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Billy Bang's 'Vietnam: The Aftermath'

Billy Bang's experience was not unusual for urban teens in the 1960s. He was drafted after high school and sent to Vietnam. What Bang has made of that experience, however, is perhaps one of the most remarkable albums in recent years, says Howard Mandel in a report for Weekend Edition Saturday.

Bang has spent the last 30 years establishing himself as one of the most respected violinists playing jazz today. Like many vets, he brought the war home with him — and avoided confronting his wartime experiences.

With his new album, Vietnam: The Aftermath, he's no longer trying to forget. In pieces such as "TET Offensive" and "Mystery of the Mekong," he tries to bring back the sounds and sensations of the Southeast Asian conflict. Mandel reports that the recording is helping to heal the veterans who played on it and those who hear it.

A portion of the proceeds from the CD benefits the nonprofit veterans' aid organization, Veteran's Quality of Life Access Network.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Howard Mandel

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.