Records

NEW RELEASE

Larry Adler et al: The Glory of Gershwin (Mercury, CD/tape, out tomorrow). With Larry Adler on harmonica, George Martin producing, and Gershwin writing the tunes, you can't go wrong. You can get silly, of course, when you have Robert Palmer on a disco version of 'I Got Rhythm', and Richie Sambora squiggling his guitar over the orchestra on 'How Long Has This Been Going On?', sung by Jon Bon Jovi. But you can't go wrong. Cher, Elvis Costello, Peter Gabriel, Meatloaf, Sinead O'Connor and Elton John make commendable efforts to get their tonsils round the torch songs. And Adler, at 80, confirms that he is a genius, especially when he takes the limelight on the rousing finale, 'Rhapsody in Blue'. Glorious. Radio 1 has decided in its wisdom that the Kate Bush single from the album, unlike, say, Wet Wet Wet, does not merit a place on its playlist. And they wonder why they're losing listeners. Nicholas Barber

THE IoS PLAYLIST

THE FIVE BEST DISCS

OF THE MOMENT

Ravel: Complete Piano Works. Philippe Entremonte (Sony, two CDs). Idiomatic recordings reissued on the low-price Essential Classics label. Michael White

Beethoven: Late Piano Sonatas. Charles Rosen (Sony, two CDs). Another Essential Classics reissue - of Sonatas 27 to 32 - from one of the most elegant minds in modern pianism. MW

Voodoo Queens: The Peel Sessions (Strange Fruit, CD). Outrageous, funny pop of the kind you only ever hear on John

Peel's show. NB

The Greenberry Woods: Rapple Dapple (Sire, CD). Lovely, harmonious grunge, if that's possible. And it is. NB

Coolio: Fantastic Voyage (Tommy Boy, single). Spiky-topped and springy-bottomed open-car-window rap sensation. Ben Thompson