Music

Musicologist David Lewiston. Since the early 60s, Lewiston has traveled the world collecting the music of the indigenous cultures. He's recorded the Andean music of Peru, the fiestas of southern Mexico and the marimba music of Guatemala. In addition, he's travelled extensively in the Himalayas and other remote, mountainous areas of the Far East. These recordings have been released as part of the Nonesuch Record Company's Explorer Series. Over the last few years, Lewiston has focused on the music and rituals of the people of Tibet, now living in exile in northern India.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new reissue of the late tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler. A key part of the free jazz movement of the 1960s, Ayler's sound has been likened to speaking in tongues.

Book critic John Leonard reviews the memoir of rock musician Frank Zappa.

Blues musician John Hammond returns in Fresh Air's weekly performance segment with a demonstration of his slide guitar style. He plays songs by Son House and Big Bill Broonzey.

Joel Rosenman and John Roberts. Twenty years ago Rosenman and Roberts were in their 20s when they came into a large inheritance. They decided to take the money and promote a rock concert in upstate New York. What they ended up organizing was Woodstock, possibly the one event that best sums up an entire era of American history.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews two new reggae albums, "One Bright Day," by Ziggy Marley (son of the late Bob Marley) and "Cumbolo" by the Jamaican group Culture.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews two new compact discs of music conducted by Arturo Toscanini. Schwartz says these two discs are rare examples of Toscanini conducting live performances while still at the height of his powers.

Pianist Dubravka Tomsic. Tomsic came to the United States from her native Yugoslavia as a teenager. Her playing so impressed Arthur Rubinstein that he personally intervened with the Yugoslavian government to fund her music studies here. Tomsic returned to Yugoslavia after her graduation from Juilliard. She is now back in the United States for the first time in 30 years, for a small number of concerts and recording sessions.

Rock Historian Ed Ward traces the origin of the 60s psychedelic ballroom scene, not to San Francisco, but to Austin, Texas.

Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "Goin' Home," the second album by tuba player and composer Bob Stewart. Stewart, who stresses that the tuba is a world instrument, heard everywhere from New Orleans to Surinam, mixes genres in this album, jumping from "Sweet Georgia Brown" to Thelonius Monk's "Bemsha Swing."

Critic-at-Large Laurie Stone reviews the work of the young singer Alva Rogers. Rogers has performed in clubs throughout the New York City area over the last several weeks.

Grammy Award-winning blues singer John Hammond performs two songs in Fresh Air's weekly performance segment. Hammond has performed for nearly twenty years, and in that time his style has evolved from straight-forward, rural blues to a harder-edged, urban style of blues. He is the son of music impresario John Hammond Sr. who helped launched and nurture the careers of Bob Dylan, Benny Goodman and Billie Holiday.

Rock Critic Ken Tucker reviews new albums by Marshall Crenshaw and Chris Isaak.

Vocalist Fred Schneider and singer/keyboardist Kate Pierson of the rock band The B-52's. In the late 70's, the group came to New York from Athens, Georgia and scored a hit with their song "Rock Lobster." Their danceable music and 60's style stood out among the new wave groups of New York's downtown music scene. They have a new album titled "Cosmic Thing."

Classical Music Critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new issue of a live recording of the opera "Adriana Lecouvreur" by the Italian composer Francesco Cilea. In this performance, Cilea's favorite soprano, Magda Olivero, sings the title role. This recording was made by a fan who snuck in a tape recorder to what turned out to be Olivero's farewell performance in the role.

Rock historian Ed Ward profiles Bobby "Blue" Bland, a blues performer who began as B.B. King's personal valet in the early 50s and who still performs today. His best-known hits include "I Pity the Fool," "Touch of the Blues," and his rendition of "Stormy Monday." Bland achieved his greatest success in the late 50s when he was teamed trumpeter and arranger Joe Scott.

Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead continues his review of "Private Collection," the ten-volume set of Duke Ellington compositions. In this review, Kevin focuses on one of Ellington's major suites - and a highlight of the collection - "Black, Brown and Beige."

Musician Lucinda Williams. She's been playing the folk and country scenes for most of the 80s, but her new album, titled "Lucinda Williams," is a type of straight-ahead story telling that crosses genres. Many listeners think of Williams as a folk singer, but in this album, Williams fronts a rock band.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new albums from singer/songwriters Jackson Browne and Loudon Wainwright III. Browne, though he's recorded infrequently over the last eight years, is still very popular, while Wainwright, who plays in small folk clubs and on college campuses, is little noticed. Ken explains why it's Wainwright that deserves the attention.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new release of piano works by the French composer Alkan. Although he's little known now, Lloyd says during the 19th century, Alkan reputation, both as a composer and as a performer, rivaled that of Liszt.