T-V writer and producer Mark Frost. Frost is collaborating with director David Lynch on a new series, "Twin Peaks." Frost calls it "Payton Place meets Blue Velvet."
Poet and essayist June Jordan. In her poems and political essays, she addresses issues of racism, oppression and dispossession. She was born in Harlem and grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn. She currently teaches English at the University of California at Berkeley.
Record producer Arthur Baker. The eclectic Baker has produced or mixed for musicians as diverse as Bob Dylan, Jimmy Cliff, Cyndi Lauper, U2, and Bruce Springsteen. Now he's come out with his own album, "Merge." He's chief songwriter and plays keyboards as well as producing.
Rock and roll historian Ed Ward traces the development of the band "New Order." In 1977, a 21-year-old in Manchester, England saw the Sex Pistols and decided to form his own band. He called it "Joy Division." In the decade since, the band, now called "New Order," evolved to become one of the most influential of their time, with such hits as "True Faith" and "Bizarre Love Triangle."
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the album, "Blue John," by organist Big John Patton. Paton cut a series of progressive jazz organ albums for Blue Note records in the 60s, then dropped out of sight for a decade, recently re-emerging on some of John Zorn's albums. Patton actually recorded "Blue John" in 1963, but it's just been released on CD and it's the only example of Patton's Blue Note work that's currently available.
Television critic David Bianculli reviews the new season of the PBS series "Trying Times." The 6 episodes this season continue "Trying Times" tradition of taking a comedic look at modern life. Among the stars this season are Stockard Channing, Sally Kirkland, Judge Reinhold, and Christopher Guest.
Dancer and choreographer Murray Louis. He's spent 40 years pioneering modern dance, and recently he merged his company with that of his mentor, Alwin Nikolais (nik-oh-lie).
World music aficionado Milo Miles explores the world of the new tango, and reviews the latest album from the new tango's leading proponent, Argentinian accordionist Astor Piazzolla.
Critic-at-large Laurie Stone examines the role of women in two current offerings, the T-V sit-com "Anything But Love" starring Jamie Lee Curtis, and the movie, "sex, lies, and videotape."
Travel writer and essayist Jan Morris. In her 1974 autobiography "Conundrum," Morris talked about her search for sexual identity and her sex change operation. The sequel, "Pleasures of a Tangled Life," is a collection of personal essays describing the experiences and sensations that have brought Morris pleasure over the years.
Screenwriter William Link. With his partner Richard Levinson, Link created more than a dozen T-V series, including "Columbo" and "Mannix." They also wrote the books "Stay Tuned: An Inside Look at the Making of Prime-Time Television," and "Off Camera: Conversations with the Makers of Prime-Time Television."
Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "The Reader's Catalogue." It's a listing of 40,000 books--fiction and non-fiction--in more than 200 subjects, complete with recommended editions and an "800" number for ordering the books.
Novelist Armistead Maupin. After moving to San Francisco in the mid-70's, Maupin became a gay activist and celebrated novelist. He's just completed the final book in his series, "Tales of the City," which began as a column in a San Francisco newspaper. The series of novels chronicles life in the gay and straight communities of San Francisco.
