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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HARD ROAD TO TRAVEL: SHELBY LYNNE AND MICHAEL HURLEY

January 2nd, 2013

Conversation with the eclectic song stylist Shelby Lynne—formerly of rural Alabama, now of Palm Springs to hear about the vicissitudes of her musical and emotional journey from country to pop—including a recent embrace of Dusty Springfield. Elusive singer-songwriter Michael Hurley talks about a family devoted to opera and his sometimes-dark often humorous disaffected songs about the mysteries of modernity and werewolves. Plus a visit to an Alabama cemetery for revered ‘coondogs. We surround it all with Southern soul, hard country, deep blues, traditional jazz and respect for what is still significantly unknowable and magical in American culture.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: Willie and Laura Mae Jones Shelby Lynne
    Just a Little Lovin', Lost Highway
  • Memphis, Tennesee Chuck Berry
    The Anthology, MCA/ Chess
  • Well Well Well Lucinda Williams
    Little Honey, Lost Highway
  • Operator Grateful Dead
    American Beauty, Warner Bros.
  • That's How I Got to Memphis Solomon Burke
    Nashville, Shout Factory
  • Instrumental: Memphis Lonnie Mack
    Rock Instrumental Classics, Vol. 2: The '60s, Rhino
  • A Hard Road to Travel Shakey Jake
    Chicago Blues Masters, Vol. 3, Capitol
  • Lonesome On'ry and Mean Steve Young
    Lonesome On'ry and Mean, Raven
  • SEGMENT: Shelby Lynne

    Listen
  • Instrumental: Son of a Preacher Man Gene Ammons
    The Boss is Back, Fantasy
  • Son of a Preacher Man Dusty Springfield
    Dusty in Memphis, Atlantic
  • Willie and Laura Mae Jones Tony Joe White
    The Best of Tony Joe White, Warner Archives
  • Storms Never Last Allison Moorer
    Lonesome, On'ry and Mean: A Tribute to Waylon Jennings, Dualtone
  • My Sweet Annette Drive By Truckers
    Decoration Day, New West
  • Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again Bob Dylan
    Blonde on Blonde, Columbia
  • End Bed: Blues Before Dawn Pee Wee Crayton
    Pee Wee's Blues: The Complete Aladdin and Imperial Recordings, Capitol

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: Werewolf Michael Hurley
    Armchair Boogie, Warner Bros.
  • Black Rat Swing Cephas and Wiggins
    Richmond Blues, Smithsonian Folkways
  • There's a Rat Loose in My House Sterling Harrison
    South of the Snooty Fox, HackTone
  • SEGMENT: Michael Hurley

    Listen
  • She-Wolf Jessie Mae Hemphill
    She-Wolf, HMG/ Hightone
  • I'm the Wolf Howlin' Wolf
    His Best, Volume 2, Chess
  • Instrumental: Monkey on the Interstate Michael Hurley
    Long Journey, Rounder
  • SEGMENT: Coon Dog Cemetary

    Listen
  • Old King Neil Young
    Harvest Moon, Reprise
  • Bird Dog The Everly Brothers
    All-Time Original Hits, Rhino
  • Let Me Play with Your Poodle Tampa Red
    Memphis Slim / Tampa Red / Lonnie Johnson: Bawdy Blues, Prestige/ Bluesville
  • I'm Gonna Take Care of Your Dog Rosie Ledet
    Zesty Zydeco, Maison de Soul
  • Instrumental: Let Me Play with Your Poodle CeDell Davis
    Keep It To Yourself: Arkansas Blues Vol.1 - Solo Performers, Stackhouse
  • Hit the Road Again Sunnyland Slim and Trio
    The Mercury Blues 'N' Rhythm Story: Midwest Blues, Mercury
  • I Think It's Going to Rain Today Irma Thomas with Randy Newman
    Simply Grand, Rounder
  • Opus de Soul Albert King, Steve Cropper, Pops Staples
    Jammed Together, Stax
  • End Bed: Behave Yourself Booker T & the MGs
    The Complete Stax-Volt Singles Vol.2: 1959-1968, Atlantic

THE LATEST STREAMS

  • May 18th, 2022

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

    Listen
  • May 11th, 2022

    BREAKING OUT: BRITISH BLUES TO NEW ORLEANS BOUNCE

    Listen
  • May 4th, 2022

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

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