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David Gans' Diary of the Recording Sessions

The name Louie Ortega doesn't spring to mind when Mexican-American contributions to rock 'n' roll history come up. But at least for some people, he's a legend based on a band he put together in Prunedale, Calif., in the late 1960s. Critic Ed Ward, who has been a fan since he first heard the band, celebrates the release of its long-rumored second album.

Composer Darcy James Argue runs a jazz big band — but imagines its sound as if big bands had stayed current rather than faded away. The music's clarity, contrasts and rhythms are all impressive.

A judge blocks Donald Trump's bid to keep the public from seeing what he did Jan. 6. Troops prevent migrants from crossing into Poland from Belarus. Sixteen U.N. staffers in Ethiopia are detained.

As the frontwoman for the fiercely independent Colombian rock band Aterciopilados, Andrea Echeverri has spent a decade as a Madonna-like agent of change, expanding the possibilities for women in Latin music. She now continues that work away from the band with her self-titled solo debut, which was inspired by the birth of her daughter Milagros. Tom Moon has a review.

Songwriting and musicianship aside, one of the things fans latch on to is that this band feels like a good hang.

The band's album The Thread That Keeps Us is jangly desert mashup of Western Americana, Latin influence and any other sounds Calexico has picked up along the trail.

The group harnesses the collective creative powers of each band member for 90 seconds of bass-drum-synth wizardry.

Our Changing Face of America segment today explores the phenomenon of bands distributing their music over the worldwide web. We meet Jim Infantino, of the Boston band Jim's Big Ego. He takes us on a tour that starts with his thinking up a melody... and ends with a fully-produced rock tune going out over the Internet.

Musician and actor Steve Van Zandt. He is the guitarist for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. He's also recorded solo and has produced a number of records for other bands. He plays hitman Silvio Dante in the hit HBO series The Sopranos. His syndicated radio show, Hard Rock Cafe Presents Little Steven's Underground Garage plays Sunday nights on a number of classic rock stations across the United States. This interview first aired June 27, 2002.