Jazz

Part two of an interview with singer and songwriter David Frishberg, who composed pop hits like "Peel Me a Grape" and "I'm Hip." He'll also perform on the piano.

Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "Your Eyes," the second big band album by the Norwegian pianist and composer Per Husby.

Jazz singer, songwriter David Frishberg. This is the first part of two-part interview. Throughout the 60s, Frishberg wrote songs like "I'm Hip" and "Peel Me a Grape." Then in the early 70s, he started singing his own songs. Frishberg will also play a few songs throughout both parts of the interview.

Gary Giddins, jazz critic for The Village Voice and author of the books Celebrating Bird: the Triumph of Charlie Parker, and Rhythm-a-ning: Jazz Tradition and Innovation in the 80s. He is the founder of the American Jazz Orchestra, which performs important and neglected jazz works of the past.

Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "Easily Slip Into Another World," the latest album by saxophonist Henry Threadgill and his sextet. Whitehead says that more than any other current jazz composer, Threadgill mixes strains from all phases of jazz history.

Jazz composer and conductor Bill Lee. He composed the scores for the films "She's Gotta Have It" and "School Daze," both written and directed by his son, Spike Lee. "School Daze," Spike Lee's most recent film, is loosely based on his experiences at Moorehead College in Atlanta, the same college Bill Lee and his father attended.

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.

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."

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."

Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "The Current Set," bassist Mark Helias' second album as band leader and writer. Helias is probably best known for his work in the late 70s and early 80s with saxophonists Dewey Redman and Anthony Braxton. "The Current Set" features trumpeter Herb Robertson, trombonist Robin Eubanks and alto saxophonist Tim Berne.

Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a reissue of a 1964 session featuring pianist Paul Bley. In the early years of his career, Bley worked closely with pianist Charles Mingus and saxophonist Ornette Colemen. Since the 60s, he's led his own small groups.

Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the album "Nine Below Zero," by the trio of pianist Wayne Horvitz, cornettist Butch Morris and drummer Bobby Previte. Kevin says the album is one of the more successful attempts to humanize the new electronic instruments like synthesizers, drum machines and rhythm boxes.

Singer Margaret Whiting. Her father, Richard Whiting, wrote many of her most popular songs, including "Too Marvelous for Words," "My Ideal," "She's Funny That Way," and "On The Good Ship Lollipop." Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer and other great songwriters of the day were like uncles to her. She is now performing at the Algonquin Hotel in New York City.

Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead pays tribute to Benny Carter, the elder statesman of the alto saxophone. He reviews the new American Jazz Orchestra recording of Carter compositions, featuring Carter, pianist John Lewis and bassist Ron Carter, among others.

Chicago-based composer, arranger and tenor saxophonist Edward Wilkerson. He leads the big band Shadow Vignettes, whose 1986 album, "Birth of a Notion," was on most jazz critic's lists as one of the top ten albums of that year. In Wilkerson's newest album, titled "Eight Bold Souls," he leads a smaller group, an octet.

The saxophonist and clarinetist, a student of Sidney Bechet and a specialist in early styles of the music, died Aug. 4 at the age of 91. He spoke with Terry Gross in 1988, excerpted here. (Hear the full interview through the Fresh Air archive.)

Jazz clarinetist and alto and soprano saxophonist Bob Wilber. Wilber is also a composer and arranger; He arranged the music for the film "The Cotton Club." And he's just completed his autobiography. It's scheduled for release later this spring and is titled "Music Was Not Enough." This Saturday, Wilber will lead a tribute at Carnegie Hall to the late Benny Goodman, the king of the jazz clarinet. It's the 50th anniversary of Goodman's famed concert there.

Photographer William Claxton. His new book, Jazz, is a collection of jazz photographs taken in the 50s and 60s and includes photographs of jazz greats like Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, John Coltrane and Max Roach.

Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the new album from alto saxophonist Richie Cole. It's called "Popbop" and is available on Milestone records.