Search the Fresh Air Archive

Close Search

Ellery Eskelin Shares His Father's Music

Tenor saxophonist and composer, Ellery Eskelin. He's been called the most inventive American tenor player in creative music. His father, Rodd Keith, (also known as Rod Rodgers) was killed when he was struck by cars on the Hollywood Freeway after leaping or falling from the Santa Monica Boulevard overpass. Eskelin only knew his father for the first eighteen months of his life. As he grew up, Eskelin was inspired and intrigued by the continuous stories he heard about his father and his musical talent. He has produced a collection of his father's recordings titled "I died Today - Music of Rodd Keith." Eskelin's latest album of his own music is "Jazz Trash."

27:04
Queue

Guest

Host

Related Topics

Other segments from the episode on December 2, 1996

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, December 3, 1996: Interview with James Ellroy; Interview with Ellery Eskelin.
Queue
21:44

James Ellroy on His Mother's Murder

Ellroy was born in Los Angeles in 1948. After his mother was mysteriously strangled to death when he was ten, he grew up obsessed with crime. His life spun towards booze, drugs, theft, and jail. He eventually cleaned up his life and began writing. He has written several novels, many of which were international best-sellers, including "American Tabloid," "The Black Dahlia," and his most recent book, "My Dark Places," in which he tells the story of his mother's murder.

Interview

Transcript

Transcripts not currently available.

Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.

You May Also like

Queue
13:52

Tenor Saxophonist and Composer, Ellery Eskelin

He's been called the most inventive American tenor player in creative music. His father, Rodd Keith (also known as Rod Rodgers) was killed when he was struck by cars on the Hollywood Freeway after leaping or falling from the Santa Monica Boulevard overpass. Eskelin only knew his father for the first eighteen months of his life. As he grew up he was inspired and intrigued by the continuous stories he heard about him and his musical talent. He has produced a collection of his father's recordings titled I died Today - Music of Rodd Keith.

Interview

Did you know you can create a shareable playlist?

Learn How
Advertisement

Recently on Fresh Air Available to Play on NPR

34:41

Paperwork, lines, hours on hold: There's a 'Time Tax' on Americans who need help most

Journalist ANNIE LOWREY is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where she covers economic policy. Her new book is The Time Tax: How the Government Wastes Our Time, and How to Fix It. She argues that the red tape in American life isn't an accident. It's a policy choice, one that determines who gets food assistance, health care, even the ability to vote. Her previous book is Give People Money about universal basic income. (INTERVIEW BY TONYA MOSLEY) (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW).

Related segments from the Fresh Air Archive:

23:07

'Pluribus' star Rhea Seehorn says no thanks to a world dictated by groupthink

(2.) Actor RHEA SEEHORN<RAY Seehorn>. The former co-star of “Better Call Saul” is nominated for an Emmy for her starring role in “Pluribus,” the Apple TV series created by Vince Gilligan. Terry Gross spoke with RHEA SEEHORN last year about the “Pluribus”. “Pluribus” is nominated for eighteen Emmys, including one for SEEHORN as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. The Emmys are scheduled for September 14th. (THIS INTERVIEW ORIGINALLY AIRED 12.09.2025)

Related segments from the Fresh Air Archive:

See All Recent Segments

There are more than 22,000 Fresh Air segments.

Let us help you find exactly what you want to hear.
Just play me something
Your Queue

Would you like to make a playlist based on your queue?

Generate & Share View/Edit Your Queue