Episode 97

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'Horses' remastered from Patti Smith
A preview of new music by Nellie McKay
A new retrospective on Jelly Roll Morton
Stunning slack key guitar from Sonny Lim
Medieval synthesizer work by Hurdy Gurdy
Swedish art pop from Jens Lekman

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Originally recorded in 1975, Patti Smith celebrated the 30th anniversary of her ground-breaking album, Horses, by performing the entire record live in London the summer of 2005. The full live recording and a remastered version of the original LP have been released together in a new 2-CD set.

Patti Smith

CD: Horses
Song: "Gloria In Excelsis Deo"
Label: Sony BMG

Listen to "Gloria In Excelsis Deo"

Nellie McKay's music could be called political torch songs done tongue in cheek. First featured on All Songs Considered episode 55, her latest CD will be released in early January, 2006.

Nellie McKay

CD: Pretty Little Head
Song: "There You Are In Me"
Label: Sony

Listen to "There You Are in Me"

It's hard to imagine, but Jelly Roll Morton began his life as a musician on the road 100 years ago. As the first great jazz pianist, he bridged the gap between ragtime and newer styles of jazz playing. This new collection of Morton's words and music were recorded by folklorist Alan Lomax in 1938. Issued from the Library of Congress and Rounder Records, it's the most comprehensive set of Morton's recordings to date.

Jelly Roll Morton

CD: The Complete Library of Congress Recordings
Song: "How Jelly Roll Got His Name and the Original Jelly Roll Blues"
Label: Rounder

Listen to "How Jelly Roll Got His Name and the Original Jelly Roll Blues"

Sonny Lim is a little-known master of slack key guitar, a sound made by loosening or slacking the guitar strings so that they can be easily bent into other notes. It's a style of playing often associated with music from Hawaii, though it was originally inspired by the cowboys who came from Spain and Mexico.

Sonny Lim

CD: Slack Key Guitar: The Artistry of Sonny Lim
Song: "Hoka' Ula"
Label: Palm Records

Listen to "Hoka' Ula"

Hurdy Gurdy is the music of Stefan Brisland-Ferner and Totte Mattsson, both of Sweden and masters of the Swedish hurdy gurdy. On their latest CD, they offer an impressive demonstration of the instrument's range. Calling it a "medieval synthesizer," the duo created the album exclusively with sounds generated from various kinds of hurdy gurdys.

Hurdy Gurdy

CD: Prototyp
Song: "Tok Jons"
Label: Northside Records

Listen to "Tok Jons"

Jens Lekman makes artful, Swedish pop that's at once comical, romantic and sad, with a voice reminiscent of Stephin Merritt. Just 24 years old, his home recordings were an instant success in his home country. Lekman's latest CD is a collection of EP and B-side recordings.

Jens Lekman

CD: Oh You're So Silent Jens
Song: "Black Cab"
Label: Secretly Canadian

Listen to "Black Cab"

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