AMERICAN ROUTES
San Antonio Sounds San Antonio Sounds September 20th, 2023 (Hour 1)
San Antonio Sounds

The great Texas river city is a mix of Mexican, German, Anglo and African American cultures, among others. Home to the Texas Conjunto Festival and the International Accordion Festival, San Antonio is best known for Tex-Mex or Tejano music played by squeeze box masters like Flaco Jimenez, Narciso Martinez and Mingo Saldivar among many. We’ll speak with Flaco, who in collaborations with Doug Sahm, Ry Cooder, and Los Super Seven, has carried the music worldwide. “Chicano brown-eyed soul” performers like Sunny and the Sunliners and other groups describe music that connected New Orleans and Louisiana Swamp Pop with San Antonio and East Los Angeles. We’ll also talk with Vox organ legend Augie Meyers who worked in the high hippie era with Doug Sahm as part of the Sir Douglas Quintet and later in the Texas Tornadoes. The conversation comes full circle with Max Baca, the leader and bajo sexto player of Los Texmaniacs who was influenced by both Flaco and Doug Sahm. The Grammy-winning family band sticks with tradition, but finds ways to include country, blues and rock. Plus music from Sam the Sham, Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, Freddy Fender and Willie Nelson. ¡Vamos!

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EARTH AND BLOOD: JAMES BLOOD ULMER AND TRACY NELSON

June 15th, 2016

Elemental blues, jazz and country from two performers with deep roots and cosmic connections. In the ’60s, young Tracy Nelson left the midwest for psychedelic San Francisco to front the R & B rock band, Mother Earth. Now deep in the Tennessee hills, she’s looking back to country sounds. From South Carolina to deep space, guitarist James “Blood” Ulmer takes us on his journey from childhood gospel to free form harmolodic jazz with Ornette Coleman. Blood now brings it all to bear on a brutal, personal version of the blues.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: Mother Earth Tracy Nelson
    Mother Earth: Livin' with the Animals, Wounded Bird
  • Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky Michael Doucet
    From Now On, Smithsonian Folkways
  • Snatch It Back and Hold It Junior Wells and Buddy Guy
    Hoodoo Man Blues, Delmark
  • I Need Your Love So Bad Irma Thomas
    The Irma Thomas Collection, Razor and Tie
  • Baptized in Dirty Water Chris Thomas King
    Rise, 21st Century Blues
  • Instrumental: Blues on Purpose Nina Simone
    In Concert: I Put a Spell on You, Mercury
  • Mother Earth Memphis Slim
    Chess Blues-Rock Songbook, MCA/Chess
  • Down So Low Tracy Nelson
    Mother Earth: Livin' with the Animals, Wounded Bird
  • SEGMENT: Tracy Nelson

    Listen
  • Instrumental: Rose Time Merle Travis
    Walkin' The Strings, Capitol
  • Tennessee Blues The Sir Douglas Band
    Texas Tornado, Collectors' Choice
  • Funny How Time Slips Away Dorothy Moore
    Misty Blue, Malaco
  • Stand By Your Man Merlene Webber
    Trojan Reggae Sisters, Trojan
  • That's Entrainment Van Morrison
    Keep It Simple, Lost Highway

HOUR two

  • Ramblin' Ornette Coleman
    Beauty is a Rare Thing: The Complete Atlantic Recordings, Rhino
  • Shake 'Em on Down R.L. Burnside
    Too Bad Jim, Fat Possum
  • Hound Dog Albert King
    Blues for Elvis: King Does the King's Things, Stax
  • Home of the Blues Dwight Yoakam
    Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room, Reprise
  • Instrumental: Don't Let Your Deal Go Down Etta Baker
    Railroad Bill, Sire
  • South Carolina Rag Willie Walker
    The Roots of Rap, Yazoo
  • Ezekial Saw the Wheel The Dixie Hummingbirds
    Thank You for One More Day, Peacock
  • SEGMENT: James Blood Ulmer

    Listen
  • Instrumental: Rib Joint Sammy Price and the 'Rock' Band with King Curtis & Mickey Baker
    Rib Joint, Savoy Jazz
  • Willie and Laura Mae Jones Shelby Lynne
    Just a Little Lovin', Lost Highway
  • I Heard It Through the Grapevine Bill Frisell
    East/West, Nonesuch
  • Don't Give Up on Me Solomon Burke
    Don't Give Up on Me, Epitah
  • End Bed: Closer Walk with Thee/I Know Michael Doucet
    From Now On, Smithsonian Folkways

THE LATEST STREAMS

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    SAN ANTONIO SOUNDS

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  • September 13th, 2023

    NEW ORLEANS JAZZ CLARINET, MANDE SONGS & LOUISIANA ZYDECO LIVE

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  • September 6th, 2023

    FROM GOSPEL TO GIGGING: GLADYS KNIGHT AND IRIS DEMENT

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