AMERICAN ROUTES
Blues and Jazz, African Roots and Branches with Shemekia Copeland & Balla Kouyaté Blues and Jazz, African Roots and Branches with Shemekia Copeland & Balla Kouyaté May 18th, 2022 (Hour 1)
Blues and Jazz, African Roots and Branches with Shemekia Copeland & Balla Kouyaté

It’s Blueswomen, Jazzmen, African roots and branches. Chicago blues singer Shemekia Copeland‘s father, the late blues guitarist Johnny Copeland, brought her into his music as a child. As an adult, she found new ways to use blues to express her perspective. We’ll hear from some of Shemekia’s heroes including Etta James, Ruth Brown, Alberta Hunter and Big Mama Thornton. Then a conversation and performance by Boston-based Mandinka balafon player Balla Kouyaté and music inspired by and from the continent of Africa from Randy Weston, Miriam Makeba and the Modern Jazz Quartet.

Shemekia Copeland photo by Mike White

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KINGPINS OF THE GULF COAST: RODNEY CROWELL & DR. JOHN

May 4th, 2022

The Houston-born singer/songwriter Rodney Crowell talks about growing up on the rough side of town with the ghost of Hank Williams as a “family member,” as well writing songs for his recent duet partner Emmylou Harris. He also wrote for many of the country heavy weights from Jerry Reed to Guy Clark and Bob Seeger, and was also the antagonist in Rosanne Cash‘s signature tune “Seven Year Ache.” Then we’ll revisit our trip to Nashville with the Crescent City’s Nite Tripper himself Dr. John, who reminisces about and demonstrates his early days at the piano, and on a music industry “spying mission” that could only happen in New Orleans

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: Somebody's Shadow Rodney Crowell
    Tarpaper Sky, New West
  • Crazy Baby Rodney Crowell
    Diamonds and Dirt, Columbia
  • Pipeliner Blues Moon Mullican
    Moon's Rock, Bear Family
  • Houston Jump Floyd Dixon
    Cow Town Blues, Modern
  • Bluebird Wine Rodney Crowell and Emmylou Harris
    Old Yellow Moon, Nonesuch
  • Houston, the Action Town Juke Boy Bonner
    Life Gave Me a Dirty Deal, Arhoolie
  • Instrumental: French Town Waltz Clifton Chenier
    Bon Ton Roulet! and More, Arhoolie
  • SEGMENT: Rodney Crowell

    Listen
  • Frankie Please Rodney Crowell
    Tarpaper Sky, New West
  • Instrumental: Truth Decay Rodney Crowell
    Sex and Gasoline, Yep Roc
  • The Rose of Memphis Rodney Crowell
    Let the Picture Paint Itself, MCA
  • Tennessee Flat Top Box Roseanne Cash
    King's Record Shop, Columbia
  • Seven Year Ache Roseanne Cash
    Blue Moons & Broken Hearts: The Anthology, Raven
  • 'Til I Gain Control Again Blue Rodeo
    5 Days in July, Discovery
  • Help Me Make It Through the Night Sammi Smith
    Kris Kristofferson: Singer/Songwriter, Sony
  • Leavin' Louisiana in the Broad Daylight Rodney Crowell
    Ain't Living Long Like This, Warner Bros.
  • End Bed: Houston Beat Juke Boy Bonner
    Ghetto Poet, Arhoolie

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: Fess Up Dr. John
    Goin' Back to New Orleans, Warner Bros.
  • Storm Warning Mac Rebennack
    Medical School: The Early Sessions of Mac "Dr. John" Rebennack, Music Club
  • Junko Partner Dr. John
    Dr. John's Gumbo, ATCO
  • Stack-A-Lee Dr. John
    Dr. John's Gumbo, ATCO
  • Such a Night Dr. John
    In the Right Place, ATCO
  • Basin Street Blues Dr. John
    Goin' Back to New Orleans, Warner Bros.
  • Instrumental: The Point Dr. John
    Still Spicy Gumbo Stew, Ace
  • SEGMENT: Dr. John

    Listen
  • Instrumental: The Pot Dr. John
    Gumbo StewL Original New Orleans R&B, Ace
  • Mama Roux Dr. John
    Gris-Gris, ATCO
  • Hu-Ta-Nay Donald Harrison Jr. with Dr. John
    Indian Blues, Candid
  • (Everybody Wanna Get Rich) Rite Away Dr. John
    Desitively Bonnaroo, ATCO
  • There Must Be a Better World Somewhere Dr. John
    Afterglow, Blue Thumb
  • End Bed: Just a Closer Walk With Thee Dr. John
    The Brightest Smile in Town, Rounder

THE LATEST STREAMS

  • May 18th, 2022

    BLUES AND JAZZ, AFRICAN ROOTS AND BRANCHES WITH SHEMEKIA COPELAND & BALLA KOUYATé

    Listen
  • May 11th, 2022

    BREAKING OUT: BRITISH BLUES TO NEW ORLEANS BOUNCE

    Listen
  • May 4th, 2022

    KINGPINS OF THE GULF COAST: RODNEY CROWELL & DR. JOHN

    Listen
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