Episode Information

Fifty years ago four Jazz musicians headed to Europe, the Middle East and Asia to do what they did best – play music. The Dave Brubeck Quartet was sent on a “cultural ambassador tour” - that took them behind the iron curtain.

Dave Brubeck has said: “I still believe that our best weapon for winning the hearts and minds of people who are different from us, is one that does not threaten or intimidate, but reaches out with a gift of the best of our culture and receives the best of the other culture in exchange”

The tour was organized under President Eisenhower – and included Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond (sax), Eugene Wright (bass), and Joe Morello (drums). They traveled to Poland, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Iran, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Iraq. It was so successful, many other tours followed.

Today, Where We Live, we'll talk to a Brubeck scholar on his time spent in Poland.

What is the role of Jazz in diplomacy? Add your suggetsions, questions and comments below.