Music

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the L.A. hardcore band's latest album. Tucker says they're everything he looks for in loud rock music.

Faithfull got her start in the English music scene of 1964, when she dated Mick Jagger and had the hit song, "As Tears Go By." In the following years she had a drug addiction that almost killed her, before recovering in 1985 and releasing new albums. Her memoir, "Faithfull: An Autobiography," tells her story of highs and lows with music and drugs.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Eric Clapton's new release, "From the Cradle." It's Clapton's first since his best-selling "Unplugged."

Feather, one of the world's most prominent jazz critics died of pneumonia, yesterday at the age of 80. He grew up in England and moved to America in 1940. His most important writing was his encylopedia of jazz, an essential reference work of musician bios. Feather spent his final months editing a new edition, which is scheduled for publication next year. Feather also produced about 200 recording sessions, composed for many of the musicians he worked with, and even played piano on some of their sessions.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Natural Ingredients," the first full-length collection by Lucious Jackson, a four-woman band from lower Manhattan, whose drummer was once a member of the Beastie Boys.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews "Brain/Kell/Gossens Play Schumann & Beethoven."

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new recording of Charles Mingus's infamous New York Town Hall concert from October 12, 1962. It's the first time a complete recording has been available.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Webb Pierce: King of the Honky Tonk." Pierce's rough edge laid the groundwork for contemporary country music -- though Tucker says newer artists could use some of Pierce's passion.

In the 1980's, Mould pioneered alternative rock with the band Husker Du, making what was described as "angry, self-hating music." Mould went solo for a while after the band fell apart. Now he's with the band "Sugar" and they've released their third album, "File Under: Easy Listening." One reviewer writes of the new release that it "shows Mould near the peak of his power-pop form and harbors a few prominently catchy songs."

Juan Garcia Esquivel produced innovative recordings of pop music in the fifties and sixties. His work has been re-issued on a CD called "Esquivel!: Space Age Bachelor Pad Music." Terry speaks with him, his former wife Yvonne de Bourbon, and producer and critic Irwin Chusid.

Jazz critic Kevin Whithead reviews the new re-issue by the little-known jazz organist Baby Face Willette, called "Stop and Listen."

Writer Colin Escott talks about his new book, "Hank Williams, The Biography." He's also the author of "Good Rockin' Tonight: Sun Records & The Birth of Rock & Roll", and he produced and annotated the CD Collection "Hank Williams: The Original Singles Collection...Plus."

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the new CD set, "The Fletcher Henderson Story: A Study in Frustration," a reissue of a 4-LP set that's been out print since the 1960s.

Actor and playwright Vernel Bagneris and pianist Morten Gunnar Larsen perform selections from their show, "Jelly Roll Morton: A Me-morial," with music written by Morton, and a script taken from Library of Congress tapes of Morton from 1938. The New Yorker calls it, "an experimental study, done within a traditional Broadway-musical framework, of the life and death of a black misanthrope. . . a psychomusical." This concert was first broadcast in 1992.

World music critic Milo Miles talks about Soukous music -- a popular style of guitar music from Zaire. He reviews four recently released albums.

Martha Reeves is the lead singer of Martha and the Vandellas, the Motown group which made it big in the 60's with such hits as "Nowhere to Run," "Heat Wave," and "Dancing in the Street." Her new autobiography, "Dancing in the Street: Confessions of a Motown Diva," is about her career, her conflicts with other Motown singers and managers, and her experiences touring during the height of the Civil Rights movement.

James was a teenager when she was discovered by bandleader/talent scout Johnny Otis, who helped her record her first single, "Dance with Me Henry." Her career took off in the sixties, until she battled a drug addiction at the end of that decade. Although James mostly sang R&B, she has just released "Mystery Lady," featuring songs by her favorite jazz singer, Billie Holiday.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "The Montreal Tapes," a live recording featuring bassist Charlie Haden, trumpeter Don Cherry, and drummer Edward Blackwell at the 1989 Montreal Jazz Festival.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Sleeps with Angels," the latest collaboration between Neil Young and the band Crazy Horse. Tucker is a big fan of Young, but regrets he's mostly bored by the album.

Dibango is considered one of the founders of world music. His first album, "Soul Makossa," was a big hit in 1973. His latest album is called "Wakafrika" and blends traditionally African music with European pop. This album features such artists as Youssou N'Dour, Peter Gabriel and Sinead O'Connor. His new autobiography is "Three Kilos of Coffee."