The Music Man for Africa

Available for over a year

Leo Sarkisian (1921-2018), musicologist, musician, raconteur and radio man, spent decades traveling through South Asia and Africa with a half-ton Nagra tape recorder. An intrepid adventurer with 'a good ole American handshake,' he recorded hundreds of musicians in 39 African countries (including some, like Fela Kuti, who later became world-famous) at a time of tremendous energy and change. Working first for Hollywood's Tempo Records and then for the Voice of America, to which he was recruited by the legendary Ed Murrow, he also served Cold War America as a cultural ambassador and, occasionally, as its eyes and ears. Leo was born in New England to Armenian parents, refugees from persecution in Ottoman Turkey. He was steeped in the music of diasporas, and understood the importance of traditional culture and music as a unifying force. In 1965, he launched the Voice of America's longest running show, Music Time in Africa, which remained on air until March 2025, when President Donald Trump's cuts effectively shut the network down. Irresistibly charming and infectiously enthusiastic, Leo loved music and musicians; his programme was hugely popular, attracting sacks full of fan mail from all over the world. Maria Margaronis immerses herself in Leo's life and adventures, his double life as broadcaster and US government 'ambassador'- and his extraordinary collection of African music, now archived at the University of Michigan. Written and presented by Maria Margaronis and produced by David Goren. Reading by Abba Adamu. A Storyscape Production.