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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LOUIS ARMSTRONG CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

August 1st, 2001

August 4, 2001 marks the 100th birthday of New Orleans’ trumpet player and singer and America’s most important jazz musician—Louis Armstrong. In celebration of Satchmo’s century mark, we speak with members of his All-Stars band, Joe Muranyi (clarinet) and Arvell Shaw (bass). On the ground in New Orleans young trumpeters Nicholas Payton and Kermit Ruffins offer their perspectives on “Pops’” influence today. Also, a look at how the Marsalis family is honoring Satchmo this weekend, and music from Armstrong collaborators King Oliver, Jimmie Rodgers, Bing Crosby and Billie Holiday.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • When It's Sleepy Time Down South Louis Armstrong
    Satchmo the Great, Columbia/Legacy
  • Heebie Jeebies Louis Armstrong
    The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings, Columbia/Legacy
  • Pop's Confession Dizzy Gillespie
    School Days, Savoy Jazz
  • Old Man Mose Louis Armstrong
    Highlights from His Decca Years, Decca
  • Dinah Louis Prima
    1935-1936, Jazz Classics
  • Mack the Knife Lotte Lenya & Louis Armstrong
    Lenya sings Weill: The American Theatre Songs, Sony
  • Instrumental: Mack The Knife Oscar Peterson Trio w/ Clark Terry
    Oscar Peterson Trio + One, Clark Terry, Mercury
  • SEGMENT: Arvelle Shaw and Joe Muranyi from Louis Armstrong Allstars

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  • Solitude Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington
    The Great Summit: The Master Takes, Blue Note
  • They Can't Take That Away from Me Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald
    The Complete Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, Verve
  • Instrumental: They Can't Take That Away From Me Mary Lou Williams
    Mary Lou Williams: 1952-1971, Giants of Jazz
  • SEGMENT: Armstrong's own words

    Listen
  • Struttin' with Some Barbecue Louis Armstrong
    The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings, Columbia/Legacy
  • Struttin' with Some Barbecue Lee Konitz
    Lee Konitz Duets, Fantasy
  • When The Saints Go Marching In The Rebirth Marching Jazz Band
    New Orleans Brass Bands: Down Yonder, Rounder

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: Potato Head Blues Louis Armstrong
    The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings, Columbia/Legacy
  • Basin Street Blues Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra
    Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Sony
  • St. Louis Blues Bessie Smith
    Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Sony
  • Blue Yodel #9 Jimmie Rodgers
    Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Sony
  • Basin Street Blues Bob Wills & his Texas Playboys
    Anthology, Rhino
  • Jeepers Creepers Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton
    Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton, Verve
  • INTERVIEW: Nicholas Payton
  • Instrumental: West End Blues Nicholas Payton
    Dear Louis, Verve
  • Wild Man Blues Louis Armstrong & the All-Stars
    Satchmo: A Musical Autobiography, Jazz Unlimited
  • Now You has Jazz Bing Crosby with Louis Armstrong
    Louis Armstrong at MGM, Rhino
  • INTERVIEW: Kermit Ruffins

    Listen
  • Go Down Moses Louis Armstrong
    Louis & the Good Book, Decca
  • Instrumental: Struttin' with Some Barbecue Lee Konitz Nonet
    Chiaroscuro, Candid
  • Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans? Billie Holiday with Louis Armstrong
    New Orleans Soundtrack, Disconforme
  • When It's Sleepytime Down South Louis Armstrong
    Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Sony

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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