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Music reviews

'Charlie Brown Christmas' Keeps Giving

Music critic Michelle Mercer reflects on the music from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. For Mercer, the jazz tunes are sound of the holidays, and they reflect some of the season's less-cheerful sentiments.

'Charlie Brown Christmas' Keeps Giving

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Music Review: 'Hello Starling' from Josh Ritter

Singer-songwriter Josh Ritter's new CD, Hello Starling, has drawn comparisons to Bob Dylan. The CD, Ritter's second, offers songs that use basic, acoustic, instrumentation to back up Ritter's introspective lyrics. Meredith Ochs has a review.

Music Review: 'Hello Starling' from Josh Ritter

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Violinist Mixes Improv Into Baroque Sonata

Violinist Andrew Manze and harpsichordist Richard Egarr take a sonata by Arcangelo Corelli into new territory — at least for modern audiences. Manze improvises within Corelli's score, as he believes was common practice when it was performed in 1700. Manze and Eggar's new CD is called Corelli Violin Sonatas, Op. 5. Hear NPR's Melissa Block and NPR's Fred Child.

Violinist Mixes Improv Into Baroque Sonata

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Prefuse 73's 'One-Word Extinguisher'

Prefuse 73 is one alter ego of the musician and producer Scott Herren. Herren hails from Atlanta but now lives in Spain, where he makes hip-hop music that is far removed from the slickly produced hits of mainstream artists like 50 Cent and Eminem. Will Hermes has a review.

Prefuse 73's 'One-Word Extinguisher'

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Director's Cuts

Director's Cuts: The 2003 CD Gift Guide

Weekend Edition Sunday music director Ned Wharton presents his annual holiday gift guide, with the latest edition of "Director's Cuts." Suggestions include the Blind Boys of Alabama (left), whose new CD, Go Tell It On the Mountain, features vocals by Tom Wait, Chrissie Hynde and others.

Director's Cuts: The 2003 CD Gift Guide

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Music Review: 'Tulear Never Sleeps,' Sounds of Madagascar

Tulear Never Sleeps is a compilation of songs from Madagascar featuring relatively undiscovered guitar music from the south, called tsapiky. Music critic Banning Eyre has a review.

Music Review: 'Tulear Never Sleeps,' Sounds of Madagascar

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Music Review: 'I Can't Stop' from Al Green

Singer Al Green has a new album of songs out, called I Can't Stop. The material is Green's return to his soulful sound of the 1970s, after spending more than two decades concentrating on gospel music. Critic Tom Moon has a review.

Music Review: 'I Can't Stop' from Al Green

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Music Review: 'Close Your Eyes' from Johnny Griffin and Horace Parlan

Fresh Air

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the new release by tenor sax player Johnny Griffin and pianist Horace Parlan, Close Your Eyes.

Music Review: 'Close Your Eyes' from Johnny Griffin and Horace Parlan

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Music Review: 'Streetcore' from Joe Strummer

The posthumous album from Joe Strummer, a leader of The Clash, reflects many elements of his career, with a mix of rock and reggae influences. Strummer died last December at age 50, and members of his final band, the Mescaleros, helped to finish Streetcore. Chris Nickson has a review.

Music Review: 'Streetcore' from Joe Strummer

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