In-Studio Performances

In-studio interview and concert with composer Joel Forrester, the co-founder of the Microscopic Septet (now defunct), composer of the Fresh Air theme, and solo pianist with a new cd, "Stop the Music" (Koch Records).

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Fresh Air: a presentation of blues music and interviews with performers at the world-famous Chicago Blues Festival recorded on June 8, 1997. Featuring Dan Penn, a master of nineteen-sixties soul and the writer of hits such as Cry Like a Baby and Sweet Inspiration. His songs have been recorded by artists including Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding. Penn is joined by his long-time songwriting partner Spooner Oldham, a talented keyboard player, who has recorded with Arthur Alexander and Box Tops and has toured with Bob Dylan and Neil Young.

Also performing with Penn and Oldham, Rufus Thomas, the self-proclaimed world oldest teenager. He played an integral role in the success of major record labels in the nineteen-fifties, Sun Records and Stax Records. He celebrates his 80th birthday at the festival by playing with his son, Marvell Thomas.

Singer Syl Johnson had hits in the nineteen-sixties and seventies such as Come on Sock it to Me and Take Me to the River. Rappers including TLC and Hammer have sampled his early tunes. Johnson will perform, backed up by a four piece band.

A concert and conversation with Eric Comstock. He's a cabaret singer and pianist whose love is rediscovering lesser known songs in American popular music history. InTheater magazine wrote, "Comstock tickles the ivories like a virtuoso and sings in a clear, warm straightforward style that owes much to Fred Astaire." For today's concert, he'll be joined by Dean Johnson on bass. Comstock has a new album, called "Young Man of Manhattan." (Harbinger Records)

The blues singer and guitarist has been credited with helping bring the traditional acoustic sound of Mississippi Delta Blues to contemporary blues audiences. He has a new CD called "Fish Ain’t Bitin’," by Alligator Records. His first album is titled Between MIdnight and Day.

A concert and interview with singer Rosemary Clooney taped before a live audience in San Francisco, January 18th, as part of the City Arts & Lectures series. Clooney sings some of her best known songs, accompanied by a quintet directed by John Oddo. She also talks with Terry about her life. Her 1996 album "Dedicated to Nelson" has been nominated for a Grammy.

We'll broadcast a studio performance with Rosemary Clooney next week. For now, we share this excerpt which we couldn't fit into the final broadcast.

A live concert in the WHYY Forum with jazz clarinetist Don Byron and his "Bug Orchestra." On their new recording "Bug Music," they play the music of The Raymond Scott Quintette, John Kirby & His Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Orchestra -- and a lot of cartoon music. Byron has become best known for playing klezmer, but musically he's all over the map: he plays jazz with his Don Byron Quintet, modern classical music with the Semaphore quintet, and he toured Europe with Music for Six Musicians, an Afro-Cuban ensemble.

An in-studio concert and interview with singer/songwriter, guitarist Richard Thompson. He first became known for his work with "Fairport Convention." He's since gone solo and is known for his dark songs which blend elements of British folk ballads and the blues.