American Routes is blues and jazz, gospel and soul, rockabilly and country, Cajun and swamp pop, Tejano, Latin… and beyond. Songs and stories from musicians describe a deep and diverse nation with sounds and styles shared by all Americans. From the bayous to the beltways, from crossroads to crosstown, on interstates and city streets, turn up your radio for the sonic journey!
American Routes—produced in New Orleans since 1998
New Orleans Tunes and Talk with Wendell Brunious & Comedy and Critique from Susan Werner
December 11, 2024
We go where the music leads us, first live at home with trumpeter Wendell Brunious and his New Orleans All Stars. Wendell is from a famed New Orleans Creole jazz family and is now the music director of Preservation Hall. Then we visit with the eccentric and witty songmaker and multi-instrumentalist Susan Werner with roots in rural Iowa. Susan’s stories in song are comedic and serious takes on religion, queerness, climate change and social responsibility. Plus words and music from Big Mama Thornton, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Cash and the Five Satins.
NEXT WEEK
Sounds of Winter Solstice and the Holidays
It’s the season of cold weather, darkness, solstice, and… holidays. Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Years ahead. A time of celebration and contemplation, family and friends but also some broken hearts and Christmas blues. From cold weather and cold-hearted blues of Snooky Pryor, Big Maceo and Aretha Franklin to the warm side of the season with Louis Jordan and Ella Fitzgerald, Willie Nelson and Elvis. And Hanukkah sounds from Bela Fleck and Andy Statman. Plus, we explore Santa’s exploits, fallibility, and possibility with songs from Baltimore’s Fat Daddy, Tampa Red and Tennessee Ernie Ford. Merry Xmas and more from American Routes!
LAST WEEK
North American Routes from South Louisiana to Cape Breton with the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band and Beòlach
We’re rolling out New Orleans Creole and Cajun Francité and soul. We’ll hear music from The Meters, Kid Ory, and Carol Fran… plus the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band live at the French Market in New Orleans. Then, we head to Cape Breton Island in Maritime Canada for a visit with fiddler Wendy MacIsaac of the band Beòlach, along with other Nova Scotia Scots Gaelic classics… and finally some down home American folks.
