Fresh Air with Terry Gross, August 28, 2020: Tribute to Charlie Parker.

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.
We celebrate the centennial of the birth of Charlie Parker, the alto saxophonist and composer who helped originate bebop. We'll hear from two musicians who played with him, Max Roach and trumpeter Red Rodney; and another who idolized Parker considered him a mentor, alto saxophonist Jackie McClean. And critic Kevin Whitehead will offer a crash course in what made Parker great.