1. JAN
  2. FEB
  3. MAR
  4. APR
  5. MAY
  6. JUN
  7. JUL
  8. AUG
  9. SEP
  10. OCT
  11. NOV
  12. DEC

SAINTS AND SPIRITS

Explore the spiritual realm of New Orleans and South Louisiana through words and music on this weekend of All Souls’ and All Saints’. Our very own, Ninth-ward, R&B buddha, Fats Domino, drops by and unveils his personal spirituality. Visit the tomb of Voodoo queen Marie Laveau with author, anthropologist and believer Martha Ward. Plus, Creole artist, musician and traiteur Dennis Paul Williams discusses the mystical power of the zydeco and his own healing practices. And Meter man Charles Neville runs the old-school, uptown Voodoo down.

GUITAR HEROES: PAT MARTINO & BEN HALL

Join us this week for an exploration of the guitar in jazz, blues and country music. We’ll visit with modern jazz guitarist Pat Martino at his home in Philadelphia and find out more about his formulas for playing jazz solos. Then it’s a conversation with up and coming thumbpicking guitarist Ben Hall, who walks us through the Merle Travis songbook.

DR. LONNIE SMITH & TERRANCE SIMIEN: KEYS AND SQUEEZE

From the heart of French Louisiana to the streets of New York, American Routes is mixing it up this week with two giants of their genres. We visit with jazz great Dr. Lonnie Smith,whose mastery of the music is synonymous with his ever-present Hammond B3 organ. We drop down deep in the pocket with Lonnie, and get keyed in to the past and present of soul and jazz. And out on the Cajun and Creole prairies, we drop in on zydeco accordionist and Grammy award winner Terrance Simien. Plus jazz, blues and country tunes from keyboard masters of all kinds.

ROCKIN' THE BLUES WITH SONNY BURGESS AND SNOOKS EAGLIN

Tune in and rock the blues with two guitar men who do it with great authority. First up is Arkansas wild man and original Sun Records rockabilly Sonny Burgess who still tears it up, playing his hits “We Wanna Boogie,” “Red-Headed Woman” and others well into his seventies. And hear a live set from the late great New Orleans bluesman and human jukebox Snooks Eaglin, recorded in 2007 at his home base, the famous Rock ‘N’ Bowl nightclub, where one can do either of those, or both, at the same time. Feel the beat in blues, jazz, Western swing and more with a music mix designed to rock your blues away.