J.J. Johnson, a pioneer of the modern jazz trombone. In 1970, he moved to Hollywood to work as a composer and arranger for television. He's toured the country recently, and a new CD of sessions he recorded in the 60s has just been reissued.
Actress Sally Kirkland. She's worked in theater and film for 25 years, playing small character roles. She now has a starring role in the film "Anna." (INTERVIEW BY LIANE HANSEN)
Guitarist Ry Cooder. His career consisted of one-night stands until he began writing the scores for films. His credits include "Paris, Texas" and "Crossroads." He's just come out with a solo album, his fist in six years. (INTERVIEW BY LIANE HANSEN)
Actor George Hearn, star of many Broadway hits, including "Follies," "Sweeney Todd" and "La Cage Aux Folles." He is now starring in a new theatrical production based on Chaim Potok's novel The Chosen. (INTERVIEW BY LIANE HANSEN)
Rock Critic Ken Tucker will review "A Very Special Christmas," the new charity record that features The Pretenders, U2, Bruce Springsteen and John Cougar Mellencamp.
Actor Josh Mostel. He's had supporting roles in the films "Radio Days," "Matewan" and "Compromising Positions." But now he's a headliner in the Off-Broadway comedy "The Boys Next Door." (INTERVIEW BY LIANE HANSEN)
Classical Music Critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a recent recording of Alexander Zemlinsky's "The Mermaid," a work forgotten for almost 80 years. Zemlinksy's greatest influence was on the Viennese School of 20th century music.
Sportswriter and HBO boxing analyst Larry Merchant. He discusses the world of boxing, the disintegration of neighborhood boxing clubs in the big cities and how television has changed the image of the boxer and the audience response.
Red Holzman tells of his five decades in basketball as a player, coach and general manager. He's a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and was coach of the New York Knicks when they won the world championship in 1970. Now retired, Holzman had written an autobiography titled Red on Red.
Detective writer Charles Willeford. His novels have earned him a cult following in the genre. He's now being discovered by a wider audience as his earlier novels are being re-issued in paperback. A new novel is about to be published, as well as an autobiography about his years on the road as hobo during the Depression.
Rock historian Ed Ward will profile The Standells. Their big hit was titled "Dirty Water." The group's name surfaced in the news recently when someone tried to impersonate Dick Dodd, the group's leader in an Austin, Texas nightclub.
Video artist Bill Viola. His work draws on his extensive travel throughout Northern India, the Sahara, the American West and Europe and strives to establish video as an art independent of film and television. Viola has been working with video since 1970, including stints as an artist-in-residence at WNET's Artists' Television Laboratory, and as a Guggenheim Fellow.
