When he's not doing studio work, Neidlinger mostly performs the work of Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk, both of whom he sees as two of the most important American composers. Classically trained on the cello, Neidlinger joined avant-garde pianist Cecil Taylor's band in the 1950s. Several of their albums have just been reissued.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording of music originally written for The Ballets Russes. The five ballets featured in the recording all have music written by French composers, among them Erik Satie and François Poulenc.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Neil Patrick Harris, Josh Groban and Meryl Streep are just a few of the artists featured in Take Me to the World, a tribute to the iconic Broadway composer and lyricist.
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "Jelly Roll Morton: The Complete Victor Recordings," released on the occasion of the musician's 100th anniversary. Morton is widely considered to be the first great jazz composer, and is finding more acclaim now than he did while he was alive.
John Adams' opera, which premiered in 2005, centers on the first atomic bomb test at Los Alamos, N.M. Now, a new album features a recording of Doctor Atomic conducted by the composer himself.
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews Rif, the new album by Dutch bassist Maarten Altena and his octet. Altena, who was a practitioner of free jazz, is also influenced by 20th century composers such as Stravinsky and Morton Feldman.
TV critic David Bianculli isn't sure how best to describe PBS's show Alive from Off Center, which features music, dance, and performance art--but little dialog. He recommends an upcoming episode about composer Meredith Monk called Ellis Island.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the new (and first) recording of John Harbison's cantata "The Flight into Egypt," which won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize. The CD also includes two additional works by the composer.
Gary Graffman is a piano virtuoso who recently lost control of his right hand due to an injury incurred while playing years earlier. Before his injury, Graffman was known for his interpretation of Romantic composers. Graffman is currently learning and performing piano concertos for the left hand, teaching, and focusing on his art collecting hobby. Graffman also wrote a memoir "I Really Should Be Practicing."
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead begins a new six-part series we call Avant-Garde Made Easy, highlighting some of the important modern jazz mavericks of the so-called Avant Garde. We begin the series with pianist, composer, and band leader Sun Ra.
Trumpeter Enrico Rava is one of Italy's best known and most recorded jazz musicians.
He's a true internationalist, working with players from all around Western Europe. Rava has also played with Americans such as saxophonist Steve Lacy, composer Carla Bley and trombonist Roswell Rudd.
In the 1970s, Rava made some memorable records for the ECM label. Now he's back with the company and one happy results is The Words and the Days.
Classical Music Critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews two recordings of the Gershwin musicals "Of Thee I Sing" and "Let 'Em Eat Cake." They were both conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas earlier this year on the fiftieth anniversary of the composer's death.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the new release by conductor Craig Smith. Smith is best known as the conductor of Peter Sellars' controversial stagings of Mozart operas. His new recording is of a series of motets by German composer Heinrich Schutz (rhymes with "putz"). It's performed by the Chorus of Boston's Emanuel Church, and it's on the Koch International Label.
Irish rock musician Pierce Turner. His first band, The Major Thinkers, became popular with New York's East Village crowd and had a hit song in "Avenue B." Turner's debut album, "It's Only a Long Way Across," was produced by minimalist composer Phillip Glass.
The musician is considered part of a recent flute revival. Wincenc joins Fresh Air to discuss the nature of the instrument and how she achieves her rich tone. Wincenc plays classic and contemporary pieces, including works she commissions from new composers.
Silent film legend Buster Keaton was born 100 years ago today. Kino Video collected many of Keaton's films in box set. An interview with Keaton from the set will be played. We will also hear a portion of guitarist and composer Bill Frisell's score for Keaton's film "Go West."
Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. He's the man behind the family adventure films Spy Kids and Spy Kids 2. His list of credits include: writer, director, producer, director of photography, production designer, editor, visual effects supervisor, sound designer, re-recording mixer and composer. His first feature film was El Mariachi, which he made in 1993 for $7,000. It won the Audience Award for best dramatic film at the Sundance Film Festival and was the first American film released in Spanish. He also wrote a book about making El Mariachi called Rebel Without a Crew.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz profiles the work of Pierre Boulez (“pee-AIR boo-LEZZ”). Boulez recently played a four-concert series of 20th century music at Carnegie Hall. Lloyd, who attended the shows, says Boulez is not only a conductor, a composer and a theorist, but a cultural icon as well.
The Brazilian, guitar-playing brothers are in Philadelphia as part of their East Coast tour. They talk to Fresh Air guest host Marty Moss-Coane about their early music lessons and influences. The Assads' newest album, Alma Brasileira, features music exclusively by Brazilian composers.
Playwright and director George C. Wolfe. He wrote and directed the hit Broadway musical Jelly's Last Jam, starring Gregory Hines, about Jelly Roll Morton. Wolfe also wrote the play The Colored Museum, a satire about the black experience in America. Jazz pianist and composer Joel Forrester joins the interview to perform some of Morton's music.
