What’s Cool
American Routes poses the question: “What is cool?” A style, a state of mind, the perfect horn riff, just chillin’? Some guests from the past year offer their answers, including Merle Haggard, Yo La Tengo, McCoy Tyner, T-Bone Burnett and Ray Charles. All backed up, of course, by our “cool” music mix.
HOUR ONE
Open Bed: Fever The Three Suns
Cocktail Mix, Vol.1: Bachelor's Guide To The Galaxy, Rhino
But I Was Cool Oscar Brown Jr.
Sin & Soul… And Then Some, Sony
SEGMENT: What's Cool? : Mose Allison
The 7th Son Mose Allison
Alison Wonderland: The Mose Allison Anthology, Rhino
I'm a Woman Peggy Lee
The Best of Miss Peggy Lee, Capitol
SEGMENT: What's Cool? – listener Bruce Hirsch
Rocket 69 Todd Rhodes & Orchestra
Risque Rhythm Nasty ‘50s R&B, Rhino
Cool, Cool Ways (Sexy Ways) Jerry Lee Lewis
Classic, Bear Family
SEGMENT: What's Cool? - Merle Haggard
The Bottle Let Me Down Merle Haggard
The Lonesome Fugitive: The Merle Haggard Anthology 1963-1977, Razor & Tie
Instrumental: Movin' Bill Black's Combo
The Best of Bill Black's Combo: The Hi Years, Hi
SEGMENT: What's Cool? - Jack Johnson
Have Mercy Baby Jelly Roll Kings
Rockin' the Juke Joint Down, Earwig
Til The Money Runs Out John Hammond Jr.
Wicked Grin, PointBlank
Instrumental: You Name It Memphis Slim
The Folkway Years 1959-1973, Folkways
SEGMENT: What's Cool? - John Hammond Jr.
Hit That Jive Jack King Cole Trio
An Introduction to Nat King Cole 1936-1947, Best of Jazz
SEGMENT: What's Cool? - Don Byron & John Sinclair
All Blues Miles Davis
Kind of Blue, Columbia
SEGMENT: What's Cool? -Ray Charles
Catch a Falling Star Perry Como
Pure Gold, RCA
This Little Girl of Mine Ray Charles
Genius & Soul, Rhino
Sit Down Servant The Original Five Blind Boys of Alabama
The Sermon, Specialty
SEGMENT: What's Cool? –The Blind Boys of Alabama
Run On The Blind Boys of Alabama
Spirit of the Century, RealWorld
HOUR TWO
Open Bed: Hansel and Pretzel Henri Rene & His Orchestra
Cocktail Mix, Vol.1: Bachelor's Guide To The Galaxy, Rhino
Cool Jerk The Capitols
Beg, Scream & Shout! The Big Ol' Box of ‘60s Soul, Rhino
Cool Del Close & John Brent
Beat Generation, Rhino
Reaching Into In Ken Nordine
The Best of Word Jazz, Vol.1, Rhino
SEGMENT: What's Cool? -Yo La Tengo
One PM Again Yo La Tengo
And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out, Matador
On the Sunny Side of the Street Willie Nelson
Stardust, Sony
SEGMENT: What's Cool? -Willie Nelson
But Not for Me Chet Baker
Best of Chet Baker Sings, Capitol
Instrumental: Gentleman Fela Kuti
Gentleman, EMI
SEGMENT: Robert Farris Thompson, Yale professor of African and African-American Art History
Que Lindo el Mambo Tito Puente
Mambo Cubano: The Golden Age of Cuban Music 1940-1960, Proper
SEGMENT: What's Cool? -Jim Jarmusch
He's Funny That Way Lester Young w/ Billie Holiday
Ken Burns Jazz: Lester Young, Verve
SEGMENT: What's Cool? -McCoy Tyner
Blues Back McCoy Tyner
Reaching Fourth, Impulse
Instrumental: Splat James Taylor Quartet
Message From The Godfather, Ubiquity
SEGMENT: What's Cool? - Bob Moog
Boogie On Reggae Woman Stevie Wonder
Original Musiquarium, Motown
I've Got Love if You Want It Slim Harpo
The Best Of, Hip-O
Hip Shake Rolling Stones
Exile On Main St., Virgin
SEGMENT: What's Cool? – listener Don Johnson
SEGMENT: What's Cool? –T Bone Burnett
I'll Fly Away Gillian Welch & Alison Krauss
Down From The Mountain, Lost Highway
End Bed: The Wandering Texan Biller & Wakefield
The Hot Guitars of Biller & Wakefield, High Tone