AMERICAN GROOVES RADIO HOUR hosted by JOE LAURO

Scott Joplin's "Classic" Rag has lived many lives since its first publication by John Stark in 1899. From Banjo, to Piano to Jazz Bands - the tune was a standard in the repertoire of musicians around the world. American Grooves will play several awesome versions including Vess Ossmans' 1907 banjo solo and Joplin himself, performing it off of a rare 1900 piano roll.

Our song of the week is the Maceo Pinkard 1925 standard SWEET GEORGIA BROWN - Some cool versions by the likes of Ethel Waters, Cab Calloway and Oliver Naylor'a Orchestra plus some fun jazz, blues and country pre-war gems!

American Grooves, explores the origins of at least TWO versions of the Easy Rider musical myth- and it didn't originate with a motorcycle!

From Sam McGee and Barbecue Bob to Mae West, with a bit of Jelly Roll Morton thrown in to set you on year ear!

American Grooves celebrates the early career of the American Genius and Jazz icon LOUIS ARMSTRONG on what would have been his 122 birthday! - we will focus on Louis' early years up through 1933 plus a a surprising 1949 duet with Billy Holiday.

Like Chuck Berry influenced every guitar player from Keith Richards to George Harrison LOUIS ARMSTRONG was the most influential trumpet phis day. We will focus on five important trumpet players who owe quite a dept to old "Pops" : JABBO SMITH, HENRY ALLEN JR., JOE "WINGY" MANNONE, JACK PURVIS and LOUIS PRIMA.

The early Newport Folk Festivals ( 1963-66) were the stage for the re-discovery of some of Americans' deepest "roots" music...Folklorists and 78rpm Record Collectors such as Ralph Rinzler, Alan Lomax, Dick Spottswood and Dick Waterman resurrected the careers and music of MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT, SON HOUSE, SKIP JAMEs, MAYBELLE CARTER, ROBERT WILKINS, ECK ROBERTSON, DORSEY DIXON and others - Most of these artists had been living in obscurity , many assumed deceased only having gained a bit of recognition in 1952 with the release of Harry Smith's ANTHOLOGY OF AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC record album set. At Newport they were seen by 1000s and careers were rebuilt- This episode of American Grooves plays the ORIGINAL 1920s-30s recordings of some of those artists RESURRECTED AT NEWPORT

With people's shoe's sticking to the pavement in Phoenix and Coney Island filled to capacity in Brooklyn here's some musical heat you can enjoy in the air conditioned comfort of your home or car! Joe plays some tunes of HEAT! - from Ethel Water's original cast recording of HEAT WAVE ( 1933, from Irving Berlins' show As Thousands Cheer backed by young Benny Goodmans' band!) and Gene Kardos and band playing their "hot" PLAY ME A FRIGID AIR! to EVA TAYLOR with the CHARLESTON CHASERS " Turn On The Heat " (1929) and much more!

NO SPECIAL THEME TO THIS EPISODE BUT JOE PLAYS SOME OF HIS FAVORITES INCLUDING JIMMIE RODGERS, JIM AND ANDREW BAXTER, CAB CALLOWAY WITH THE MISSOURIANS AND A FEW TUNES ABOUT DATES GONE WRONG! GOOD OLE' PRE-1940 MUSICAL MADCAP FUN!

WITH THE RECENT TRAGEDY OF THE TITAN IN THE DEEP HAUNTED WATERS OFF OF NEWFOUNDLAND WHERE THE TITANIC SLEEPS AMERICAN GROOVES OFFERS SEVERAL 1920S-50'S RECORDINGS RECALLING THE ORIGINAL TITANIC DISASTER - FROM JAMES" RABBIT" BROWN TO THE CARTER FAMILIES FINAL RECORDING..AS WELL AS THE USUAL ECLECTIC MISS OF OTHR PRE-1940 FOLK, BLUES, JAZZ AND COUNTRY GEMS!

This very special episode, in commemoration of PRIDE MONTH , will explore what scholars have called "The Pansy Craze" of the 1920s-30s a time when LGBTQ performers ruled the roost in clandestine nightclubs that catered to a gay and sophisticated clientele . Amazingly rare recordings by Jean Malin, Bruz Fletcher, Ray Bourbon and Gladys Bentley will be heard as well as silly tin pan alley ditties written to exploit that short lived largely underground moment