October 2011
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““Gris-gris” is this: You have two teams playing, let’s say LSU...”
– A Cajun traiteur explains the difference between gris-gris and conjo through LSU football.
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“Nick: What do you think Marie Laveau would have advised somebody to do about...”
– Anthropologist and believer Martha Ward talks about the life and legacy of two women named “Marie Laveau.”
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In honor of Mahalia Jackson’s 100th...
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“We had certain kinds of candles, and if you wanted money you’d burn a...”
– Saxophonist Charles Neville of the Neville Brothers talks about the mystical power of candles in the spirit world of South Louisiana.
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Saints and Spirits
Listen to this week’s show!
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...
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“I picked the box up. I said, well, this should be just what I need to make me a...”
– New Orleans’ own Little Freddie King talks about making his first guitar out of a cigar box, chimney soot and some horse hair.
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“Pat Martino: It was a birthday gift to my father.
Nick Spitzer: To give...”
– Jazz guitarist Pat Martino, born Pat Azzara, talks about how he adopted his stage name.
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Guitar Heroes
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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...
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“I kinda take the same approach that Clifton Chenier took. Clifton Chenier fused...”
– Zydeco accordion-man Terrance Simien, on this week’s American Routes.
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Dr. Lonnie Smith & Terrance Simien: Keys and...
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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...
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“I wanted to be a big league baseball player. I loved baseball. But I...”
– Rockabilly man Sonny Burgess explains why he chose a life in music over a life in baseball.
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WatchBruce Springsteen joins Sonny Burgess on stage to help out on a performance of Springsteen’s “Tiger Rose.”
Hear Burgess talk about the recording of “Tiger Rose” and more on this week’s American Routes.
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“Nick: So you went from being an onstage rockabilly with orange hair and slender...”
– Listen to Sonny Burgess talk about his life and music on this week’s American Routes.
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Rockin' the Blues with Sonny Burgess and Snooks...
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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 ...
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“Here’s the deal. I didn’t invent songwriting. I’m not the best...”
– Robert Earl Keen, today’s Featured Archive Spotlight, on “Snowin’ on Raton” by Townes Van Zandt.
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