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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BIG VOICES

September 12th, 2001

American Routes belts it out in celebration of big voices. We’ll sample three from across the musical board: the eerie smoothness of Little Jimmie Scott, an 89-year-old jazz singer who’s recently been rediscovered; the crooning of country star Ray Price; and the gritty shout of Chicago blueswoman Koko Taylor.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Sing, Sing, Sing Anita O'Day
    Finest Hour, Verve
  • Ain't Got No Home Clarence ‘Frogman' Henry
    Chess New Orleans, MCA
  • Fascinatin' Rhythm Cliff ‘Ukelele Ike' Edwards
    Ukelele Ike, Sony
  • San Antonio Rose Bob Wills
    The Tiffany Transcriptions Vol.2, Rhino
  • Instrumental: Osage Stomp Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys
    The King of Western Swing, ASV
  • INTERVIEW: Ray Price

    Listen
  • Ramblin' Man Hank Williams
    The Complete, Mercury
  • I Lost Everything Sam Cooke
    Night Beat, abkco
  • (I'm Going To) Wait Until My Change Comes Mahalia Jackson
    How I Got Over/Apollo Sessions 1946-1954, West Side
  • Backwater Blues Bessie Smith
    The Essential, Sony
  • Instrumental: You Name It Memphis Slim
    The Folkways Years 1959-1973, Folkways
  • INTERVIEW: Koko Taylor

    Listen
  • Black Rat Swing Memphis Minnie
    The Essential, Classic Blues
  • Madeleine Balfa Brothers
    Play Traditional Cajun Music Vol. 1 and 2, Swallow
  • In the Pines Bill Monroe
    Blue Grass 1950-1958, Bear Family
  • Where Did You Sleep Last Night Lead Belly
    Goodnight Irene, Tradition
  • Where Did You Sleep Last Night Nirvana
    Unplugged, Geffen

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: I Wish I Could Sing George ‘Bongo Joe' Coleman
    Bongo Joe, Arhoolie
  • How many more Years Howlin' Wolf
    His Best, MCA
  • Richards Club Beau Jocque & The Zydeco Hi-Rollers
    The Best Of, Rounder
  • Cao Cao Mani Picao Celia Cruz
    Mambo Cubano: Golden Age, Proper
  • She's a Carioca Astrud Gilberto
    Talkin' Verve: Astrud Gilberto, Verve
  • You Brought a New Kind of Love Frank Sinatra
    Songs For Swingin' Lovers!, Capitol
  • Instrumental: Organ Grinder's Swing Jimmie Lunceford
    The Swinging Mr. Lunceford, Empress
  • SEGMENT: Little Jimmy Scott

    Listen
  • I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues #2 Billie Holiday
    The Complete Commodore Recordings, GRP
  • Lady Sings the Blues Billie Holiday
    Ken Burns Jazz: Billie Holiday, Verve
  • Instrumental: Midnight Special Jimmy Smith
    Midnight Special, Blue Note
  • Little Girl Blue Janis Joplin
    Love, Janis, Sony
  • Blue Shadows Jimmie Dale Gilmore
    One Endless Night, Rounder
  • Blue Moon Elvis Presley
    The Complete 50s masters, RCA
  • Don't Let The Devil Ride Sonny Treadway
    Sacred Steel, Arhoolie
  • Red House Jimi Hendrix
    Experience Hendrix, MCA
  • End Bed: At The Cross Sonny Treadway
    Sacred Steel, Arhoolie

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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