Pink Martini's Thomas Lauderdale On 'Song Travels'

Pianist Thomas Lauderdale is the co-founder of the celebrated orchestral ensemble Pink Martini, which bridges classical, jazz, world music and old-fashioned pop.

"I'm inching my way towards Liberace land every day," Lauderdale says, laughing after opening with a rollicking take on "Malaguena," composed by Cuba's equivalent of George Gershwin, Ernesto Lecuona.

Hosted by Michael Feinstein, Song Travels is a new program which uncovers the intimate journey singers and songs take with one another. Lauderdale inaugurates the show with a few of his musical collaborators, including NPR's Ari Shapiro, of whom Lauderdale says, "He's so perfect, it's kind of nauseating."

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