I Didn't Learn That In School!
It’s time to go back to school! Many of the lessons learned in school are valuable, but more often people carry their memories of great teachers, friends and growing up to think for themselves. Likewise, much of America’s greatest music — blues, jazz, country, Cajun — was passed on informally from master players, in clubs, at jam sessions or dances. We’ll visit two special professors who really believe in teaching the musical vernacular both formally and informally. The late Ray Charles showed kids how to play the blues at his Los Angeles studio, and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis tutored New Orleans high school students in jazz technique and appreciation. We’ll also talk to the Cajun band from French Louisiana, Feufollet, when they were teenagers, about why they learned to play traditional music. Plus, tune in to children’s songs and back-to-school anthems from Chuck Berry, Louis Armstrong, Willie Nelson and Aretha Franklin.
HOUR ONE
Open Bed: Rockhouse Ray Charles
Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection, Rhino
School Days Chuck Berry
The Chess Box, MCA/Chess
High School Confidential Jerry Lee Lewis
Classics Box, Bear Family
Help Me Rhonda The Langley Schools Music Project
Innocence and Despair, Bar/None
Space Oddity The Langley Schools Music Project
Innocence and Despair, Bar/None
I Want My Milk Woody Guthrie
Songs to Grow on for Mother and Child, Folkways
Shortenin' Bread Lee Dorsey
Ride Your Pony, Sundazed
All Mama's Children Carl Perkins
Sun Singles Collection Vol.2, Bear Family
Down on the Farm Kim Lenz
The Bottle Let Me Down: Songs for Bumpy Wagon Rides, Bloodshot
Instrumental: What'd I Say Ray Charles
Uh Huh: His Greatest Hits, DCC
SEGMENT: Ray Charles with L.A. high school kids from the Sir Charles Blues Lab
School Days Dizzy Gillespie
Birks Works: The Verve Big-Band Sessions, Verve
Going to School Buddy Guy
The Complete Chess Studio Sessions, MCA/Chess
Instrumental: Soul Finger Bar-Kays
Rock Instrumental Classics Vol.4: Soul, Rhino
Wonderful World Otis Redding
Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul, Sundazed
I Got it From Boo Jo Jo Reed
Funky Zydeco, Maison de Soul
INTERVIEW: Feufollet
End Bed: Tipitina Allen Toussaint
American Routes original recording
HOUR TWO
Open Bed: Root Groove Wynton Marsalis
Popular Songs: The Best of Wynton Marsalis, Columbia
Collegiate Love Ted Weems & His Orchestra
The Essential Ted Weems 1923-1930, Retrieval
Bright College Days Tom Lehrer
Songs & More Songs By Tom Lehrer, Rhino
Ivy League Roy Brown
The Complete Imperial Recordings, Capitol
Little School Girl Smokey Hogg
Essential Texas Blues, HoB
Spirit in the Dark Aretha Franklin
Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings, Rhino
SEGMENT: Sally Walker
Little Sally Walker Mattie Gardner et al
Southern Journey Vol.3: 61 Highway Mississippi, Rounder
Sally Walker Leadbelly
Sings Songs for Children, Folkways
Mustang Sally Sir Mack Rice
Beg, Scream & Shout: The Big Ol' Box of '60s Soul, Rhino
Instrumental: Sunflower Wynton Marsalis
Popular Songs: The Best of Wynton Marsalis, Columbia
You Don't Learn That in School Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra
From the Big Band to the All Stars, 1946-1956, RCA
Lester Left Town Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
Africaine, Blue Note
SEGMENT: Wynton Marsalis
Instrumental: Hip Vibrations Cal Tjader
Verve Jazz Masters 39, Verve
El Puente Roto Flaco Jimenez w/Linda Ronstadt
Partners, Warner
Rainbow Connection Willie Nelson
Rainbow Connection, Island
Summertime is Past and Gone Bill Monroe w/ Flatt & Scruggs
16 Gems, Columbia/Legacy
Maggie May Rod Stewart
Have a Nice Decade: The 70s Pop Culture Box, Rhino
Stay in School Otis Redding
Remember Me, Stax/Volt
End Bed: To Sir, With Love The Ventures
$1,000, 000 Weekend, EMI