Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says many other critics don't know what to make of the jazz pianist's percussive, atonal playing. Cecil Taylor doesn't improvise using standard jazz changes or harmonies, yet he says his biggest influence is the blues. Whitehead reviews a reissue of Taylor's album Indent, and explains what to listen for.
Jillette, along with his silent partner Teller, created his magic act partly in opposition to the comedy and theater performances he disliked. His duo's edgy, sometimes violent, performances have won Emmy Awards and spawned companion books and videos. Jillette takes pride in maintaining an aggressive persona while treating his audience with respect.
The crime writer says he's more focused on characters than the gritty, violent plots that drive his novels. Yet Elmore garners praise for those tightly woven and realistic plots; Leonard is careful to consult experts about bomb making, guns, and explosions.
Critic Ken Tucker, a big fan of rap music, missed the theatrical release of Run D.M.C.'s film. He had high hopes it might capture the spirit of black action movies of the 1970s; but after watching the home video release, Tucker says the movie failed to live up to its promise.
Rock critic Ken Tucker says the pop star rails against commercialism -- despite the fact that his success depends on it. But it's the music on Big Daddy -- moreso than the lyrics -- that best coveys Mellencamp's anti-pop message.
Sendak illustrated a version of a recently-discovered Grimm story, about a girl named Mili who loses her mother during a war. Sendak, best known for his book Where the Wild Things Are, often incorporates difficult subjects like death and divorce into his children's books.
A new anthology of Wilbur's early and recent poetry has recently been published. He joins Fresh Air to talk about his writing, the effect of how reading in front of audiences has had on his work, and his relationship with his children. Wilbur was Poet Laureate from 1987 to 1988.
The San Francisco-based Graham organized and promoted concerts for several important bands in the 1960s. He worked hard to create diverse lineups, and balance the needs and desires of artists and record labels. Graham closed his iconic Fillmore Theater in 1971.
Rock historian Ed Ward says that several 1950s and '60s bands associated with San Francisco actually came from nearby cities and towns. He looks at some of the over looked, truly local, drug-fueled bands of that era.
Mickey Hart says his travels around the globe with the Grateful Dead have given him the chance to meet several accomplished musicians from non-Western cultures. He's produced several recordings of their performance, many of which have been released on the Rykodisc label.
Writer Stuart Brand joins Fresh Air to talk about the technology-focused business culture that's developing in the Bay Area. He says it's turned San Francisco into a kind of global frontier town.
Author and poet Al Young reads some of his autobiographical writing about the African American experience in the 1930s, and the cultural impact Coleman Hawkins' recording of "Body and Soul" had on his family.
Mitford grew up in a wealthy English family. She cultivated her leftist politics early in life, and became an anti-fascist activist. She joins Fresh Air to talk about her relationship with the Communist Party during the McCarthy era, her early book about the death industry, and growing older.
Contrary to many other feminist activists, Bright believes that the anti-pornography movement discourages women from exploring their sexuality and developing what she calls an "erotic literacy." She edits the S&M-themed magazine On Our Backs, which revels in fantasies that are at once controlled and dangerous.
Baker made a career as a trumpet player and jazz singer. Known for his struggles with his addition, Baker recently died after falling from his window; drug paraphernalia was found in his room. Bruce Weber's new documentary about the musician has just been released. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead has this review.
Family Ties and Moonlighting both ended recently. TV critic David Bianculli says their final episodes highlight the programs' strengths and weaknesses.
Critic-at-large Laurie Stone review Sarah P. Stuart's debut novel -- a fast-moving coming-of-age story about a sister and her emotionally unstable brothers.
Business writer Rosabeth Moss Kantor says the past decade's trends of rugged individualism in the workplace and excessively long hours are unsustainable. Looking ahead, she believes corporations should be leaner, foster an independent an entrepreneurial spirit in its employees, and allow for a better work-life balance.
