Fishko Files from WNYC

A coincidence of dates and events has Sara Fishko thinking about some memorable artists - whose personal myths and mysteries fought with their work - in this edition of Fishko Files. Robin D.G. Kelley's 2009 book, Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original, is out now in an updated paperback edition. Jazz Standard pays tribute to the Monk centennial with their month-long series Brilliant Corners: Celebrating Monk's 100th. For tickets and more information, visit the club's website.

In September of 1955, Louis Armstrong recorded an unlikely blockbuster song that had originated in the late '20s in Germany. Sara Fishko talks to George Avakian, who tells the story of how "Mack the Knife" became an American hit. (Produced in 2002)

In honor of the birthday of John Cage (September 5, 1912-August 12, 1992) and because we could always use a little quiet - an episode of Fishko Files on a great interest of Cage’s: silence. (Produced in 2003)

Woody Sez, the Irish Repertory Theatre production now in New York through September 10th, is the latest in a long line of biographical and musical treatments of the life and work of Woody Guthrie. Sara Fishko visited Nora Guthrie, his daughter, for this Fishko Files. (Produced for the Guthrie centennial in 2012) For tickets and more information, visit the Irish Repertory Theatre's website.

With Monday's eclipse still resonating in our memory, here's a Fishko Files meditation on music and moonlight, with thanks to Beethoven and a dozen or so pianists. (Produced in 2000)

It's the 150th birth anniversary of the conductor Arturo Toscanini this year. As WNYC's Sara Fishko tells us in this Fishko Files replay, the celebrated and demanding Maestro dominated classical music for decades. The New York Philharmonic, where Toscanini also conducted, has opened its digital archive of the Toscanini years. It can be found on their website.

For the next two weekends, every aspect of the composer Frédéric Chopin will be examined at the annual Bard Music Festival, up the Hudson. It has WNYC's Sara Fishko considering the sources of that composer's inspiration, in this edition of Fishko Files. "Chopin and His World" opens tomorrow at Bard. For more details, visit their website. Jan Lisiecki's Chopin: Works for Piano & Orchestra is available on Amazon. Featured Music: Frédéric ChopinÉtude Op. 10, No. 5 in G flat minorJan Lisiecki, piano Johann Sebastian BachCapriccio in B flat major, BWV 992 – III: AdagissimoWilhelm Kempff, piano (1976) Gaetano DonizettiAl Dolce Guidami (from “Anna Bolena”)Maria CallasConducted by Nicola Rescigno Frédéric ChopinNocturne Op. 15, No. 1 in F majorMaria João Pires, piano Vincenzo BelliniCasta Diva (from “Norma”)Renée FlemingConducted by Sir Charles Mackerras Frédéric ChopinMazurka Op. 33, No. 2 in D majorVladimir Ashkenazy, piano Frédéric ChopinVariations on “Là ci darem la mano” from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Op. 2 – Var. IJan Lisiecki, piano Frédéric ChopinÉtude Op. 10, No. 11 in E flat majorJan Lisiecki, piano

It’s 50 years since the release of the movie “Bonnie and Clyde.” The film opened during the “Summer of Love,” which was also the era of the Vietnam war.  As WNYC’s Sara Fishko tells us in this Fishko Files replay, the divided response to the film put its director, the late Arthur Penn, at the center of a swirl of controversy. Arthur Penn was an American director and producer of television and films including the 1967 "Bonnie and Clyde." (Produced in 2007)

It's a summer of intersections between theater and political commentary, with an upcoming Broadway show that calls itself "subversive." It has WNYC's Sara Fishko thinking about Broadway, music, and politics - in this edition of Fishko Files. Michael Moore's one-man Broadway show, "The Terms of My Surrender," starts previewing at the Belasco Theatre tomorrow. Jack Viertel is the Senior VP of Jujamcyn Theaters and Artistic Director of New York City Center Encores!. He has been involved in dozens of productions including "City of Angels" and "Angels in America," and is the author of The Secret Life of the American Musical: How Broadway Shows are Built. Laurence Maslon teaches at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and is the host of WPPB's Broadway to Main Street. His most recent publication is American Musicals: The Complete Books and Lyrics of Sixteen Broadway Classics.

This September will mark 95 years since the birth of Sid Caesar (1922-2014), undisputed master of the comedy sketch. For this archival edition of Fishko Files, Sara Fishko talked to Caesar as well as his castmate Carl Reiner about their insanely creative adventures in TV. (Produced in 2002)

The guitar master Andres Segovia - who died 30 years ago this summer - practically invented the art of classical guitar. In this archival edition of Fishko Files, Segovia’s admirer and student Eliot Fisk reflects on their musical connection. (Produced in 2002) Segovia's 1952 rendition of Chopin's Prelude in A is available on YouTube.

Two great documentaries on tap dancing made in the late '70s and early '80s open at the Quad Cinemas Friday, July 7. They help kick off a whole week of tap-related events all over New York starting July 8. In their honor, WNYC's Sara Fishko and guests explore the art and history of tap in this Fishko Files. (Produced in 2005) For showtimes and tickets to No Maps on My Taps and About Tap, visit www.quadcinema.com.

Not only is it the 4th of July, it’s 75 years since a notable patriotic song was written – with much notoriety to follow. WNYC’s Sara Fishko follows Earl Robinson’s and Lewis Allan’s “The House I Live In” on its journey from leftist statement to mainstream melody. (Produced in 2002)

Penn Station's current problems now have a name: "Summer of Hell." But Penn has a long history of even more serious disasters, including its destruction and re-creation before there was a Landmark's Commission to protect it. WNYC's Sara Fishko speaks to keepers of the Penn Station flame in this archival edition of Fishko Files. (Produced in 2001)

The National Endowment for the Arts has honored exceptional jazz figures with the Jazz Masters Fellowship for the past 35 years. Despite threats to the NEA’s funding, the NEA has announced the next round of Masters for 2018. For this archival Fishko Files, WNYC’s Sara Fishko listened in on a group of recently minted Jazz Masters as they reflected on their careers, and on jazz itself. (Produced in 2011) *The 2018 NEA Jazz Masters are Joanne Brackeen, Pat Metheny, Dianne Reeves, and Todd Barkan. For more information, visit https://www.arts.gov/. Note: Distinguished record executive and producer Orrin Keepnews (1923-2015) has died since this episode originally aired.