Weekend Edition Saturday

All week, the astronauts of space shuttle Atlantis have been serenaded with music from stars back on Earth. Elton John, Michael Stipe and Paul McCartney have all recorded messages for the crew.

At the age of almost 93, Gerald Wilson keeps adding to his own legacy. In fact, the latest album from his ensemble, The Gerald Wilson Orchestra, is called Legacy, and it features the composer, trumpeter and bandleader's takes on Stravinsky, Debussy and Chicago — his adopted hometown.

Nikki Jean got her first big break as a featured guest on Lupe Fiasco's 2007 album The Cool, but now she has stepped out on her own for her solo debut, Pennies in a Jar. On it, she collaborates with the likes of Burt Bacharach, Bob Dylan, Carly Simon and Carole King, among others.

The monsoonal flow has brought with it unwanted hail.  Gardeners battle all sorts of conditions in an effort to get things to grow.  And then a hailstorm can blow through reducing the whole garden to mush.

The scandal that has collapsed the British tabloid, News of the World, and rocked the News Corp empire, brings into question the pervasive influence of Rupert Murdoch's media holdings on British media and politics. NPR's David Folkenflik examines the extent of Murdoch's influence and his cozy relationships with politicians.