Music
'Fresh Air' Marks The Centenary Of The Birth Of Jazz Singer Anita O'Day
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead offers an appreciation of the singer, who died in 2006, then we listen back to a 1987 interview. O'Day first became known in 1941 when she joined Gene Krupa's band.
Pianists Born 100 Years Ago Prove: There's No One Way To Play Jazz
Both Lennie Tristano and Herbie Nichols were active on the New York scene in the 1950s. Though worlds apart stylistically, their music demonstrates how the piano accommodates myriad personalities.
In 'POST-', Avowed Pessimist Jeff Rosenstock Surrenders To Creative Optimism
Critic Ken Tucker says he former ska/punk musician's new record is filled with "angry confusion," but Rosenstock also reveals himself as a singer-songwriter with a gift for delicate melodies.
'Ode To Billie Joe' Was A Surprise Hit That Prompted Dozens Of Jazz Versions
Fifty years ago, singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry released a song that described a slice of life in rural Mississippi. Critic Kevin Whitehead shares a few of the jazz covers that followed.
Remembering Dutch Jazz Pianist And Composer Misha Mengelberg
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead remembers Mengelberg, who died Friday, as a "musical anarchist" who taught classical counterpoint and wrote dozens of catchy melodies.
Reggae Pioneer Desmond Dekker
Rock historian Ed Ward remembers Jamaican singer Desmond Dekker, who died last week at the age of 64. His 1969 hit "Israelites" was for many Americans the first reggae they'd ever heard.
How Soul Great Clarence Carter Put Fame Records On The Map
Carter's influence on pop and soul predates his best-known hit, "Patches," and is still felt today. Rock historian Ed Ward revisits the early career and the lasting impact of the expert songwriter.
Billie Holiday's Voice Was Always Her Own
Holiday was born 100 years ago Tuesday in Philadelphia. Fresh Air jazz critic Kevin Whitehead has some thoughts on Holiday's changing style, her influences, and singers she influenced.
The Mysterious Case of Arthur Conley, Otis Redding's Protege.
Singer Conley had a number of hits before disappearing in the '70s, a few years after his mentor Redding died in a plane crash. So where did he go? To Europe, where he changed his name.
The Toil And The Oil That Fueled The Bakersfield Country Scene.
Bakersfield, Calif., has become famous for its own brand of country music, with such stars as Merle Haggard and Buck Owens given credit for putting the town on the musical map. But they evolved through a music scene that was wild and wide-open during the 1950s and '60s, and Fresh Air's Ed Ward has the story.