Jazz

Trombonist Melba Liston is one the few women to find success as a musician, arranger, and composer in the world of jazz. Liston has worked with artists as diverse as Dizzy Gillespie and Aretha Franklin. After spending five years living in Jamaica, Liston has returned to the United States and formed a new big band, the seventeen-piece "Melba Liston and Company."

The two dancers have performed together since the 1960s in the group Hoofers. They talk about the influence of jazz on their generation of dancers.

In his regular feature Interval, jazz critic Francis Davis considers the impact of two groups which arose from the Chicago collective, the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM).

In addition to being an in-demand bass player, Milt Hinton is an accomplished photographer. His portraits offer a candid look into the lives of famous jazz musicians. He and Fresh Air host Terry Gross talk about the experience of black musicians touring the segregated South and listen to highlights from Hinton's recording career.

Freeman's time studying with Chicago's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) was crucial to his musical development. A student of both the avant-garde and traditional bop traditions, his compositions draw inspiration from different facets of the African American experience.

Philadelphia-based artist Raphael Ferrer gave up a career in jazz to become a visual artist. He has just completed a sculpture in Fairhill Square Park. He tell Terry Gross about his unique aesthetic and his particular investment in vibrant Latino neighborhoods thriving in blighted areas of the Bronx and Philadelphia.

The musician taught himself the instrument before taking lessons at the Philadelphia Conservatory. After a brief stint as a rock and roll bassist, he joined drummer Art Blakey's ensemble.

The pianist rejected the life of a traveling jazz musician, instead choosing to perform and record live performances in clubs near his home in the Delaware Water Gap area. He also makes a living as a transcriber and arranger. He plays selections from each of his albums for a live audience.

Musician and composer David Eyges is one of the few jazz cello players. In recent years, he has worked with Philadelphia saxophonist Byard Lancaster, with whom he recorded the album "The Arrow." The duo has now become a trio with the addition of Philadelphia drummer Sunny Murray. The group recently released the album "Crossroads." Eyges' music is part of a trend of blurring the lines between jazz and classical music.

Critic Francis Davis joins us for the weekly program "Interval," in which he looks at new jazz releases. Today Davis reviews "We Want Miles" by jazz legend Miles Davis, and "The Great Pretender" by trumpeter Lester Bowie.

Concert promoter George Wein credits his enduring festival for the successful career of several prominent jazz musicians, as well as the continued vitality of the genre.

The tenor player has been working in jazz for nearly 40 years. He also works as an arranger for television. He talks about his development as a musician and his work performing in clubs.

The songwriter, singer and jazz pianist performs his songs for Fresh Air. He talks about his approach to writing, his distinctive vocal style, and how he keeps his arrangements fresh.

Jazz pianist Sam Dockery performs before a live studio audience. In between songs, he tells Fresh Air associate producer Danny Miller about the mechanics of improvisation and the role of the pianist in different contexts.

Poet Maya Angelou has written a new memoir which details her relationship with her son while she worked as a singer and civil rights activist. She discusses the impact of prominent African American leaders like Billie Holiday, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcom X had on her personally and intellectually.

The musician immersed himself in jazz during his years of classical training. With so little in the canon written for his instrument, he mostly performs his own compositions.

The accomplished musician is known for singing along with his playing. He demonstrates his unique approach to the instrument, considers the evolving role of the bass in music, and his career in jazz.

The accomplished musician shares his approach to improvisation and teaching. He considers the changing approach and education of younger musicians is affecting the future of jazz.

The Village Voice writer has a new anthology of his music writing called Riding on a Blue Note. His tastes have expanded from jazz to pop vocals, including Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. Giddins also finds much to love about contemporary European and avant-garde jazz.

Fresh Air broadcasts a program produced by Newark, New Jersey based-station WBGO which features performances from the renown jazz festival, along with interviews with notable musicians.