To The Best of Our Knowledge
from Wisconsin Public Radio

Suddenly we're seeing the Blues everywhere. There's Martin Scorsese's Blues Project on PBS. Many communities are holding special lectures and concerts. Even Congress is getting into the act. They declared 2003 "The Year of the Blues." In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge we'll celebrate the year of the Blues. But not by looking back. We'll talk with young blues musicians, poets and artists about the future of the blues.

SEGMENT 1:

Shemekia Copeland with Jim Fleming

Shemekia Copeland is a young Blues singer who's already being compared to the greats. Jim Fleming talked with her backstage at the Madison Blues Festival. Shemekia talks about singing the Blues with her famous father, Johnny Copeland, and working with her producer, Dr. John. Shemekia Copeland's new CD is called "Talking to Strangers." We hear excerpts from her recordings and exclusive live excerpts from a recording of her Madison concert.

SEGMENT 2:

David Hajdu recently wrote a controversial article for The New Republic about the legacy of Alan Lomax. Lomax and his father made field recordings of thousands of folk and blues songs including work by Leadbelly and Muddy Waters. Hajdu says we owe Lomax an enormous debt for preserving the history of what became all of popular music, but feels Lomas was wrong to add his own name to the copyright. We hear musical illustrations and excerpts of Lomax from his own field recordings. Also, Kevin Young is a blues poet. His new collection is called "Jelly Roll: A Blues." Young tells Steve Paulson what makes a blues poem and gives him a couple of examples.

 

SEGMENT 3:

Chris Thomas King played blues legend Tommy Johnson in the film "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" His tune on the soundtrack won 3 Grammy Awards. King sees his music as a bridge between the worlds of hip hop and the Blues. King tells Anne Strainchamps he mixes both genres to make what he calls 21st century blues. And we hear examples.

Cassette copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 03-09-21-A.

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Books:

• Kevin Young, Jelly Roll: A Blues (Knopf)

Music:

• Various Songs and excerpts from the following CDs:
  
• Shemekia Copeland, Wicked. Alligator Records.
  
• Shemekia Copeland, Turn the Heat Up. Alligator Records.
  
• Shemekia Copeland, Talking to Strangers. Alligator Records.
• Chris Thomas King, 21st Century Blues. . . From Da Hood. 21st Century Blues Records.
• Chris Thomas King, Dirty South Hip Hop Blues. 21st Century Blues Records.
• Other music heard during the show:
  
• Muddy Waters, "Rolling' and Tumblin' (Part Two)."
  
• Muddy Waters, "Feel Like Going Home."
  
• Johnny Farmer, "Insrumental." Wrong Doers Respect Me. Fat Possum Records.
  
• Leadbelly, "Good Morning Blues."
  
• Chris Thomas King, "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues," O'Brother Where Art Thou? Soundtrack. Lost Highway.
  
• RL Burnside, "Shuck Dub." Come On In. Fat Possum Records.
• Mississippi Slim, "Slow Blues." Blues in the Mississippi Night. Rounder.

Distribution dates:

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Questions and comments can be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org

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