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Top Picks: Ernie Kovacs' lost tape, Bibi Tanga's new album, and more

One man explores rock history in 12 minutes, 'Singin' in the Rain' gets an anniversary edition, and more top picks.

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Ammar Awad/Reuters
Camel guides wait for customers at the Pyramids Plateau in Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo May 31, 2012.
Singin’ in the Rain: 60th Anniversary Collector’s Edition
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PBS
Joseph-Etienne Roulin by Vincent Van Gogh in the The Barnes Collection.

Priceless art up close

The Barnes Collection takes viewers on an intimate tour of the art collection of Dr. Albert Barnes, housed in a new Philadelphia museum. Travel the world, and through history, to understand how he put together this unusual collection, including 20th-century masters such as Picasso and Matisse. The hour-long documentary airs on PBS Aug. 3 at 9 p.m. Check local listings.

Continental funk

Born in Bangui in the Central African Republic, then raised as a diplomat's son in Russia, France, and the United States, Bibi Tanga grew up listening to a variety of music. And what comes out in his latest album, 40 degrees of Sunshine, is a whirlwind tour. The track likely to get you to hit the repeat button is "My Heart is Jumping," a James Brown-style funkfest, but Tanga and the gang also deliver up some traditional soukous styles, a bit of Prince, and a bit of avant-garde poetry thrown in for good measure.

Still Singin' in the rain

Even die-hard fans who know Gene Kelly's every step and twirl will find something to appreciate on the new Singin' in the Rain: 60th Anniversary Collector's Edition DVD and Blu-Ray pack. In addition to two versions of the film, the package includes interviews from director-choreographers like Rob Marshall and Adam Shankman and Broadway stars Matthew Morrison and Corbin Bleu, and a documentary about the making of the film. The anniversary set comes with a hardcover book full of production photos, small reproductions of the film posters, and a "Singin' in the Rain" umbrella.

Riffing through rock history

Cruise through six decades of rock 'n' roll in 12 minutes. Chicago Music Exchange posted an amazing video of one man playing 100 famous guitar riffs in a single, continuous take. The chronological medley rolls through 1950s classics, surf rock, heavy metal, grunge, and a few contemporary picks. Visit www.100riffs.com for the video and a list of all 100 songs. Plus, the website has eight bonus videos with instructions on how to play certain riffs.

Strangely funny

Comedian Ernie Kovacs worked in early television and became a comedic mentor to the likes of Chevy Chase and Dan Rowan and Dick Martin of "Laugh-In." Now a CD of a studio session long thought lost has surfaced as Ernie Kovacs Presents Percy Dovetonsils ... thpeaks. Recorded in 1960, this light-as-a-feather group of poems by Kovac's lisping poet-character performs odes on everything from Julius Caesar to the Mona Lisa to a housefly.

Picture perfect

National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson identifies 10 places he believes every photographer should visit, creating a list that goes from the pyramids of Giza in Egypt to the Ta Prahm Temple in Cambodia. Richardson includes tips on the great shot to get at each. Check out the full list at http://bit.ly/natbucket.

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