AMERICAN ROUTES
Blues and Jazz, African Roots and Branches with Shemekia Copeland and Balla Koutaté Blues and Jazz, African Roots and Branches with Shemekia Copeland and Balla Koutaté June 7th, 2023 (Hour 1)
Blues and Jazz, African Roots and Branches with Shemekia Copeland and Balla Koutaté

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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CHRISTMAS

December 22nd, 2004

Here at American Routes we don’t care if you’ve been naughty or nice—we have a present for everyone. So stoke the fire and mix up a nice hot toddy as we play Santa and deliver two hours of great holiday and seasonal music. We’ll also bring you a live recording of the Zion Harmonizers, coming to carol at the studio. And don’t bother keeping the receipt—we’re sure you’ll want to hang onto this one.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: It Came Upon A Midnight Clear Papa Don Vappie's New Orleans Jazz Band
    A Christmas Present, Vappielle
  • Christmas Night in Harlem Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars
    Hipster's Holiday: Vocal Jazz and R&B Classics, Rhino
  • Looking For Me Santa Claus Sam Manning with the Melodettes
    Don't Stop the Carnival, Flapper
  • Christmas in J.A. Neville Willoughby
    Reggae Christmas, Trojan
  • We Wanna See Santa Do the Mambo Big John Greer
    Hipster's Holiday: Vocal Jazz and R&B Classics, Rhino
  • Instrumental: Drummer Boy Cool John Ferguson
    Cool Yule, Music Maker
  • Boogie Woogie Santa Claus Mabel Scott
    Hipster's Holiday: Vocal Jazz and R&B Classics, Rhino
  • Jingle Bells Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
    Louis Armstrong & Friends: What A Wonderful Christmas, Hip-O
  • Good Morning Blues Ella Fitzgerald
    Wishes You a Swinging Christmas, Verve
  • Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) Miles Davis
    Hipster's Holiday: Vocal Jazz and R&B Classics, Rhino
  • Blue Christmas The Meditation Singers
    Have A Merry Chess Christmas, MCA
  • Instrumental: Frosty The Snowman The Ventures
    Ultra-Lounge Christmas Cocktails 2, Capitol
  • Please Come Home for Christmas Johnny Adams
    Christmas in New Orleans, Mardi Gras
  • Home for the Holidays Betty Carter
    Jazz for Joy, Verve
  • My Favorite Things John Coltrane
    The Heavyweight Champion, Atlantic
  • End Bed: Let It Snow Marcus Roberts
    A Merry Jazzmas, BMG

HOUR two

  • Jingle Bells Jimmy Smith
    Christmas Cookin', Verve
  • Jingle Bells Esquivel!
    Merry Xmas, BMG
  • Feliz Navidad Flaco Jimenez and Billy Joe Shaver
    Deck the Halls, Compadre
  • Merry Texas Christmas, Y'all Asleep at the Wheel
    Merry Texas Christmas, Y'all, High Street
  • Blue Christmas Ernest Tubb
    Billboard Greatest Country Christmas Hits, Rhino
  • Rusty Chevrolet Da Yoopers
    Holiday in Dementia, Rhino
  • Postcard: Car Talk
  • Run Rudolph Run Chuck Berry
    The Chess Box, MCA
  • Merry Christmas Baby Chuck Berry
    The Chess Box, MCA
  • Instrumental: Merry Xmas Baby Booker T & the MGs
    Soul Christmas, Atlantic
  • Christmas Blues Ramsey Lewis
    The Joy of Christmas Past, GNP
  • Merry Christmas, Pretty Baby Jessie Mae Hemphill
    Feelin' Good, HMG
  • It's Christmas Time Clifton Chenier
    King of the Bayous, Arhoolie
  • Instrumental: Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer The Gypsy Hombres
    Django Bells, Memphis International
  • Lonely Christmas Call George Jones
    Bummed Out Christmas, Rhino
  • Christmas in Viet Nam Johnny & Jon
    Bummed Out Christmas, Rhino
  • SEGMENT: The Zion Harmonizers

    Listen
  • End Bed: Winter Wonderland Allen Toussaint
    A New Orleans Christmas, NYNO
  • End Bed: The Night Before Christmas Louis Armstrong
    Christmas Through the Years, LaserLight

THE LATEST STREAMS

  • June 7th, 2023

    BLUES AND JAZZ, AFRICAN ROOTS AND BRANCHES WITH SHEMEKIA COPELAND AND BALLA KOUTATé

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  • May 31st, 2023

    PIANO PEOPLE AND MORE: JASON MORAN & HEATH ALLEN

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  • May 24th, 2023

    MEMORIAL DAY WITH THE 2022 NATIONAL HERITAGE FELLOWS

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