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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AMERICAN ROUTES ON INSTAGRAM

PHILLY SOUL FOLKS & LOUISIANA SWAMP POP: JOHN OATES & JOHNNIE ALLAN

June 24th, 2015

While they don’t all have blue-eyes, the white soul and swamp pop guys and gals from Philadelphia and South Louisiana have created distinctive regional sounds of national significance. In Philadelphia, we sample soul roots of the famed band Hall & Oates; and learn from John Oates that — despite years of pop music, big hair and synthesizers — at heart he is also a folkie into to country blues and flat-picked guitar a la Doc Watson and Mississippi John Hurt… which he plays live for us! The angelic-voiced Daryl Hall, on the other hand is more disciple of the Temptations who we’ll hear along with the Orlons, The O’Jays and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. In South Louisiana the simmering pot of music that draws on Cajun, R&B, soul and country ends up as a tasty dish called Swamp Pop. Johnnie Allan (Guillot) is a Cajun Swamp Pop chef extraordinaire with hits like “South to Louisiana” and a version of the “Promised Land” played on the French accordion. He’s surrounded by music from Earl King, Cookie & the Cupcakes, and Slim Harpo. Tasty indeed!

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: Pallet John Oates
    Mississippi Mile, Victor
  • Blue Railroad Train Doc and Merle Watson
    Lonesome Road/ Look Away, Southern Music Distribution
  • I'm Satisfied Mississippi John Hurt
    Today!, Vanguard
  • Kokomo Blues Bonnie Raitt
    Philadelphia Folk Festival 40th Anniversary, Sliced Bread
  • Dance Hall Girls John Oates
    Mississippi Mile, Victor
  • Instrumental: See See Rider Jimmy Smith
    Home Cookin', Blue Note
  • South Street The Orlons
    Cameo Parkway, 1957-1961, ABKCO
  • This Train Sister Rosetta Tharpe
    The Original Soul Sister, Proper
  • Love Train The O'Jays
    Back Stabbers, Philadelphia International
  • Don't Ever Want to Lose Your Love Barbara Mason
    Cooler Than Ice: The Arctic Records Story, Arctic
  • You Make My Dreams Daryl Hall & John Oates
    Voices, RCA
  • Instrumental: Papa Was a Rolling Stone The Funk Brothers
    The Best of the Funk Brothers, Motown
  • The Way You Do the Things You Do The Temptations
    The Very Best of the Temptations, Motown
  • Good-Bye The Temptones
    Cooler Than Ice: The Arctic Records Story, Arctic
  • SEGMENT: John Oates

    Listen
  • Sitting On Top of the World John Oates
    Live at Preservation Hall, original recording
  • Miss the Mississippi and You John Oates and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band
    Live at Preservation Hall, original recording
  • End Bed: So Long Blues Preservation Hall Jazz Band
    Best of the Early Years, Preservation Hall
  • Instrumental: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? The Revelers
    Play the Swamp Pop Classics, Vol.1 - EP, The Revelers

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: Promised Land Johnnie Allan
    The Essential Collection, JIN
  • Allons Rock and Roll Lawrence Walker
    Allons Cajun Rock and Roll, Ace
  • Okie Dokie Stomp Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
    The Original Peacock Recordings, Rounder
  • I Hear You Knockin' Lazy Lester
    Sound of the Swamp: The Best of Excello Records Vol. 1, Rhino
  • Fais Do Do Rod Bernard
    Swamp Rock 'N' Roll, Ace
  • Basic Lady Coteau
    Highly Seasoned Cajun Music, Rounder
  • Cajun Twist Lil' Band O' Gold
    Lil' Band O' Gold, Shanachie
  • Instrumental: Wang Wang Blues The Revelers
    The Revelers, The Revelers
  • SEGMENT: Johnnie Allan

    Listen
  • Those Lonely, Lonely Nights Earl King
    Earl's Pearls: The Very Best of Earl King 1955-1960, Westside/Ace
  • Un Autre Soir d'Ennui Belton Richard
    The Essential Belton Richard Cajun Music Collection, Swallow
  • I'm a Fool to Care Joe Barry
    I'm a Fool to Care, Demon
  • Rainin' in My Heart Slim Harpo
    The Sounds of the Swamp: Excello Records Vol. 1, Rhino
  • You'll Lose a Good Thing Barbara Lynn
    The Jamie Singles Collection 1962-1965, Jamie
  • Got You On My Mind Cookie and the Cupcakes
    Kings of Swamp Pop, Ace
  • Evangeline Feufollet
    Feufollet, Feufollet
  • See You Later Alligator Bobby Charles
    Walking to New Orleans: The Jewel and Paula Recordings 1964-65, Westside
  • End Bed: Burgher's Beat John Hart with Lil' Bob & the Lollipops
    Lafayette Soul Show, Ace

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

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