album by Amy Rigby. In the early eighties, Rigby was part of the all-woman punk band the Shams, and following that, a country-rock outfit called Last Roundup. After a long silence, she's back with a new solo album called "Diary of a Mod Housewife."

He's the man who wrote "Blue Suede Shoes," the hit song sung by Elvis Presley which became the first Sun label record to sell over a million copies. Carl Perkins has also written the songs, "Matchbox," "Honey Don't," and "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby" which have been recorded by the Beatles. Born in Tennessee, he's a pioneer of rockabilly music. His new memoir and CD are both called "Go Cat Go!"

Music critic Ken Tucker reviews the CD "Love Grows (where My Rosemary Goes): The Voice of Tony Burrows." Burrows rode up the charts during the British invasion. The CD is a collection of hits by Burrow's who was known for spinning out hit after hit in the late 1960s and early 70s under a different name or bands.

Rock historian Ed Ward talks about how white fans of the 1960s folk revival sought out long-neglected blues artists.

Rock historian Ed Ward has part four of our five part series on the evolution of blues music in America. He talks about how the regional nature of the blues kept it flourishing during the dawn of rock and roll.

Part three of Ed Ward's series on the history of the blues. He talks about how the realities of post-war life changed the trajectory of the genre.

He's known as the King of the Blues. King was born on a cotton plantation in Mississippi before moving to Memphis where he began his career. Since then, among numerous other awards, he's received seven Grammies, an MTV award, and a Presidential Medal of the Arts. He is also a member of the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame. In his biography, entitled "Blues All Around Me" he recounts his life from his early days in Mississippi, to breaking into the music business in Memphis, to his career today. He has over 74 albums to his credit.

Music critic Ed Ward has part two in our week long series tracing the evolution of blues music in America. Today, Ed focuses on the growth of the genre after The Depression.

Part 2 of Terry's interview with the influential blues guitarists and singers. In this segment, he talks about making it to Memphis, a city that expanded his musical horizons.

Rock historian Ed Ward begins his five-part series on the history of the blues. Today's installment includes Mamie Smith, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Furry Lewis, Blind Willie Johnson, and Tommy Johnson.

Music commentator Milo Miles profiles the doo-wop group the Diablos, fronted by singer Nolan Strong.

Lindsay-Hogg talks with Terry Gross about his new film "The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus." The concert footage was shot 28 years ago, but hasn't been released until now. The film was shelved by the Rolling Stones and later lost for fifteen years.. A companion C.D. under the same title will be released today.

Jennings had sixteen #1 records, won two Grammy's and four Country Music Awards. He's recognized for helping to unify the country music audience. He intermingled the strict country-only traditions with rock and roll. Jennings was Buddy Holly's bass player; he gave his seat up to the Big Bopper on the plane which would crash, killing Holly and others. Jennings' new autobiography is called "Waylon."

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Sheryl Crow's new, self-titled album. He says it's the best mainstream rock record he's heard all year.