Terry Gross

Composer and pianist Joel Forrester, co-founder of the now defunct Microscopic Septet and composer of the Fresh Air theme, recalls meeting Thelonious Monk late in Monk's life. (Originally aired October 27, 1997)

Jessica Williams has been recording albums, both solo and with ensembles, since 1978. Her music is often featured between interview segments on the show. You can hear the influence of Monk on her playing. (Originally aired Nov. 26, 1997)

Actor and comedian John Leguizamo has a recurring role on NBC's ER. He can also be seen in Edward Burns' film The Groomsmen. This interview originally aired on July 18, 2005.

The late soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy, who died in 2004 at the age of 69, trained and performed with Thelonious Monk when he was in his mid-20s. He was also known as the "father of the modern soprano saxophone." (Originally aired Aug. 28, 1997)

Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) talks about his new book, America Back on Track. In the book, Sen. Kennedy identifies what he sees as key challenges facing the United States now, and offers possible solutions.

Judges for the Pulitzer Prize Monday cited The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Mike Luckovich "for his powerful cartoons on an array of issues, drawn with a simple but piercing style." It's a second prize for Luckovich, who was also honored in 1995.

Nicholas Wade, science reporter for The New York Times, examines what we've learned about our human ancestors using the latest techniques in DNA analysis in his new book, Before the Dawn: Recovering the Lost History of Our Ancestors.

Catherine Keener recently won a second Oscar nomination for her performance in Capote and appeared in the popular comedy The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Now, she stars in Friends with Money, her third collaboration with writer-director Nicole Holofcener.

British actress Helen Mirren, perhaps best known for her long-running role as Det. Supt. Jane Tennison on TV's Prime Suspect, has had two quite closely related roles recently. She plays Elizabeth I in a new HBO four-part miniseries premiering April 22; then she appears as Elizabeth II in The Queen, a film from Stephen Frears.

When journalist Pete Earley's son was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, it sent him on an effort not only to get his son properly diagnosed and treated, but to understand the nation's mental health system. Earley's book about the experience is Crazy: A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health Madness.