Journalist and author Sam Quinones spent his career reporting on crime, drug trafficking and addiction. After his latest book on the opioid epidemic, he turned to a vastly different topic that long held his interest—the tuba, an instrument that for decades was often looked down on or ignored.

The more Quinones learned about the tuba, and the people that dedicate their lives to mastering this complicated instrument, the more his interest in the world of band (and banda) grew. He takes us into his new book “The Perfect Tuba,” to explore its history and what we can all learn from working to master a craft.

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