In this episode of Deeper Roots, we explore the diverse sounds of jazz guitar, featuring some of the very best from the early century where the masters defined the role of guitar in trios, quartets, and then finally in the jazz band. In the early century, the guitar was relegated to either solo performances or in smaller ensembles where there was no competition other than strings. It didn’t really have much of a chance in the jazz scene where horns and percussion would simply drown the strings out making it not only impossible to record but impossible to hear in a live performance. All of that changed, of course, with the invention of the electric guitar allowing the sound to come through, holding its own with the saxophone or trumpet.
Our show will feature a number of early blues and jazz practitioners who crafted a sound into gold and paved the way for others. We’ll hear from many of the early gems from the likes of Eddie Lang, Charlie Christian, Tampa Red, Lonnie Johnson, as well as the inheritors including Wes Montgomery, Tal Farlow, and Kenny Burrell.
We have a fresh new episode produced exclusively for KWTF, community radio for Sonoma County. In this week’s two hour journey hosted by Dave Stroud, he takes a ‘theme time-out’ to explore a topic with music from the past century. The theme this week is “Night”…of course. Join Dave as he explores some midnight weeping blues with Barbecue Bob, a celebration of the night time being the right time with Nappy Brown, travels to Memphis in the night from Roy Acuff and Jerry Lee Lewis, some blues in the night with Jimmie Lunceford’s Orchestra, and nights wasted with Freddy Fender…and that’s only a sampling. Join us as we explore the night…our muse that carries us into the morning hours.
Join Dave Stroud once more as he digs into those dusty digital gospel bins for a selection of songs that celebrate the celestial sounds of a number of the greatest sacred hymns and gospel tunes from the past century of America’s music. “Wade In The Water”, “I’m On My Way To Canaan Land”, “I’ll Fly Away”, and many other classic gospel standards will be covered by some of the great gospel performers as well as those from the secular stable. We’ll hear from Bill Monroe, Blind Willie Johnson, Taj Mahal, Mahalia Jackson, and the Reverend Pearly Brown in a special Deeper Roots show called “Great Gospel Tracks”. Tune in for a show that explores the roots of sounds that explore those sounds of both Europeanized black church music as well as those that have their basis in the holiness-Pentecostal (or sanctified) movement.
Take a guided tour exploring the last century of America’s music on Deeper Roots as we play with the theme of jukeboxes, DJs, turntables, house parties, record shops, Victrolas, and transistor radios…celebrating music with music. We’ll hear a diverse set of songs by artists including a later Roy Orbison piece, three from Merle Haggard, party music with Sam Cooke, Margie Singleton singing about old records, a pair of pieces from Fats Waller, and a host of others.
In this episode of Deeper Roots, we explore the early works of a giant of American popular music: Duke Ellington. His career spanned over a half century where he composed thousands of songs for stage, screen, and the contemporary songbook. He called his music “American Music” and his signature sound, particularly in the early years, was unmistakable. This was in large part because he searched out musicians with unique playing styles such as Bubber Miley, Joe Nanton, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart, and the great alto saxophonist. While our focus will be on the pre-War Elligton classics, we’ll also catch the early versions of “Sophisticated Lady” and “Take the ‘A’ Train” and, at the same time, include some telling excerpts from a few different interviews.
This episode will look at the roots of Honky Tonk: a place where, on one side of the track you, as Roosevelt Sykes points out in “The Honeydripper”, you had the blues performer as Doctor who prescribed Blues as a cure for the Blues and on the other, you had the country sound of Moon Mullican who demanded that the beer bottles danced on the table when the band got rockin’. We’ll spend our time exploring the early sounds of Big Maceo, Albert Ammons, and Jimmy Yancey and move down yonder to the country bars where boogie woogie was also understood. The country honky tonk sounds of Merrill Moore, Bobbie Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis, and a handful of others will get their chance to entertain. Boogie woogie came to the country and it was retooled and renamed as honky tonk.
This episode of Deeper Roots will feature Big Band Standards done by others as well as by the greats of the genre. Swing and sway with the sounds of “At the Woodchopper’s Ball”, “Take the A Train”, “Little Brown Jug”, “One O’Clock Jump”, and a number of others. The performers cross the divide…Bob Wills, Nina Simone, The Mills Brothers, Benny Goodman, George Harrison, Merrill Moore, and others. The big band sound had an energy and personality that was made for the urban clubs, but it would also make itself known as more than just a pop or jazz phenomenon…it became the music of a generation that found a broader audience at barn dances, Elks’ Halls, theaters, and the larger venues of the present day. It’s roots music with a swinging groove and drive.
It’s ‘theme time’ in this episode of Deeper Roots. We’ll listen to performances that explore that not-so-curious passion for money, the anxiety and fear of not having enough, and stories of a time when was hard to come upon. We’ll hear what would be paid for a song or keeping quiet; fantasies of what it might be like to in a position of wealth and nightmares of when the money’s all gone. Mostly, however, we’ll hear stories about what would be paid in exchange for a man’s time, or maybe a man’s soul. Join Dave Stroud for another journey through a century of America’s music where he’ll include among the performers Buddy Guy, Lefty Frizzell, The Blue Sky Boys, Gillian Welch, Chuck Berry, and Howlin’ Wolf.
Bob Wills’ name will forever be associated with Western swing. Although he may not have invented the genre he was certainly responsible for popularizing it and would single-handedly change its rules and, in the process, reinvented the rules of popular music. Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys were a dance band with a country string section that played pop songs as if they were jazz numbers. Their music expanded and erased boundaries between genres. It was also some of the most popular music of its era. Throughout the ’40s, the band was one of the most popular groups in the country and the musicians in the Playboys were among the finest of their era. As the popularity of Western swing declined, so did Wills’ popularity, but his influence is immeasurable and he would find a resurgence in the recognition as a foundation of country and rock in later years..
Our show explores traditional pieces and versions that have been covered by contemporary artists. “Mama Don’t Allow”, “Soldier’s Joy”, “That Nasty Swing”, “Worried Mind”, and “Mary of the Wild Moor” are just a handful of the selections we’ll share in our show tonight. Some of the performers included in our set include Ivory Joe Hunter, Bascom Lamar Lunsford, The Dixon Brothers, and Byrd Moore. Join Dave Stroud tonight at 9 on KWTF as he shares the stories of the music, song stories, and performers from the last American century…it’s roots music that does matter.
