Top Picks: PBS's 'Inside the Court of Henry VIII,' Tobias Jesso Jr.'s album 'Goon,' and more
New Piano Man
Measuring up to 鈥淗ey Jude鈥�-era McCartney and early Elton John is a tall order, but long and lanky Canadian Tobias Jesso Jr. makes it sound as easy as breathing on his sparkling debut, . With little more than a grand piano and a dozen tales to tell, the singer-songwriter grabs your heart and doesn鈥檛 let go, the music still reverberating long after the last chord fades out. You鈥檒l want to keep an eye on this northern star.
High-stakes court听
From books like 鈥淭he Other Boleyn Girl鈥� and 鈥淲olf Hall鈥� to movies like 鈥淎 Man for All Seasons,鈥� British monarch Henry VIII and those who surrounded him have continued to fascinate the world. PBS鈥檚 new program explores what it was like to live in the world of the mercurial king and how dangerous it could be. The TV show airs on April 7 at 9 p.m. Viewers should be aware there is graphic content.听
Code crackers
The movie tells the story of Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch), the cryptanalyst who helped the Allies win World War II and who is often called the father of contemporary computers. Cumberbatch鈥檚 deeply felt performance is the reason to see the movie, and Keira Knightley is charming as his friend and co-worker Joan Clarke. The film is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.听听
Buena Vista redux
Perhaps you鈥檝e worn out your Buena Vista Social Club CD from nearly 20 years ago? Not to worry, the original cast once again delights with extra tracks and thrilling live recordings on . Though many of the original BVSC members have since died, their irresistible Cuban听鈥渟on鈥� music lives on in this wonderful collection.听听
Unsung session stars
Before the era of do-it-all singer-songwriters, the recording industry鈥檚 secret starmakers were session musicians like Tommy Tedesco and bass-line maestro Carol Kaye (both pictured, left). Spin 鈥淲indy鈥� or 鈥淕ood Vibrations鈥� 鈥� to name just two 鈥� and you鈥檙e hearing the inventive, often one-take works of these and other pros. The absorbing documentary , now widely viewable on demand, goes deep on one of music history鈥檚 coolest chapters.
