In-Studio Performances

"Society" Pianist Peter Mintun performs many forgotten songs from the first half of this century. His new CD is "Your's for a Song: The Women of Tin Pan Alley." (Premier Recordings) Peter Mintun’s music is synonymous with San Francisco society. He has performed with symphony orchestras, entertained royalty, film and stage stars, and sometimes the composers themselves.

Musician John Gibbs explains the history of steel drum music.

Saxophonist STEVE MARCUCCI and bassist PAUL KLEINFELTER perform in-studio.

Sun Ra is the leader of the Spirit of Jazz Cosmos Arkestra. The band played a live concert at the WHYY studios as part of a five part radio program, "All That Jazz," hosted by Ann Mint and produced by Mint and Jack McGann. The members of the band are: Sun Ra, Walter Miller, Byard Lancaster, Luqman Ali, Marshall Allen, Stanley Morgan, Michael Ray, Danny Davis, Elo Omoe, Danny Thompson, Ricky Joyce, "Jac" Jacson, Cheryl Banks, and June Tyson.

Sun Ra is the leader of the Spirit of Jazz Cosmos Arkestra. The band played a live concert at the WHYY studios as part of a five part radio program, "All That Jazz," hosted by Ann Mint and produced by Mint and Jack McGann. The members of the band are: Sun Ra, Walter Miller, Byard Lancaster, Luqman Ali, Marshall Allen, Stanley Morgan, Michael Ray, Danny Davis, Elo Omoe, Danny Thompson, Ricky Joyce, "Jac" Jacson, Cheryl Banks, and June Tyson.

Billy Taylor performs improvisations and jazz standards in front of a live studio audience, then tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross about his career.

Penn Jillette, Teller, and Wier Chrisemer form the troop Asparagus Valley Cultural Society. Today, they, sound engineer Marc Garland, and guitarist Gary Anderson, join the show for an interview and perform their music, comedy, and magic. The group also shares their favorite classical records.

Blues singer and guitarist John Hammond, Jr. brings his instrument to the studio.

Philadelphia musician Ken Ulansey joins Fresh Air to discuss his life as a musician and his travels in Europe, the Near and Middle East, and Asia. He's played and studied music in places such as Paris, Istanbul, Afghanistan, Nepal, Tehran, and India. He also brings his alto and soprano saxophones to perform in-studio.

Jazz and bop pianist Barry Harris joins the show for an in-studio performance and discussion of his life and career.