Jews & Blues
Explore the connection between the wail of the cantor and the slide of a blues note—where jazz and western swing meet the klezmorium. Legendary R&B producer Jerry Wexler recalls working with Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan and more. Banjo player and author Henry Sapoznik talks about going from Old Time Country back to the music of his roots, klezmer. Plus jazz-inflected western swing, swinging klezmer and more.
HOUR ONE
Open Bed: Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho Sidney Bechet
Runnin' Wild, Blue Note
Rock My Soul Louis Armstrong
Louis and the Good Book, Universal
Joshua Fit the Battle Elvis Presley
His Hand in Mine, RCA
I'm a Woman Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee Sings Leiber and Stoller, Hip-O Select
Bei Mir Bist Du Schon (To Me You Are So Beautiful) Belle Baker
From Avenue A to the Great White Way: Yiddish & American Popular Song, Columbia
The Man I Love Artie Shaw
The George Gershwin Gold Collection, Déjà vu
Samson and Delilah The Barry Sisters and Jan Bart
Music from the Yiddish Radio Project, Shanachie
Instrumental: Sweet and Lowdown George Gershwin
Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls, Elektra
Prelude #2 George Gershwin
I Got Rhythm, Smithsonian
God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind) Randy Newman
Guilty, Warner Archives
Border Song (Holy Moses) Aretha Franklin
Young, Gifted and Black, Atlantic
Exodus Grant Green
Sunday Morning, Blue Note
Instrumental: Hip Hug-Her Booker T. & the M.G.'s
Rock Instrumental Classics, Vol.4: Soul, Rhino
INTERVIEW: Jerry Wexler
Tipitina Allen Toussaint
American Routes original recording
HOUR TWO
Open Bed: Gypsy Dave Tarras and the Musiker Brothers
Tanz!, Epic
The Bridegroom Special Sam Medoff and the Yiddish Swing Orchestra
Music from the Yiddish Radio Project, Shanachie
Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho Sidney Bechet
Runnin' Wild, Blue Note
A Bee Gezindt (As Long As You're Healthy) Mildred Bailey
From Avenue A to the Great White Way: Yiddish & American Popular Song, Columbia
Flyin' Home Benny Goodman Sextet
Benny Goodman: Ken Burns Jazz, Columbia
Instrumental: Ot Azoy Klezmer Plus!
Klezmer Plus! featuring Sid Beckerman & Howie Leess, Flying Fish
INTERVIEW: Henry Sapoznik
Samson and Delilah Blind Gary Davis
Harlem Street Singer, Prestige/Bluesville
How Far Am I From Canaan? The Soul Stirrers featuring Sam Cooke
Jesus Gave Me Water, Specialty
Instrumental: Go Down Moses Grant Green
Feelin' the Spirit, Blue Note
Jezebel The Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet
The Gospel Sound, Columbia/Legacy
Lot Wife The Ethiopians
Reggae Hit the Town, Trojan
Let My People Go Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Soul, Tzadik
Jerusalem Steve Earle
Jerusalem, Artemis
Love Minus Zero/No Limit Bob Dylan
Bringing It All Back Home, Columbia
End Bed: Waltz Medley Klezmer Plus!
Klezmer Plus! featuring Sid Beckerman & Howie Leess, Flying Fish