Music

Rock historian Ed Ward plays a retrospective of Santa Claus songs by black popular musicians from Charles Brown singing "Merry Christmas, Baby" in the 1940's to James Brown's "Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto" in the 1960's. Also features songs from: the Pilgrim Travelers, Roy Milton, Oscar McLollie and His Honey Jumpers, the Voices, the Marquees (not the Stax group), andClyde Lasley.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a reissue of music by singer and pianist Fats Waller from 1940-1943, the years just before his death. Although this period is considered by many to be his least productive, Kevin says Waller was great at any time.

Arranger and baritone saxophonist, Gerry (pronounced "jerry") Mulligan. He's been an innovator in modern jazz orchestration. Early in his career he was staff arranger for Gene Krupa's big band. In 1949 he collaborated with Gil Evans and Miles Davis in the Nonet. The nine-piece band shook up jazz arrangers and launched the era of so-called cool jazz. He achieved international acclaim when he started a "pianoless" quartet with trumpeter Chet Baker in the early 1950's.

World Music critic Milo Miles takes a look at the music of two Latin American singers who live as ex-patriots: Celia Cruz and La Lupe. And he considers how being an ex-patriot can influence a singer's work.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews albums by women singers who sound like Joni Mitchell.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews recent recordings of three Mendelssohn string symphonies, all written in Mendelssohn's teens. They're performed by William Boughton and the English String Orchestra.

Rock historian Ed Ward profiles General Norman Johnson, and the long, convoluted path that led him to the group, the Chairmen of the Board.

A live stereo concert with Lenny Pickett and the Borneo Horns. Pickett says the Borneo Horns play rhythmically compelling music using wind instruments, not percussion, to track the rhythm. He formed the band with horn players he met in David Bowie's band. These days, in addition to leading his band, Pickett is an accomplished composer and arranger, and he plays in the band on Saturday Night Live.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "Fractured Fairy Tales," the new album by alto saxophonist Tim Berne and his septet. Kevin says Berne started out by putting out his own records and eventually worked his way up to a deal with Columbia. Ironically, they dropped him at the same time he was winning his largest critical acclaim.

South African pianist/composer Abdullah Ibrahim (E-bra-HEEM). His music is influenced by South African vocal and popular music, early American Jazz, church music, and American Jazz of the 1960's and 1970's which was influenced by African music. One of his songs, "Mannenberg is Where It's Happening (Capetown Fringe)," a vocal, was a hit in South Africa and became the anthem for the Soweto uprisings of 1976. Ibrahim formerly went by the name Dollar Brand, and has several albums under that name. Ibrahim lives in New York in self-imposed exile from South Africa.

PART II: Rock guitarist Eric Clapton. His friends call him "Slowhand," his fans call him "God." Whatever name he goes by, Eric Clapton is at or near the top of any list of the greatest guitar players in rock history. In the 60's Clapton started playing the blues with the Yardbirds (For Your Love) and then played with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers before forming Cream, one of the 60's most influential bands (Crossroads, White Room).

Rock guitarist Eric Clapton. His friends call him "Slowhand," his fans call him "God." Whatever name he goes by, Eric Clapton is at or near the top of any list of the greatest guitar players in rock history. Clapton started out playing blues with the Yardbirds (For Your Love) in the early 60s, then played with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers before forming Cream, one of the 60s most influential bands (Crossroads, White Room).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new album from the Mekons (pronounced MEE-kons). The Mekons formed in England at the height of the punk movement. Their musical style embraces punk, country, reggae and just about everything else. The one unifying theme in their music is politics, particularity the politics of the music industry. The new album is called "The Mekons Rock 'n' Roll."

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording of 17th century composer Henry Purcell's "The Fairy Queen."

Rock historian Ed Ward takes a look at the early days of the Yardbirds with Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page.

Rock singer, guitarist and record producer Dave Edmunds. Although he was born in Wales, his music is influenced by the American roots of rock and roll. As a producer, he's worked with the Stray Cats, The Fabulous Thunderirds, and he produced the come-back albums of the Everly Brothers and Dion. In the 1970's, he got together in London with Nick Lowe and formed the band Rockpile. Edmunds has a new album coming out soon on Capitol called "Closer to the Flame." It's his first in five years.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead takes a historic look at boogie-woogie piano music. Includes such piano players as Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, and Jimmy Yancey.

Commentator Ilene Segalove (seg-ah-loff) bucks the trend toward the compact disc, and rediscovers the joys of old LPs.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Journeyman," the new album from veteran rocker Eric Clapton.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews clarinetist John Carter's new album, "Shadows on a Wall." The album concludes Carter's 5 album musical saga of the African-American experience. Kevin says the series doesn't recreate history, but it DOES reimagine it.