Music

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews Without a Song: The 9/11 Concert by legendary tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins. He turns 75 Wednesday. The CD was recorded live at a concert in Boston shortly after Sept. 11, 2001.

Grammy-winning rapper and actor Will Smith has had success in music, movies and television. He began his career as the Fresh Prince with DJ Jazzy Jeff. Since then, he has acted in numerous films and been nominated for an Oscar, for his performance in Ali. (This interview originally aired Dec. 17, 2001.)

Her critically acclaimed 1989 debut album All Hail The Queen is considered one of the best rap albums of all time, and she has starred in many movies. (This interview originally aired March 15, 1999.)

Known today equally as a musician and actor, Ice Cube was born O'Shea Jackson. He first gained notoriety in the late 1980s with the revolutionary group N.W.A. He now also acts in and produces movies, including this year's comedy Are We There Yet? (This interview originally aired Jan. 10, 2005.)

Ice-T is one of the original gangster rappers, of whom Greg Knot of The Chicago Tribune wrote: "Ice-T is that rare gangster rapper who leads with his brain instead of his gun or his crotch." He's gone on to a successful acting career. (This interview originally aired May 16, 1994.)

When the hit rap song "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five came out in the early 1980s, many rappers regarded it as an inspiration and political message. Melle Mel was the original vocalist on the song. (This interview originally aired August 4, 1992.)

In 1965, Robert Moog invented the Moog synthesizer, an electronic keyboard that creates otherworldly sounding electronic music. His instrument went on to usher in a new era of rock and electronic music. The Beatles used a Moog synthesizer on their 1969 Abbey Road album.

Singer Scott Yoho's band the Auto Body Experience has a new album, Forgotten Lots. One particular song jumped out at us here at Fresh Air; it's called "Terry Gross."

Rock historian Ed Ward reviews a new history of gospel music, People Get Ready! by Robert Darden.

Rock historian Ed Ward looks at the career of producer and arranger Jack Nitzsche. He worked with a wide variety of artists: Phil Spector, Bobby Darin, Doris Day, Little Stevie Wonder, Neil Young and Marianne Faithful. The new CD Hearing Is Believing collects his work.