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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AMERICAN ROUTES ON INSTAGRAM

BLUES FOR HOME AND HIGHWAYS: EDDIE COTTON, JR. & WILLIS ALAN RAMSEY

August 19th, 2020

Jackson, Mississippi blues guitarist Eddie Cotton, Jr. takes time out from his performance at the 2019 National Folk Festival to talk to us about his gospel roots and his mission to bring Mississippi music to the world. Then we sit in on a live set from New Orleans’s Chickie Wah Wah with Texan songman Willis Alan Ramsey. Plus music from Robert Johnson, Lucinda Williams, Sister Rosetta Tharp and Willie Nelson.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: Fair Weather Lover Eddie Cotton, Jr.
    One at a Time, DeChamp
  • Up Above My Head Sister Rosetta Tharp
    The Original Soul Sister, Proper
  • I Want a Tall Skinny Papa Rosetta Tharp with the Lucky Millender Orchestra
    The Original Soul Sister, Proper
  • What's So Easy for Two Is Hard for One Mary Wells
    Mary Wells Looking Back 1961-64, Motown
  • Everything But You Jamey Johnson, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill & Ray Price
    Living for A Song: Tribute to Hank Cochran, Mercury
  • Raise Your Hand Eddie Floyd
    Knock On Wood, Stax
  • You Keep Me Hanging On Bonnie & Sheila
    Wardell Quezergue Strung Out: Malaco Sessions, Malaco
  • Instrumental: Last Night The Mar-Keys
    The Last Night!, Atlantic
  • Tupelo (Pt.1) Albert King, Pops Staples & Steve Cropper
    The Definitive Albert King, Stax
  • Spirit in This Place Prince Dixon and the Jackson Southernaires
    Prince Dixon with the Jackson Southernaires, Malaco
  • Segment: Eddie Cotton, Jr.

    Listen
  • Instrumental: Okie Dokie Stomp Gatemouth Brown
    Blues Masters, Volume 3: Texas Blues, Rhino
  • My Home's in the Delta Buddy Guy and Jr. Wells
    Buddy Guy and Jr. Wells – Alone and Acoustic, Alligator Records
  • Guitar in My Hand Gatemouth Brown
    Texas Guitar Killers, Capitol
  • Blues Before Sunrise B.B. King
    One Kind Favor, Geffen
  • Boogie Rock B.B. King
    The Soul of B.B. King, Virgin
  • Travel On The Jackson Southernaires
    Down Home, Malaco
  • Closing Bed: Time is Tight Booker T & the MGs
    The Complete Stax/Volt Soul Singles, Vol.2, 1968-1971, Stax

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: Sympathy for a Train Willis Alan Ramsey
    American Routes original recording from Chickie Wah Wah 2019,
  • Love in Vain Robert Johnson
    Robert Johnson – The Complete Recordings, Columbia
  • This Train Staple Singers
    Amen!, Epic
  • Going Down the Road Feelin' Bad Woody Guthrie
    This Land is Your Land: The Asch Recordings Vol. 1, Smithsonian Folkways
  • In the Jailhouse Now Leon Russell
    Hank Wilson’s Back, Vol. 1, Capitol
  • Instrumental: Cherry Beat Leon Russell
    Looking Back, Olympic Records
  • Painted Lady Willis Alan Ramsey
    Willis Alan Ramsey, Koch
  • Honky Tonk Heroes Waylon Jennings
    Honky Tonk Heroes, Sony
  • Well Well Well Lucinda Williams
    Little Honey, UMG
  • Segment: Willis Alan Ramsey

    Listen
  • Wishbone Willis Alan Ramsey
    American Routes original recording from Chickie Wah Wah 2019,
  • Watermelon Man Willis Alan Ramsey
    American Routes original recording from Chickie Wah Wah 2019,
  • Geraldine and the Honey Bee Willis Alan Ramsey
    American Routes original recording from Chickie Wah Wah 2019,
  • Closing Bed: Sympathy for a Train Willis Alan Ramsey
    American Routes original recording from Chickie Wah Wah 2019,

THE LATEST STREAMS

  • May 18th, 2022

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

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  • May 11th, 2022

    BREAKING OUT: BRITISH BLUES TO NEW ORLEANS BOUNCE

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  • May 4th, 2022

    KINGPINS OF THE GULF COAST: RODNEY CROWELL & DR. JOHN

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