Music

Jazz pianist Sumi Tonooka plays an excerpt from "Out From Silence," a work inspired by her mother's internment in a camp for Japanese-American during World War II. Tonooka is joined by Ronnie Seldin, playing the shakuhachi, a traditional Japanese flute.

Bernice Johnson Reagon, singer, cultural historian and director of Smithsonian's Program in Black American Culture. Reagon sings contralto with Sweet Honey in the Rock, one of the country's leading a cappella groups. She's been described as a "song shaper and song preserver." In her work with the Smithsonian, Reagon tries to maintain obscure and dying Baptist choral traditions.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Globe of Frogs," the latest album from Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians. The group's enigmatic lyrics and strong pop melodies are a big hit on college radio stations. Ken says this English band's strongest moment comes when the listener figures out what the singers are trying to say.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews "Lutoslawki Conducts Lutoslawski," a new Phillips recording featuring Polish musician Witold Lutoslawski. The recording features Lutoslawski's Cello Concerto, with Heinrich Schiff as soloist.

The actor Divine. He's now starring in John Waters' new film "Hairspray." Divine is known for his roles as freaky, obese, gaudy women. He's become a pop star in Europe.

Rock historian Ed Ward profiles the career of versatile Texas rock n' roller Doug Sahm, including the night in 1952 when he performed while sitting on the lap of Hank Williams, and his escapades as the leader of The Sir Douglas Quintet, a group of southerners who tried to convince the public they were British.

Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "Repercussions," the British documentary series on African and Afro-American music. One segment features American jazz drummer Max Roach; another highlights the Los Angeles rhythm-and-blues scene and "highlife" musicians from Ghana. The series is now available on home video.

Lyricist and songwriter Robert Hunter. He's best known for his 28-year collaboration with Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, writing the lyrics to the classics "Uncle John's Band" and "Truckin," and the recent hit "Touch of Grey." He has a new solo album titled "Liberty."

Singer Mick Moloney returns to play two Irish folk songs.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "The Talking Animals," the new album by singer, songwriter and record producer T-Bone Burnett. Burnett has produced the work of musicians like Marshall Crenshaw, Los Lobos, Roy Orbison and Elvis Costello. In 1975, Burnett travelled and performed with Bob Dylan's "Rolling Thunder Review."

A live concert with Kenny Davern, one of the greatest living clarinetist playing traditional jazz. Davern will perform with guitarist Howard Alden and bassist Phil Flanigan.

Black South African jazz singer Sathima Bea Benjamin. She's led many groups and has also recorded with her husband, composer and pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, also known as "Dollar Brand."

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a 1986 recording of a live performance of Leonard Bernstein's opera "A Quiet Place," the sequel to "Trouble in Tahiti." "A Quiet Place" traces what happened to the characters introduced in "Trouble in Tahiti," a satiric look at marriage and life in the suburbs.

Rock historian Ed Ward looks at the music of Mardi Gras as performed by Professor Longhair, the Neville family and The Hawkettes.

Fresh Air's classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz. It's part of our continuing series of conversations with Fresh Air's contributors. Schwartz is the classical music editor of the Boston Phoenix and writes for The Atlantic magazine and Vanity Fair. Schwartz was the winner of the 1987 ASCAP Deems Taylor for music criticism.

Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the work of Kansas City pianist Jay McShann. As a big band leader in the 40s and 50s, McShann helped start the careers of jazz stars like Charlie Parker and Big Joe Turner. Kevin reviews a reissue of a 1972 album, "Going to Kansas City."

Brazilian guitarist Orlando Haddad performs two songs popular during "Carnaval," the holiday that preceded Lent.

Bob Geldof, the star of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats and organizer of the Band Aid and Live Aid benefit concerts to aid starvation victims in Africa. His autobiography is titled Is That It?

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the music of British pop stars Rick Astley and his sister Virginia. Rick Astley has the top hit in England - "Never Gonna Give You Up" - and the song is now getting wide airplay on U.S. stations. Virginia Astley has recorded several albums in Europe. Her first American album has just been released.

Rock Critic Ken Tucker. It's another in the continuing series of interviews with Fresh Air's contributors. Ken tells us how a frustrated college poet found himself in crowded clubs listening to punk bands and being paid for it.