Jazz

Terry Zwigoff is the director and producer of the documentary "Louie Bluie," about jazz violinist and mandolinist Howard Armstrong. Armstrong continues the tradition of black string bands in the nineteen-teens and the nineteen-twenties. Armstrong's career was revived in the nineteen-seventies on the college circuit. Zwigoff plays the cello and mandolin himself, including in cartoonist R. Crumb's band, and collects jazz records.

Nat Hentoff writes about jazz and civil liberties, but describes his profession as "being a troublemaker." Hentoff began collecting jazz records and hanging out in jazz clubs as a young adult, and later hosted a jazz radio show and edited a magazine before co-founding the Jazz Review, a journal of criticism. Hentoff currently writes a column for the Village Voice and his subjects are often the First Amendment or civil liberties, and he is a staunch defender of free speech. His latest book, "Boston Boy," is a memoir about growing up in Chicago and Boston.

Edward Wilkerson is a jazz musician and composer. He joins the show to discuss his work and career. His ensemble the Shadow Vignettes' most recent album is "Birth of a Notion."

Art and Aaron Neville are part of the New Orleans funk and rhythm and blues band The Neville Brothers. Art has been performing since 1954 when his "Mardi Gras Mambo" became a hit. The song remains a Mardi Gras standard. Aaron had a hit in 1966 with the song "Tell It Like It Is." The brothers' latest album "Neville-lization."

Jazz singer Abbey Lincoln began her career in the 1950s with a seductive image singing romantic ballads. Her image changed in the late 1950s after she met her drummer Max Roach, whom she later married, and who introduced her to modern jazz and the emerging black conscious movement. Lincoln also acted in the 1960s, appearing in movies and television. Lincoln's latest album is "Talking to the Sun."

Nick Spitzer is a folklorist who worked for the State of Louisiana for six years, and now works at the Smithsonian. Spitzer has also hosted several radio programs and recently produced the film "Zydeco: Creole Music and Culture in Rural Louisiana" and helped produce the album "Zodico: Louisian Créole Music." Spitzer joins the show to discuss and share jazz music from New Orleans, with a focus on Mardi Gras music and lesser known styles. (INTERVIEW BY BOB CARLIN)

Trumpeter Gregory Davis is a member of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The band was founded to play at funerals and other events in New Orleans. The group mixes traditional New Orleans jazz with funk and bebop. (Interview By Danny Miller)

Artie Shaw is a legendary big bandleader and clarinetist. His band was one of the most popular of the 1940s. Since then Shaw has written books, worked as a film producer, and retired from playing. in 1980 he organized a new band to play his works and arrangements.

Charlie Haden is one of the foremost bass players in contemporary jazz. In the 1950s Haden was a part of the first Ornette Coleman Quartet, which was the center of a jazz revolution. He has been involved with both avant-garde and mainstream jazz ever since. In the 1960s he formed the Liberation Music Orchestra, whose pointed political references were controversial. Haden re-formed the Orchestra in 1983 and their latest album is "The Ballad of the Fallen." Haden also plays with the band Old and New Dreams, made-up of Coleman alumni.

Pianist and singer Bobby Short is a master of American popular song, singing classics from the likes of Porter, the Gershwins, Berlin, and Sondheim. He has the been playing at Cafe Carlyle in New York since 1968. He reached a new generation when he was in an ad for Revlon's Charlie perfume.

Richard Stoltzman is a clarinet virtuoso. He was the first solo clarinetist to be presented in Carnegie Hall in 1982. Stoltzman is known for his unusual concerts, incorporating jazz and wearing informal clothing. He joins the show to discuss his life and career.

The singer is one of the foremost interpreters of the American songbook, and he has continued to record classics despite pressure to "give up the old stuff." Bennett joins the show to share and discuss recordings that span his entire career, including discussion of composers such as the Gershwins, Johnny Mercer, Count Basie, and Rodgers and Hart.

Emergency surgery to remove an aneurysm left jazz guitarist Pat Martino with no memory of his life or how to play his instrument. After years of recovery and practice, he has relearned guitar and returned to the stage.

Larry Rivers began his career as a jazz saxophonist before becoming a painter at twenty-three. He says he was drawn to the solitary nature of making art and how art could draw from a broader range of experiences than jazz.

The jazz musician studied with pianist Lennie Tristano before seeking out work in big bands. Konitz joins Fresh Air's Terry Gross to talk about the personal and financial hardships that accompanied the dogged pursuit of his career.

The musician talks to Terry Gross about the social and economic conditions that affect the place of African American musical traditions in American culture.

Record producer Hal Willner gathered rock and jazz musicians to pay tribute to composers Nino Rota and Thelonious Monk on two separate compilation albums.

Horace Silver began as an introverted, aspiring pianist in Connecticut before becoming a musical force in the New York jazz scene. After founding the Jazz Messengers with drummer Art Blakey, he left the band to start his own ensemble. He talks about the creative and therapeutic aspects of composing music.

The accomplished musician made his mark as a member of Count Basie's band. Foster later earned his Ph.D. in music and worked as an educator. He now leads his own big band, an endeavor he admits is difficult to sustain financially.

Acoustic jazz guitarist and composer Marty Grosz began playing at the age of 13. He is the son of satiric artist George Grosz who fled Germany with his family in 1933. Grosz takes inspiration from obscure jazz and pop from the 1920s. He regularly plays with Woody Allen at Michael's Pub. Grosz is in town for the Cool Jazz Festival and his brought his guitar into the studio.