AMERICAN ROUTES
Songs as Poems; Poems as Songs Songs as Poems; Poems as Songs August 10th, 2022 (Hour 1)
Songs as Poems; Poems as Songs

We listen for poetry in music and music in poetry, songs as poems and poems as songs with Langston Hughes, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Ken Nordine. Plus, a visit to New York’s City Lore with poet-folklorist Steve Zeitlin, who rides the POEMobile to the People’s Poetry Gathering and then back to New Orleans to meet Louisiana’s poet laureate, Mona Lisa Saloy.

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HOLIDAY SOUL AND SPIRIT: LIVE FROM PRESERVATION HALL WITH IRMA THOMAS & THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA

December 20th, 2017

For this special holiday edition of American Routes, we get into the spirit of the season with live performances by Irma Thomas, the Soul Queen of New Orleans, and gospel greats the Blind Boys of Alabama at Preservation Hall in the French Quarter. Blind Boys’ founding member Jimmy Carter tells of his long life on the road through the Jim Crow South and around the world, and Irma Thomas describes her gospel roots and soul music’s role in protest and healing. Plus, we keep the holiday festivities going with a joyous jukebox of blues and jazz, Cajun and country, solstice and seasonal tunes.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: Bourbon Street Parade Preservation Hall Legacy Quintet
    Live recording from Preservation Hall,
  • Hindustan Preservation Hall Legacy Quintet
    Live recording from Preservation Hall,
  • Just a Little While to Stay Here Preservation Hall Legacy Quintet
    Live recording from Preservation Hall,
  • SEGMENT: Jimmy Carter

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  • Instrumental: Brother Soul Lou Donaldson
    Say It Loud, Blue Note
  • Amazing Grace Blind Boys of Alabama
    Live recording from Preservation Hall,
  • Uncloudy Day The Blind Boys of Alabama with Preservation Hall Legacy Quintet
    Live recording from Preservation Hall,
  • I'll Fly Away Blind Boys of Alabama
    Live recording from Preservation Hall,
  • Instrumental: Alligator Bogaloo Lou Donaldson
    Alligator Bogaloo, Blue Note
  • SEGMENT: Irma Thomas

    Listen
  • Love Don't Change Irma Thomas
    Live recording from Preservation Hall,
  • Wish Someone Would Care Irma Thomas
    Live recording from Preservation Hall,
  • You Can Have My Husband But Please Don't Mess With My Man Irma Thomas
    Live recording from Preservation Hall,
  • If I Had a Hammer Irma Thomas and the Blind Boys of Alabama
    Live recording from Preservation Hall,
  • Closing Bed: Wade in the Water Hank Jones and Charlie Hayden
    Steal Away, Verve

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: Christmas Blues Ramsey Lewis
    The Joy of Christmas Past, GNP
  • Faraway Christmas Blues Johnny Otis
    The Johnny Otis R&B Caravan Savoy Recordings, Savoy
  • Baltimore Oriole Bob Dorough
    Devil May Care, Bethlehem Archives
  • CLIP: Bob Dorough

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  • Blue Christmas Lumineers
    Blue Christmas- Single, Lumineers
  • Merry Christmas Baby Charles Brown
    Blue Yule: Christmas Blues and R&B Classics, Rhino
  • Instrumental: Greensleeves Jimmy Smith
    Christmas Cookin' , Verve
  • Christmas in Vietnam Johnny & Jon
    Merry Christmas Baby, Ronn
  • SEGMENT: Chuck Siler

    Listen
  • Santa Claus is Skaing to Town Granville Williams Orchestra
    Natty and Nice, A Reggae Christmas, Rhino
  • Christmas Is A Coming Leadbelly
    Leadbelly Sings for Children, Smithsonian Folkways
  • J'ai Vu le Loup, Le Renard et la Belette Balfa Brothers
    Balfa Brothers Play More Traditional Music, Swallow
  • Bachata en Navidad La Sonora Matancera featuring Celia Cruz
    Celebremos Nochebuena con Sonora Matancera, Codigo Music
  • Feliz Navidad Los Straightjackets
    'Tis the Season for Los Straightjackets, Yep Roc
  • Instrumental: Sugar Rum Cherry (Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy) Duke Ellington
    Three Suites, Columbia
  • Sherburne (While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night) Sacred Harp Singers
    Songs of Christmas from the Alan Lomax Collection, Rounder
  • Cherry Tree Carol Pentangle
    Solomon's Seal, Reprise
  • Greensleeves John Coltrane
    The Best of John Coltrane: His Greatest Years, Vol. 2, Impulse
  • O Day Bessie Jones/ Georgia Sea Island Singers
    Songs of Christmas from the Alan Lomax Collection, Rounder
  • End Bed: Auld Lang Syne John Fahey
    John Fahey Christmas Soli, Fantasy

THE LATEST STREAMS

  • August 10th, 2022

    SONGS AS POEMS; POEMS AS SONGS

    Listen
  • August 3rd, 2022

    CARIBBEAN CRUISE & SOUTH LOUISIANA SOJOURN: GARIFUNA GUITARIST AURELIO & CREOLE ACCORDIONIST CEDRIC WATSON

    Listen
  • July 27th, 2022

    THE FOLK REVIVAL REVISITED

    Listen
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