The trio of singers, who come from a family of 10 children, join Fresh Air's Danny Miller to talk about their faith, religious and musical upbringing, and admiration for soul and jazz singers of the '50s and '60s.
Actor Joel Grey talks about the legacy of his father, comedic actor and clarinetist Mickey Katz. Grey's Jewish heritage helped him add complexity to his performance in the Broadway and film versions of Cabaret, in which he played the Master of Ceremonies.
The bossa nova duo comprises married couple guitarist Orlando Haddad and pianist Patricia King, who both sing. Fresh Air producer Danny Miller asks them about the growth of their career and the unique rhythms they incorporate into their performances.
Chef and Chez Panisse restauranteur Alice Waters says that most ingredients -- from produce to shellfish -- are best served the day they're harvested. She aims to incorporate this freshness into all her dishes.
Barbara Walker's interest in women's roles in religious and spiritual traditions led her to write a book on the subject. Her research suggests that Christianity has suppressed various matriarchal and women-focused faith practices in order to strengthen patriarchal power structures.
Record producer Hal Willner gathered rock and jazz musicians to pay tribute to composers Nino Rota and Thelonious Monk on two separate compilation albums.
Horace Silver began as an introverted, aspiring pianist in Connecticut before becoming a musical force in the New York jazz scene. After founding the Jazz Messengers with drummer Art Blakey, he left the band to start his own ensemble. He talks about the creative and therapeutic aspects of composing music.
Soprano Benita Valente knew from an early age she wanted to make a career as a singer. She studied at the Curtis Institute and lives in Philadelphia. She tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross about how performance, practice, and age have all refined her voice.
Music director and conductor Maurice Peress has spent the last several years resurrecting the composer's early works, including restoring and completing arrangements and organizing performances.
Two members of the Philadelphia-based support group called Parents of Gays join Fresh Air talk about how they grew to accept their children's sexual orientation, and how they help other parents do the same. To ensure anonymity, the members only use their first names.
Little tells Fresh Air about his experiences as an African American actor on- and off-Broadway. He considers how black actors have risen to greater prominence on stage and screen.
Television actor Dorian Harewood is known for roles in Roots, Strike Force, and Trauma Center. He stars in a new miniseries as groundbreaking athlete Jesse Owens. Harewood joins Fresh Air's Danny Miller to talk about the making of the program, as well as Owens' career.
The accomplished musician made his mark as a member of Count Basie's band. Foster later earned his Ph.D. in music and worked as an educator. He now leads his own big band, an endeavor he admits is difficult to sustain financially.
Peggy King appears on Fresh Air for the second time since she ended her hiatus from singing. She has a new album called Oh, The Memory We Made--Tonight.
Jack Eric Williams played one of the villains in Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, and found success during a run of Kurt Weill's Threepenny Opera. He has written a musical of his own called Mrs. Farmer's Daughter, about the life of actress Frances Farmer, which is now in production in Philadelphia.
Davis is an avant-garde composer whose work draws heavily from jazz traditions. He wrote a new opera called X, based on the life of Malcom X. He performs the overture live in-studio.
Japanese-American sculptor has been commissioned to build public art around the world. A new piece, Bolt of Lightning, which celebrates the life Benjamin Franklin, will soon be installed in Philadelphia. He tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross about his early success and his gradual process of unlearning his formal training to develop his own unique style.
Maya Lin's concept was accepted while she was still and undergrad at Yale. She has recently worked as a set designer and is studying to be an architect.
Scholar Frank McCourt and his brother, actor Malachi McCourt, grew up poor in Ireland before finding success in the United States. Both brothers were voracious readers and were able to find success without a high school education. They wrote and perform together in a new, autobiographical play.
