Author Rick Bass. His new book, Oil Notes, is a journal based on Bass' experience as a geologist looking for oil throughout the American West. Bass has also written short stories, essays, and environmental journalism. (Rebroadcast. Original date 7/11/89).
Detective writer Mickey Spillane One of the world's most popular writers of the hardboiled private investigator genre. His most famous character is Mike Hammer. Spillane has just written his first Mike Hammer story in 19 years.
Rock critic Dave Marsh. Marsh is one of rock's most influential voices. He edited the Rolling Stone Record Guide and has written profiles of Bruce Springsteen and the Who. Marsh's new book is "The Heart of Rock and Roll: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made."
Commentator Maureen Corrigan reviews "Time Passages: Collective Memory and American Popular Culture" by George Lipsitz. The book examines how our collective memory has been shaped by popular culture since World War 2.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording of Ferruccio Busoni's (fe-ROOCH-ee-oh boo-SONY) piano concerto, performed by Garrick Ohlsson accompanied by the Cleveland Orchestra. Lloyd says the concerto is one of the most ambitious works ever composed, and this new recording should revive interest in it.
Bandleader, singer, songwriter, and talent scout Johnny Otis. His musical career spans the big band era, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll. In the 40's he played and traveled with the big bands, with the Ink Spots and Louis Jordan. Later, with a pared down band, he was on the forefront of the rhythm and blues. He's credited with discovering Etta James, Big Mama Thornton, Jackie Wilson and Ernestine Anderson.
Rock historian Ed Ward looks back on Roy Orbison's early career at Sun Records. Ed says that early work shows that Orbison was a more versatile performer that his big hits would indicate.
Actor Jerry Orbach. Orbach has had a long career on Broadway, starring in shows such as "The Three Penny Opera," "Promises, Promises," and "42nd Street." More recently he's appeared on TV and in films. His latest role is in the new Woody Allen movie, "Crimes and Misdemeanors."
Television critic David Bianculli reviews "Girltalk." It's a documentary that explores the lives of several women...all of them runaways, many of them from abusive homes. The program airs as part of Public Television's series, "P.O.V." (That's short for point of view).
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the annual New Music America festival just completed in New York and sponsored by the Brooklyn Academy of Music and corporate donations. Whitehead questions the value of the 10 year-old festival.
Jazz vibraphonist Lionel Hampton. He introduced the vibes to the jazz world and remains one of it's undisputed masters. In the 1930's he played with the Benny Goodman's band -- being one of the first blacks to play with a white band. He's just written an autobiography, "Hamp." Al Capone and Louis Armstrong also play surprising roles in his life.
Critic at large Laurie Stone reviews the new movie, "My Left Foot." It stars Daniel Day Lewis as Christy Brown, an Irish painter and writer with cerebral palsy.
Brazilian singer/songwriter Caetano Veloso (kah-TAH-no vah-LOW-sah). He's revered as one of the primary architects of "tropicalismo," - a 1960's cultural and musical movement that reevaluated traditional Brazilian music and incorporated non-Brazilian musical styles. Leftist intellectuals denounced his music for it's use of foreign influences. In the late 1960's he was jailed and exiled from Brazil for his participation in the musical movement because the government feared the social force it might have.
Business executive Max DePree. DePree turned his company, a once obscure office furniture manufacturer, into the "nation's most admired corporation" (according to Fortune magazine). DePree has just published his thoughts on enlightened management in a new book called, "Leadership Is An Art." Whereas most management books these days push an Attila the Hun approach, DePree's is closer to Saint Francis of Assisi.
Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new album from Los Angeles rapper Ice-T. The album's called "Freedom of Speech...Just Watch What You Say." It's a blast back at groups such as the Parents Music Resource Center, which has been pushing for a rating system similar to the one use in the movie industry.
Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Steel Magnolias," starring Dolly Parton, Olympia Dukakis, Shirley McLain, and Darrell Hannah as a group of friends in a small Southern town.
Jazz composer/clarinetist John Carter. He has just completed a five part music series chronicling the black migration experience from Africa to America: "Roots and Folklore: Episodes in the Development of American Folk Music. The final program in the series, "Shadows on A Wall," premiered recently as part of the New Wave Festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The festival celebrates performers working on the edge of classical, rock, and jazz styles. Carter's performances are also out on disc.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a recording of 18th century flute quartets by the Mannheim Quartet. The group performs several of Mozart's quartets here on original instruments.
