JAZZ CARIBE: The talented Puerto Rican Bernie Williams with his guitar today at the White House, degree in music...

Former Yankee center-fielder Bernie Williams lined up with more than 200 other graduating Manhattan School of Music (Bobby Sanabria conductor Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra) students on May 13 at Riverside Church to receive his Bachelor of Music diploma from the music conservatory.

Williams spent the last four years studying jazz guitar at the school, attending classes like a regular students. He commented that one of the biggest challenges to earning the degree were the rigorous demands of the courses and the strict scheduling, something he wasn’t used to as a Yankee where he had more spare time.

“There is a great correlation between the work ethic you need to have playing music and playing baseball,” he said. “The more prepared you are, the better you’re going to be. If you know how to read and write music, you know how to communicate with fellow musicians anywhere in the world. It’s the universal language.”

Williams is currently actively involved in lobbying for more music in the schools. He will be heading to Capitol Hill in a couple of weeks to meet with members of Congress to help with the arts advocacy group Turnaround Arts. He will also perform at the White House on May 25 for an audience that will include President Obama and the First Lady.

Bernie Williams both the baseball field and on the street has been an exemplary figure, is more is known as a gentleman of great human virtues.

We have followed the career of this valuable attention son of Puerto Rico and Latin America, because in our life activities have also been present and have practiced baseball and music (Latin Jazz).

Bernie Williams work a brilliant career in the diamond with the New York Yankees, who has served as an example for children and youth.

It was in the early years of the last decade we learned of Bernie aficcion by playing guitar and jazz, in an edition of Jazz Times already begun comments about this good news.

Then came his retirement from active baseball and began his walk in jazz and Latin music. It has two CD as a leader "The Journey Whitin" and "Moving Forward"; but we think that in this facet as a musician Bernie brings the audience to the stage, perhaps some doubt that the baseball player is so good musician.

It turns out that Bernie Williams gave the answer came while. Enjoy this video: