Composers

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.

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.

In addition to writing music, Ned Rorem publishes his diaries, in which he muses on the creative process, his views on art, and his personal relationships. His newest collection is called Setting the Tone.

Composer Peter Schickele invented the fictitious, forgotten son of J.S. Bach and writes music under that name. Schickele believes that a more lighthearted approach to classical music could expand the genre's audience.

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.

John Cage is an avant-garde musician known for his "chance compositions," which use "found" sounds. His music mixes Eastern philosophy with Western high-technology and eschews principles of harmony and melody. Cage is still a radical at 73.

Cy Coleman started his career as a jazz pianist and club owner before moving on to writing pop songs that were recorded by artists such as Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. Coleman then started composing Broadway musicals, including "Sweet Charity." Coleman now produces and owns a music publishing company.

Composer Steve Reich is known as a prominent "minimalist." Reich joins the show to discuss that term, his own career and influences, and whether he is the "safe" avant-garde composer.

Composer Steve Reich, one of the fathers of minimalist music, discusses the cross-cultural influences on his work from African drumming to Jewish cantorial singing. His latest composition is "Desert Music" which features the poems of William Carlos Williams.

Dennis Russell Davies is a conductor known for his dedication to performing new music and innovative programs. Davies is the co-founder and principal conductor for the American Composers Orchestra and the conductor of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center of New York, the summer home of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Davies lives in West Germany and is about to assume the position of the General Music Director of the City of Bonn.

Ellie Greenwich is a songwriter known for her pop songs of the 1960s like "Be My Baby" and "Do Wah Diddy Diddy." Greenwich worked with composers Leiber and Stoller, producer Phil Spector, and co-wrote many of her hits with her ex-husband Jeff Barry. During much of the 1970s, Greenwich wrote, produced, and performed commercial jingles before experiencing a career resurgence in the 1980s. A revue of her songs "Leader of Pack," premiered in New York and will go on a national tour.

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."

Composer Richard Wernick works with the Philadelphia Orchestra to expand their repertoire and incorporate contemporary works by living composers.

The singer and pianist perform classic American popular songs for a live studio audience. They talk to Fresh Air producer and guest host Amy Salit about what makes some popular music endure.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new collection of piano pieces written by women in the early 20th century, and performed by Virginia Eskin. Schwartz says it's a delightful listen and an important social history.

Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead will review a reissue of the 1959 album, "Ellington Jazz Party." His review includes a discussion of the controversial biography of Duke Ellington by James Lincoln Collier, controversial because Collier alleges that true credit for many of Ellington's most famous tunes belongs to his band members.

Performance artist Meredith Monk. Her interdisciplinary art fuses elements of dance, film, theater and music. Her new collection of songs combines half-sounds like shrieks, sobs and moans into a unified and startling whole.

Composer David Del Tredici. His works place him at the forefront of the neo-romantic movement. Del Tredici won the Pulitzer Prize for music in 1980 for his composition "In Memory of A Summer Day." From 1968 to 1985, his works evolved around themes from Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll's beloved fairy tale. It was his 1976 work, "Final Alice," commissioned by the Chicago Symphony, that first brought Del Tredici international recognition.

Henry Mancini, who's had a long career writing scores for movies and TV. He has composed some classic songs, such as "The Pink Panther," "Moon River," "The Days of Wine and Roses," and the themes for "Peter Gunn" and "Mr. Lucky." He had just done the music for the new film version of "The Glass Menagerie."

Drummer and composer Bobby Previte. His music has been described as "... a blend of Charles Mingus' bluesy hoedowns and Steve Reich's trancelike minimalism." Previte began as a rock drummer and now composes in a wide variety of genres, from choral works and string quartets to film score and jazz. His new album is titled "Pushing the Envelope."