Places & Travel

Guitarist and composer Dave Van Ronk discusses folk music, his jazz and blues influences, and the folk scene of the 1960s.

Vernel Bagneris is a playwright, actor, and dancer. He wrote, directed, and acts in the musical "One Mo' Time," now playing in Philadelphia. The musical is set in 1920s' New Orleans and draws heavily on the jazz from that time and place. It centers around a touring group of vaudevillians performing at the segregated Lyric Theater. Bagneris describes it as a "piece on Black theater history." He joins the show to discuss the musical, the black vaudeville circuit, black face, and the benefits of live performance.

Randy Weston is a jazz pianist and composer. He travels and performs extensively in Africa, and African influences infuse his music. He is playing a rare American concert in Philadelphia.

A panel of experts join Terry Gross to talk about the opium trade, the treatment of opiate addicts in Britain, and the often racist origins of drug laws in the United States.

Red Rodney honed his skills as a trumpet player in Philadelphia. Later, he joined Charlie Parker's band. He tells Fresh Air host Terry Gross about kicking his heroin habit and the kinds of jobs he takes to make a career in music.

The elite class shaped Philadelphia and Boston in important ways. Scholar E. Digby Baltzell examines how and why.

Philadelphia-based food critic Elaine Tait talks about her trade and recent service and food trends in area restaurants. Fresh Air listeners call in with their questions.

Nigerian drummer Olatunji discusses African immigration to the United States, American attitudes toward Africa, and his unexpected popularity in the West.

Writer William Hinton wrote the acclaimed book Fanshen, about life in a Chinese village. He talks about life in China after the Cultural Revolution.

Jazz and blues guitar player and singer Joe Williams talks about his experiences touring and his interactions with his audience.

Pianist Jimmy Golden, pianist Sam Dockery, and trumpeter and club owner Jack Fields discuss jazz in Philadelphia. Jimmy Golden and Sam Dockery have served as house pianists at many Philadelphia jazz clubs, and Jack Fields owned the club the Blue Note in the 1950s.

Richard Ben Cramer, foreign affairs journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner, has spent extensive time traveling to and reporting on the Middle East. He has reported on Israel, Egypt, and Lebanon, and his stories often focus on individuals. He joins the show to discuss his work and the situation in the Middle East.

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.

Antique writer Lita Solis-Cohen and curators Joe Rishel and Doris Fanelli speak with Terry Gross about art collecting, forgeries and auctions.

Oliver Lake, whose latest recordings include "Heavy Spirits" and "NTU," joins the show to his discuss his career.

Barry Harris, jazz pianist and head of Xanadu Records, joins Terry for an extended discussion about jazz music.

John Aiello, head of the Italian American Bicentennial, talks Italian Americans and their role in U. S. society.

Stewart's back as Jean-Luc Picard in season 2 of the Paramount+ series Star Trek: Picard. "I am not averse to risk-taking and I don't judge myself," he says. Originally broadcast July 2, 2020.

Hannah Shaw's job title is "professional kitten rescuer."

TV critic David Bianculli reviews "Don't Drink the Water," Woody Allen's made-for-TV movie based on the play of the same name. It airs Sunday on ABC.