AMERICAN ROUTES
May the Fourth Be With Us! American Routes Independence Day Then & Now May the Fourth Be With Us! American Routes Independence Day Then & Now June 29th, 2022 (Hour 1)
May the Fourth Be With Us! American Routes Independence Day Then & Now

This July 4th weekend, we dive into the record crates to bring you music of celebration, hope and critique from Nina Simone, Randy Newman, Sly Stone and Jon Batiste. Then, the July 4th roots of American Routes as we go back to the 1990s, deep in the archive, for highlights from The American Roots Independence Day concerts at the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Join us for spectacular stage performances by the urbane blues hero Charles Brown, the Texas Playboys with Johnny Gimble playing Western swing, Mexican-American Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, Young Tuxedo Brass with New Orleans jazz, and Hawaiian music and song of slack-key guitar master Ledward Kaapana.

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ECLECTIC EXCELLENCE: PITTSBURGH GUITARIST GEORGE BENSON & NEW ORLEANS CLARINETIST AURORA NEALAND

April 7th, 2021

We explore eclectic excellence with African American jazz guitar elder George Benson, who started with guitar/organ trios and has a signature sound for the ages. Then young clarinet/sax virtuoso Aurora Nealand plays traditional and modern jazz, and more, crediting Stravinsky, New Orleans Sidney Bechet and “hippie parents” for inspiration. Plus music from BB King, Louis Prima, Ella Fitzgerald and Chet Atkins.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: Benson's Rider George Benson
    The George Benson Cookbook, Sony
  • Organ Grinder's Swing Jimmy Smith, with Kenny Burrell & Grady Tate
    The Organ Grinder's Swing, Verve
  • Three-Four, the Blues Hank Garland
    Jazz Winds from a New Direction, Columbia
  • Down South Blues Chet Atkins and Merle Travis
    The Atkins-Travis Traveling Show, Sony
  • Guitar Man Jerry Reed
    The Unbelievable Guitar and Voice of Jerry Reed, Sony
  • Instrumental: Ain't That Peculiar George Benson Quartet
    It's Uptown, Sony
  • If You Love Me The Altairs
    YouTube,
  • Segment: George Benson

    Listen
  • Blue Monday George Benson
    Walking to New Orleans, Mascot
  • I Hear You Knockin' Fats Domino
    The Big Beat of Dave Bartholomew, Capitol
  • Instrumental: Peg-Leg Jack George Benson
    Benson Burner, Columbia
  • Lucille BB King
    Lucille, Bluesway
  • Wade in the Water Staple Singers
    Freedom Highway, Epic
  • When I Look Back Dedicated Men of Zion
    Can't Turn Me Round, Bible and Tire Records
  • End Bed: I Don't Know George Benson and Jack McDuff
    George Benson and Jack McDuff, Concord

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: Cakewalking Babies Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses
    A Tribute to Sidney Bechet: Love at Preservation Hall, New Orleans, Aurora Nealand
  • The Music Goes Round and Round Louis Prima
    Louis Prima—Capitol Collectors Series, Capitol
  • Treme Second Line Kermit Ruffins
    We Partyin' Traditional Style, Basin Street
  • Everytime I Hear that Mellow Saxophone Roy Montrell
    Mardi Gras Blues, Master Classics
  • Careless Love Billie and DeDe Pierce
    Music of New Orleans, Vol. 3: Music of the Dance Halls, Smithsonian Folkways
  • Far from Your Web Leyla McCalla with Aurora Nealand
    A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey, Jazz Village
  • Instrumental: Portrait of Sidney Bechet Duke Ellington
    New Orleans Suite, Atlantic
  • Segment: Aurora Nealand

    Listen
  • Way Back in the 1960s The Incredible String Band
    The 5000 Spirits of the Layers of the Onion—The Incredible String Band, Elektra
  • Teach Your Children Crosby Stills Nash and Young
    Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young—Deja Vu, Atlantic
  • Instrumental: Blue Horizon Sidney Bechet
    The Best of Sidney Bechet, Blue Note
  • Somebody Loan Me a Dime Jimmy Johnson
    Everyday of Your Life, Delmark
  • That Lucky Old Sun Big Mama Thornton
    Big Mama Thornton—Stronger Than Dirt, UMG
  • Blue Skies Ella Fitzgerald
    Get Happy, Victor
  • End Bed: Big Nick Duke Ellington and John Coltrane
    Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, Impulse

THE LATEST STREAMS

  • June 29th, 2022

    MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH US! AMERICAN ROUTES INDEPENDENCE DAY THEN & NOW

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  • June 22nd, 2022

    EARL SCRUGGS & TOM RUSH

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  • June 15th, 2022

    SOUNDS OF FREEDOM: FONTELLA BASS AND FREDDIE HUBBARD

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