Fresh Air with Terry Gross September 14, 2017: Interview with Fred Hersch; Review of the new Ken Burns series 'The Vietnam War.'

Since its national debut in 1987, Fresh Air with Terry Gross has been a highly acclaimed and much adored weekday magazine among public radio listeners. Each week, nearly 4.8 million people turn to Peabody Award-winning host Terry Gross for insightful conversations with the leading voices in contemporary arts and issues. The renowned program reaches a global audience, with over 620 public radio stations broadcasting Fresh Air, and 3 million podcast downloads each week. Fresh Air has broken the mold of 'talk show' by weaving together superior journalism and intimate storytelling from modern-day intellectuals, politicians and artists alike. Through probing questions and careful research, Gross's interviews are lauded for revealing a fresh perspective on cultural icons and trends. Her thorough conversations are often complemented by commentary from well-known contributors. Fresh Air is produced at WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and broadcast nationally by NPR.
(1.) Jazz pianist and composer FRED HERSCH. He's written a new memoir, Good Things Happen Slowly: A life in and out of Jazz. He has dozens of albums to his credit, solo and with groups. He began his music life in the closet, but came out in 1994 and also disclosed his diagnosis of HIV. In 2008 he came close to dying and was in a coma for two months. After coming out of it, he couldn't walk, talk, or lift an arm. After a long period of rehabilitation, he returned to performing and composing. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW). (2.) TV critic DAVID BIANCULLI reviews The Vietnam War, the new documentary series by Ken Burns.