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Music Interviews

Patti Scialfa: From E Street to '23rd Street'

Singer Patti Scialfa's new CD was a long time coming — her previous solo release was in 1993. But she says husband Bruce Springsteen offered this encouragement: "The record will tell you when it's complete."

Patti Scialfa: From E Street to '23rd Street'

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Review

Music Reviews

Tilbrook's 'Ping Pong' Pop

The 1980s group Squeeze set a standard for British pop music that still sounds fresh today. Former frontman Glenn Tilbrook is now a one-man standard-bearer, and he's just released his third solo CD, Transatlantic Ping Pong. He speaks with NPR's Brian Naylor.

Tilbrook's 'Ping Pong' Pop

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Review

Music Reviews

'Beautiful Yesterday' from Dayna Kurtz

Singer Dayna Kurtz has a new CD called Beautiful Yesterday is a mixed bag of contemporary material. Included are songs by Duke Ellington and Leonard Cohen, Billie Holliday and Prince. Critic Jim Fusilli says that although Kurtz overreaches at times, her voice and interpretations are haunting and brimming with maturity.

'Beautiful Yesterday' from Dayna Kurtz

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Review

Music Reviews

Music Review: 'Oh, My Girl' from Jesse Sykes' Band

The collaboration of guitarist Phil Wandscher and singer Jesse Sykes started from the ashes of broken bands. Wandscher had been fired from the legendary alternative country band Whiskeytown, which he started with Ryan Adams. Jesse Sykes' band Hominy had dissolved around the same time her marriage came to an end. Now the two are featuring Wandscher's lyrical guitar style and Sykes' smoke-tinged voice. Critic Meredith Ochs reviews their CD, from Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter called Oh, My Girl.

Music Review: 'Oh, My Girl' from Jesse Sykes' Band

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Music Interviews

Jane Olivor Sings Again on 'Safe Return'

Singer Jane Olivor went from performing folk music in clubs in New York City in the early 1970s to becoming a major pop star, performing at Carnegie Hall. But with fame came misfortune, with the death of her husband and a long battle with stage fright that kept her from singing for several years. Olivor has returned to the stage and has released a new CD and DVD of a recent live performance. Jane Olivor talks to NPR's Liane Hansen about her return to singing and the Safe Return project.

Jane Olivor Sings Again on 'Safe Return'

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Guitar Greats Meet at the Crossroads

Catherine Cuellar of member station KERA in Dallas, Texas, presents an audio postcard of this weekend's Crossroads Guitar Festival, a gathering of 60 of the world's greatest guitar dynamos, headlined by legends Eric Clapton, Santana and B.B. King.

Guitar Greats Meet at the Crossroads

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Usher Dominates Top 10 Pop Songs

Soul singer Usher scored a bit of a coup this week. He currently has three songs on Billboard's Top Ten list. It's a feat acts like The Beatles and The Bee Gees matched only once. NPR's Liane Hansen speaks with the manager of Billboard's Hot 100 chart, Silvio Pietroluongo.

Usher Dominates Top 10 Pop Songs

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Studio Sessions

Charlie Musselwhite's Blues 'Sanctuary'

Blues harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite has played with some of the biggest legends of the genre, at a crucial time in the history of the blues. Now young lions such as Ben Harper are contributing to his latest CD, Sanctuary. Hear live tracks of songs the two musicians recorded at NPR West, and hear an extended version of the interview.

Charlie Musselwhite's Blues 'Sanctuary'

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Music Interviews

Eric Clapton Takes on Robert Johnson's Blues

Eric Clapton once wrote that Robert Johnson's best songs have "never been covered by anyone else, at least not very successfully — because how are you going to do them?" Now the rock guitarist has recorded Me and Mr. Johnson, a CD of the legendary bluesman's works that Clapton calls a labor of love.

Eric Clapton Takes on Robert Johnson's Blues

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Music Interviews

Record Producer Rick Rubin

Fresh Air

Rubin worked with Johnny Cash for the last 10 years of Cash's life, collaborating on four critically acclaimed and Grammy award-winning albums (American Recordings, Unchained, American III: Solitary Man and American IV: The Man Comes Around.) At the time of Cash's death, they were collaborating on a box set that collects many unreleased tracks from those previous sessions, as well as a best-of CD. The five-CD collection is called Unearthed.

Record Producer Rick Rubin

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