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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NEW YEAR'S DAY: LISTENER REQUESTS

December 29th, 2004

Join us and hear our listeners’ predictions for the upcoming year, and song picks to match — plus a few all-star dedications to boot, including Tom Waits and others. Plus we visit a local prognosticator for a professional opinion on what the upcoming year has in store.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: Auld Lang Syne John Fahey
    The New Possibility: John Fahey's Guitar Soli Christmas Album, Takoma
  • New Year's Resolution Lil' Son Jackson
    The Complete Imperial Recordings, Capitol
  • Going Down the Road Feeling Bad Doc Watson
    Elementary Doctor Watson, Tomato
  • Me and Bobby McGee Janis Joplin
    Pearl, Columbia/Legacy
  • Pan American Hank Williams
    The Complete Hank Williams: Deluxe Edition, Mercury
  • Instrumental: 'A' Train Norman Blake/Tut Taylor/Sam Bush/Butch Robins/Vassar Clements/David Holland/Jethro Burns
  • Night Train to Memphis Bobby Hebb
    From Where I Stand: The Black Experience in Country Music, Warner Brothers
  • Standing Here Wondering Which Way to Go Marion Williams
    The New Message/ Standing Here Wondering Which Way to Go, Collectables
  • John Brown Bob Dylan
    The Best of Broadside, 1962-1988, Folkways
  • Day After Tomorrow Tom Waits
    Real Gone, Anti
  • Instrumental: When Johnny Comes Marching Home Jimmy Smith Trio
    The Master, Blue Note
  • SEGMENT: DJ Tom Waits

    Listen
  • CLIP: Jim Jarmusch film "Down By Law"
  • Respect Aretha Franklin
    Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings, Rhino
  • Let's Go Get Stoned Ray Charles
    Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection, Rhino
  • Busted Ray Charles
    Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection, Rhino
  • Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man) Randy Newman
    Good Old Boys, Reprise
  • Workin' Man Blues Merle Haggard
    Greatest Hits Vol.1, Curb
  • Happy New Year Lightning Hopkins
    Blue Yule, Rhino
  • Happy-Go-Lucky Local (aka Night Train) Oscar Peterson Trio
    Night Train, Verve

HOUR two

  • Auld Lang Syne Dejan's Olympia Brass Band
    New Orleans Brass Bands: Down Yonder, Rounder
  • New Years Resolution Otis Redding & Carla Thomas
    Otis! The Definitive Otis Redding, Rhino
  • Green Door Eskew Reeder
    Minit Records Story, EMI
  • Bon Ton Roulet Clifton Chenier
    The Best of Clifton Chenier, Arhoolie
  • INTERVIEW: Carol Fran

    Listen
  • Cold Cold Heart Carol Fran
    Live recording for American Routes,
  • Stardust Carol Fran
    Live recording for American Routes,
  • Instrumental: Cantaloupe Island Herbie Hancock
    Jazz Profile, Blue Note
  • The Dolphins Fred Neil
    Everybody's Talkin': Theme from Midnight Cowboy, REV-OLA
  • Follow Your Heart John McLaughlin
    My Goal's Beyond, Douglas
  • New Harmony United Sacred Harp Musical Association Singing Convention
    Southern Journey Vol.9: Harp of 1,000 Strings, Rounder
  • The Man Comes Around Johnny Cash
    American IV: The Man Comes Around, American
  • Wayfaring Stranger Johnny Cash
    American III: Solitary Man, American
  • Tomorrow is a Long Time Sandy Denny
    Sandy, A&M
  • Instrumental: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Husky Team
    Christmas In Memphis, Confidential Recordings
  • O Day Georgia Sea Island Singers
    Songs of Christmas from the Alan Lomax Collection, Rounder
  • The Rivers of Babylon The Melodians
    The Best of the Melodians 1967-1973, Trojan
  • Dry Bones Delta Rhythm Boys
    RCA Victor Blues & Rhythm Review, RCA
  • What A Wonderful World Louis Armstrong
    The Essential Louis Armstrong, Columbia/Legacy
  • End Bed: What a Wonderful World Charlie Byrd
    For Louis, Concord

THE LATEST STREAMS

  • June 7th, 2023

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

    Listen
  • May 31st, 2023

    PIANO PEOPLE AND MORE: JASON MORAN & HEATH ALLEN

    Listen
  • May 24th, 2023

    MEMORIAL DAY WITH THE 2022 NATIONAL HERITAGE FELLOWS

    Listen
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