AMERICAN ROUTES
Blues and Jazz, African Roots and Branches with Shemekia Copeland and Balla Kouyaté Blues and Jazz, African Roots and Branches with Shemekia Copeland and Balla Kouyaté June 7th, 2023 (Hour 1)
Blues and Jazz, African Roots and Branches with Shemekia Copeland and 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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LEAP DAY: FORGOTTEN TREASURES

February 26th, 2020

It’s a rare Leap Year show with Guilty Pleasures and Forgotten Treasures. As the 29th of February rolls around we take stock of our circles round the sun… just for cosmic fun. With fellow travelers: The Grateful Dead, Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin, Sun Ra and Our Native Daughters.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: Snow Tunnel Sarah and Sean Watkins
    Brother Sister, Family Hour
  • Circle Game Tom Rush
    The Circle Game, Elektra
  • Wintertime Norah Jones
    Begin Again, Blue Note
  • Cold Cold Heart Aretha Franklin
    Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington, Columbia
  • Stealin' Jerry Garcia & David Grisman
    Shady Grove, Acoustic Disc
  • Bertha Grateful Dead
    Grateful Dead Live at Filmore East, Warner Brothers
  • Instrumental: Grand Junction Poco
    Pickin' Up the Pieces, Epic
  • One Piece at a Time Johnny Cash
    One Piece at a Time, Columbia
  • Rocket 69 Connie Allen and Todd Rhodes
    Risque Blues, King
  • Sally Go Round the Roses The Jaynetts
    Sally Go Round the Roses, Tuff
  • Be Honest with Me Esther Phillips
    The Country Side of Esther Phillips, Atlantic
  • Instrumental: St. James Infirmary Les McCann
    McCanna, Blue Note
  • Small Town Talk Bobby Charles
    Bobby Charles, Bearsville Records
  • Dock of the Bay Otis Redding
    Dock of the Bay, Volt/Atco
  • That Lucky Old Sun Big Mama Thornton
    Stronger Than Dirt, Mercury
  • Before the Next Teardrop Falls Dolly Parton and David Hildalgo
    Treasures, Mercury
  • Winterlude Joe Ely
    To: Kate: A Benefit for Kate's Sake, Western Beat Records
  • Closing Bed: Visitor from Venus Modern Jazz Quartet
    Under the Jasmin Tree/Space, Apple Corps Ltd.

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: Space is the Place Sun Ra
    Space is the Place, Evidence Records
  • Jumpin' with Symphony Sid King Pleasure
    King Pleasure Signs/Annie Ross Sings, Fantasy
  • Sadie Hawkins Doomtree
    Doomtree, Doomtree Records
  • Toe-Tappin' Johnny Griffin
    Johnny Griffin's Studio Jazz Party, Riverside
  • Instrumental: Little Sunflower Dorothy Ashby
    Afro-Harping, Verve
  • Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin' Gerry and the Pacemakers
    The Best of Gerry and the Pacemakers, Main
  • Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin' Louis Jordan and His Tympani Five
    Jack, You're Dead: The Essential Blue Archive, BMG
  • California Dreamin' Bobby Womack
    Fly Me to the Moon, Minit
  • Third Stone from the Sun The Jimi Hendrix Experience
    Jimi Hendrix Experience, WEA
  • Two Trains Running Marquis Knox
    Here I Am, APO Records
  • Instrumental: Flying The Beatles
    Magical Mystery Tour, Capitol
  • Lafayette Watkins Family Hour
    Brother Sister, Family Hour Records
  • I'll Follow the Sun The Beatles
    Beatles for Sale, Parlophone
  • White Bird It's a Beautiful Day
    It's a Beautiful Day, CBS
  • I Knew I Could Fly Our Native Daughters
    Songs of Our Native Daughters, Smithsonian Folkways
  • I'll Fly Away Johnny Cash
    My Mother's Hymnbook, American Recordings
  • Closing Bed: Sing On Dr. Michael White
    Crescent City Serenade, Antilles

THE LATEST STREAMS

  • June 7th, 2023

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

    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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