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AMERICAN ROUTES ON INSTAGRAM
WHAT'S COOL?
American Routes poses the question: “What is cool?” A style, a state of mind, the perfect horn riff, just chillin’? Some guests from the past year offer their answers, including Merle Haggard, Yo La Tengo, McCoy Tyner, T-Bone Burnett and Ray Charles. All backed up, of course, by our “cool” music mix (depicted: clarinet player Don Byron and Yale art historian of “coolness” Robert Farris Thompson).
HOUR ONE
- Open Bed: Fever The Three Suns
Cocktail Mix, Vol.1: Bachelor's Guide To The Galaxy, Rhino - But I Was Cool Oscar Brown Jr.
Sin & Soul… And Then Some, Sony - CLIP: on "What Is Cool?" Mose Allison
- The 7th Son Mose Allison
Alison Wonderland: The Mose Allison Anthology, Rhino - I'm a Woman Peggy Lee
The Best of Miss Peggy Lee, Capitol - CLIP: on "What Is Cool?" listener Bruce Hirsch
- Rocket 69 Todd Rhodes & Orchestra
Risque Rhythm Nasty ‘50s R&B, Rhino - Cool, Cool Ways (Sexy Ways) Jerry Lee Lewis
Classic, Bear Family - CLIP: on "What Is Cool?" Merle Haggard
- The Bottle Let Me Down Merle Haggard
The Lonesome Fugitive: The Merle Haggard Anthology 1963-1977, Razor & Tie - Instrumental: Movin' Bill Black's Combo
The Best of Bill Black's Combo: The Hi Years, Hi - CLIP: on "What Is Cool?" Jack Johnson
- Have Mercy Baby Jelly Roll Kings
Rockin' the Juke Joint Down, Earwig - Til The Money Runs Out John Hammond Jr.
Wicked Grin, PointBlank - Instrumental: You Name It Memphis Slim
The Folkway Years 1959-1973, Folkways - CLIP: on "What Is Cool?" John Hammond Jr.
- Hit That Jive Jack King Cole Trio
An Introduction to Nat King Cole 1936-1947, Best of Jazz - CLIP: on "What Is Cool?" Don Byron & John Sinclair
Listen - All Blues Miles Davis
Kind of Blue, Columbia - CLIP: on "What Is Cool?" Ray Charles
- Catch a Falling Star Perry Como
Pure Gold, RCA - This Little Girl of Mine Ray Charles
Genius & Soul, Rhino - Sit Down Servant The Original Five Blind Boys of Alabama
The Sermon, Specialty - CLIP: on "What Is Cool?" The Blind Boys of Alabama
- Run On The Blind Boys of Alabama
Spirit of the Century, RealWorld
HOUR two
- Open Bed: Hansel and Pretzel Henri Rene & His Orchestra
Cocktail Mix, Vol.1: Bachelor's Guide To The Galaxy, Rhino - Cool Jerk The Capitols
Beg, Scream & Shout! The Big Ol' Box of ‘60s Soul, Rhino - Cool Del Close & John Brent
Beat Generation, Rhino - Reaching Into In Ken Nordine
The Best of Word Jazz, Vol.1, Rhino - CLIP: on "What Is Cool?" Yo La Tengo
- One PM Again Yo La Tengo
And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out, Matador - On the Sunny Side of the Street Willie Nelson
Stardust, Sony - CLIP: on "What Is Cool?" Willie Nelson
- But Not for Me Chet Baker
Best of Chet Baker Sings, Capitol - Instrumental: Gentlemen Fela Kuti
The Best Best of, MCA - SEGMENT: Robert Farris Thompson, Yale professor of African and African-American Art History
Listen - Que Lindo el Mambo Tito Puente
Mambo Cubano: The Golden Age of Cuban Music 1940-1960, Proper - CLIP: on "What Is Cool?" Jim Jarmusch
- He's Funny That Way Lester Young w/ Billie Holiday
Ken Burns Jazz: Lester Young, - CLIP: on "What Is Cool?" McCoy Tyner
- Blues Back McCoy Tyner
Reaching Fourth, Impulse - Instrumental: Splat James Taylor Quartet
Message From The Godfather, Ubiquity - CLIP: on "What Is Cool?" Bob Moog
- Boogie On Reggae Woman Stevie Wonder
Original Musiquarium, Motown - I've Got Love if You Want It Slim Harpo
The Best Of, Hip-O - Hip Shake Rolling Stones
Exile On Main St., Virgin - CLIP: on "What Is Cool?" listener Don Johnson
- CLIP: on "What Is Cool?" T Bone Burnette
- I'll Fly Away Gillian Welch & Alison Krauss
Down From The Mountain, Lost Highway - End Bed: The Wondering Texan Biller & Wakefield
The Hot Guitars of Biller & Wakefield, High Tone