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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EARTH AND BLOOD: JAMES BLOOD ULMER AND TRACY NELSON

June 15th, 2016

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.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

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 Merlene 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
  • Ezekial 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 Frisell
    East/West, Nonesuch
  • Don't Give Up on Me Solomon Burke
    Don't Give Up on Me, Epitah
  • End Bed: Closer Walk with Thee/I Know Michael Doucet
    From Now On, Smithsonian Folkways

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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