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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LOOKING FOR AMERICA: ELVIS COSTELLO AND CARLA BLEY

September 23rd, 2009

We’re seeking out the “American” in American music with two eclectic artists: Elvis Costello and Carla Bley. For British songman Elvis Costello, American music has shaped much of his musical creativity. We’ll hear about his love of American country and blues, his musical upbringing in Liverpool, and his current fascination with P.T. Barnum. For the inventive and eccentric jazz composer Carla Bley, the National Anthem proves an unlikely source of inspiration. Bley brings wry humor to a conversation about the challenges of writing for her very big bands, her early days as a cigarette girl in NYC jazz clubs, and why America might be famous for baked beans.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: Brilliant Mistake Elvis Costello
    King of America , Rhino
  • Hidden Shame Elvis Costello
    Secret, Profane & Sugarcane , Hear Music
  • American Music The Blasters
    American Music , Hightone
  • Promised Land Chuck Berry
    His Best, Volume 2 , MCA/Chess
  • I've Been Everywhere Johnny Cash
    Unchained, American
  • I'm an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande) Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks
    Striking It Rich, MCA
  • Take Me Back to My Boots and Saddle Screamin' Jay Hawkins
    Cow Fingers and Mosquito Pie , Sony
  • Sulphur to Sugarcane Elvis Costello
    Secret, Profane & Sugarcane , Hear Music
  • Instrumental: Weeper's Dream Elvis Costello & The Attractions
    Trust, Rykodisc
  • INTERVIEW: Elvis Costello

    Listen
  • Nowhere To Go Allen Toussaint
    The Complete 'Tousan' Sessions , Bear Family
  • Dixie Flyer Randy Newman
    American Routes original recording,
  • Zipper: Latch On Fats Waller and His Rhythm
    Fractious Fingering / The Early Years Part 3, 1936 , BMG
  • Don't Stop the Music George Jones
    The Classic Mercury Years , Mercury
  • Blues à Catin Catin Bonsoir
    Blues à Catin, Bridgetown
  • Matchbox (I'm Gonna Forget About You) Ike Turner
    King Cobra / The Chicago Sessions , Fuel 2000
  • Cryin' Blues Charles Mingus
    Blues & Roots, Atlantic
  • End Bed: Tipitina Allen Toussaint
    American Routes original recording,

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: Ida Lupino Paul Bley Trio
    Closer, ESP-Disk
  • I'm Nuts About Screwy Music Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra
    The Swinging Mr. Lunceford , Empress
  • Jump for Joy Herb Jeffries with Duke Ellington
    A Brief History of Herb Jeffries , Warner Bros.
  • INTERVIEW: Carla Bley

    Listen
  • Instrumental: H.C.Q. Strut Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli
    The Ultimate Collection , Prism Leisure
  • You Gotta Pay the Band Abbey Lincoln & Stan Getz
    You Gotta Pay the Band , Gitanes Jazz
  • Falling Rain Blues Lonnie Johnson
    Lonnie Johnson: Complete Folkways Recordings, Smithsonian Folkways
  • I Love the Life I Live Mose Allison
    Retrospective , Columbia
  • If It Ain't Got that Swing The Modern Jazz Quartet
    The Modern Jazz Quartet , Warner Music France
  • Little Bells Paul Burch
    Still Your Man , Ramseur
  • Instrumental: California Cotillion Mike Seeger
    True Vine , Smithsonian Folkways
  • Fifty Miles of Elbow Room F.W. McGee
    The Anthology of American Music , Smithsonian Folkways
  • The Brakeman's Blues Jimmie Rodgers
    First Sessions, 1927-1928 , Rounder
  • Freight Train Elizabeth Cotten
    Freight Train and Other North Carolina Folk Songs and Tunes , Smithsonian Folkways
  • No Depression in Heaven The New Lost City Ramblers
    50 Years: Where Do You Come From? Where Do You Go?, Smithsonian Folkways
  • Roll On Son Volt
    American Central Dust , Rounder
  • End Bed: Fuller Blues Sam McGee
    Grand Dad of the Country Guitar Pickers , Arhoolie

THE LATEST STREAMS

  • September 20th, 2023

    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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