Search the Fresh Air Archive

Close Search

1988 Was a Great Year for Jazz

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead shares his favorite releases of the year -- which include three reissues of classic recordings.

06:53
Queue

Contributor

Related Topics

Other segments from the episode on December 26, 1988

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, December 26, 1988: Interview with Ben E. King; Review of the ten best jazz albums of 1988; Interview with Ronnie Spector; Review of the made-for-TV movie "The Karen…
Queue
26:56

Ben E. King: The Fresh Air Interview

The hit songwriter sang bass with the doo-wop group The Crowns; he switched to lead vocals when they became The Drifters. King got his start at Harlem's Apollo Theater before finding national fame. As a solo performer, he had hits with original songs like "Stand by Me" and "Spanish Harlem."

Interview
Queue
09:38

Ronnie Spector's Comeback

Spector is best known for her song "Be My Baby." She was the frontwoman of the Ronettes and former wife of Phil Spector, who forbade her from performing during their marriage. The singer released a new album last year, called Unfinished Business.

Interview
Queue
03:45

A Biopic that Could Have Been Better

TV critic David Bianulli says that the brief history of the Carpenters, particularly Karen Carpenter's death from anorexia nervosa, was tragic, but short on details to make a compelling biopic. With Carpenter's brother Richard serving as producer, the movie shies away from the truth, and ultimately falls flat.

Review

Transcript

Transcript currently not 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
06:23

Coleman's Shot at Having a Hit

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says Ornette Coleman's new album, Virgin Beauty, is the best and most accessible example yet of his harmolodic approach. The alto saxophonist is backed by his electric band Prime Time, which features the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia on several tracks.

Review
Queue
10:11

Cellist Diedre Murray

Murray is one of the few cello players working in jazz. She says class and cultural differences between black and white communities can explain why fewer African American children learn classical instruments. She appears on Muhal Richard Abrams' new album, The Hearinga Suite.

Interview

Did you know you can create a shareable playlist?

Learn How
Advertisement

Recently on Fresh Air Available to Play on NPR

52:30

Daughter of Warhol star looks back on a bohemian childhood in the Chelsea Hotel

Alexandra Auder's mother, Viva, was one of Andy Warhol's muses. Growing up in Warhol's orbit meant Auder's childhood was an unusual one. For several years, Viva, Auder and Auder's younger half-sister, Gaby Hoffmann, lived in the Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan. It was was famous for having been home to Leonard Cohen, Dylan Thomas, Virgil Thomson, and Bob Dylan, among others.

Queue

Related segments from the Fresh Air Archive:

43:04

This fake 'Jury Duty' really put James Marsden's improv chops on trial

In the series Jury Duty, a solar contractor named Ronald Gladden has agreed to participate in what he believes is a documentary about the experience of being a juror--but what Ronald doesn't know is that the whole thing is fake.

Queue

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