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AMERICAN ROUTES ON INSTAGRAM

EARTH & BLOOD: JAMES BLOOD ULMER & TRACY NELSON

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.

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 Marlene 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
  • Ezekiel 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 Frissell
    East/ West, Nonesuch
  • Don't Give Up on Me Solomon Burke
    Don't Give Up on Me, Epitaph
  • End Bed: Closer Walk with Thee/ I Know Michael Doucet
    From Now On, Smithsonian Folkways

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