AMERICAN ROUTES
Songs as Poems; Poems as Songs Songs as Poems; Poems as Songs August 10th, 2022 (Hour 1)
Songs as Poems; Poems as Songs

We listen for poetry in music and music in poetry, songs as poems and poems as songs with Langston Hughes, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Ken Nordine. Plus, a visit to New York’s City Lore with poet-folklorist Steve Zeitlin, who rides the POEMobile to the People’s Poetry Gathering and then back to New Orleans to meet Louisiana’s poet laureate, Mona Lisa Saloy.

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

May 18th, 2022

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

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: After Hour Swing Sammy Price & King Curtis
    Rib Joint: Roots of Rock n Roll, Savoy
  • As Long as I'm Moving Ruth Brown
    Rock n Roll, Atlantic
  • Harlem Blues Big Maybelle
    Marnie Webster sings W.C. Handy, Cub
  • Chirpin' the Blues Alberta Hunter
    Songs We Taught Your Mother, Fantasy
  • Walkin' Blues Big Mama Thornton
    Hound Dog: The Peacock Recordings, MCA
  • Instrumental: It Ain't Necessarily So Mary Lou Williams
    Mary Lou Williams, Smithsonian Folkways
  • Golden Girl Blues Trudy Lynn
    Golden Girl, NOLA Blue Records
  • Old Man Blues Johnny Copeland
    When the Rain Starts Fallin', Rounder
  • Sweet Dreams Tommy McClain
    Swamp Gold, Vol. 1, Jin
  • Sweet Dreams Patsy Cline
    The Last Sessions, MCA
  • I'd Rather Go Blind Etta James
    The Best of Etta James, UMG
  • Instrumental: Back in Business Beverly 'Guitar' Watkins
    Back in Business, Cello Records
  • It's All Over Now Valentinos
    Lookin' for Love: The Complete SAR Recordings, ABKCO
  • Under My Thumb Shemekia Copeland
    Uncivil War, Alligator Records
  • T-Bone Shuffle Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Johnny Copeland
    Showdown!, Alligator Records
  • SEGMENT: Shemekia Copeland

    Listen
  • End Bed: Pickin' the Blues Memphis Minnie
    Guitar Women Vol. 4, All About Jazz

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: Kora Bali Toumani Diabaté, Ballaké Sissoko
    New Ancient Strings, Chrysalis
  • To Zion Lauryn Hill and Carlos Santana
    The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Ruffhouse
  • Natty Take Over Justin Hinds and the Dominos
    Jezebel, Island
  • When the Saints Go Marchin' In Eddie Bo
    Our New Orleans, Nonesuch
  • Blackbird Special Delfayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra
    Jazz Party, Troubadour Jazz Records
  • Caban Bamboo Highlife Randy Weston
    Music from New African Nations Featuring the Highlife, Capitol
  • Instrumental: Jabula Abdullah Ibrahim
    The Balance, Gearbox Records
  • Yegellé Tezeta Mulatu Astatke
    New York-Addis-London: The Story of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975, Strut
  • 96 Tears Aretha Franklin
    Aretha Arrives, Atlantic
  • Uncle Bud-Radio Version Boozoo Chavis
    Zydeco Trail Ride with Boozoo Chavis, Maison de Soul
  • Your Lips Olu Dara
    Olu Dara-From Natchez to New York, Atlantic
  • Pata Pata Miriam Makeba
    Pata Pata, !K7 music
  • Instrumental: Bright Mississippi Allen Toussaint
    The Bright Mississippi, Nonesuch
  • Kelya Tabu Ley Rochereau
    The Voice of Lightness, Vol. 1: Congo Classics (1961-1977),
  • Bluesology Modern Jazz Quartet
    Fontessa, Atlantic
  • SEGMENT: Balla Kouyate

    Listen
  • End Bed: Blue Monk McCoy Tyner and Bobby Hutcherson
    Manhattan Moods, Blue Note

THE LATEST STREAMS

  • August 10th, 2022

    SONGS AS POEMS; POEMS AS SONGS

    Listen
  • August 3rd, 2022

    CARIBBEAN CRUISE & SOUTH LOUISIANA SOJOURN: GARIFUNA GUITARIST AURELIO & CREOLE ACCORDIONIST CEDRIC WATSON

    Listen
  • July 27th, 2022

    THE FOLK REVIVAL REVISITED

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