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Ali Farka Toure
Former Viacom chief Tom Freston’s career took him from the early days of MTV to the musical heart of West Africa. Today, the media mogul talks about traveling in a land where the electric guitar helped power democracy. And, Cuban jazz pianist Manuel Valera and his quartet perform live in our studio. Plus, we remember the late American soprano and arts administrator Beverly Sills.
Tom Freston
Former MTV Networks Chairman and former Viacom CEO Tom Freston went to West Africa to enjoy music with music industry heavyweights like Jimmy Buffett and Island Records founder Chris Blackwell. He shares his travel journal with Soundcheck.
Manuel Valera
Manuel Valera is a young Cuban jazz pianist whose debut album, Vientos, combines jazz with classical and Latin music. He plays live in studio with his quartet.
Beverly Sills
The acclaimed soprano Beverly Sills died last night at her home in Manhattan. She was 78. Known to many as the queen of American opera, the Brooklyn-born Sills became a mainstream celebrity in the television age. She also was a major force inside the fine arts world, serving as the ...