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AMERICAN ROUTES ON INSTAGRAM
ROCKIN' BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN: TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE
During the Cold War, the U.S. State Department started sending jazz musicians overseas with the tactical aim of using their hot licks to thaw relations with Eastern Bloc countries. Jazz great Dave Brubeck recalls how Louis Armstrong, a.k.a. “Ambassador Satch,” won international hearts and minds with his trumpet. Band member Arvell Shaw saw Armstrong literally disarm Russian guards in East Berlin. Meanwhile, fear of nuclear war with the Soviets infiltrated American popular consciousness resulting in gospel, bluegrass and pop odes to and protests against atomic weapons. In the Sixties, the airwaves were dominated by rock’n‘roll, which pirate radio stations and the Armed Forces Network piped across the Iron Curtain. AFN soldier/deejay Rik De Lisle tells about spinning tunes that helped destabilize the Berlin Wall, and Hungarian diplomat/rock guitarist Andras Simonyi and Russian musician Stas Namin talk about life in the Soviet sphere and the cultural revolution sparked by the Beatles, Traffic and Jimi Hendrix.
HOUR ONE
- Open Bed: Midnight in Moscow Kenny Ball and the Jazzmen
Midnight in Moscow, Kapp Records - Conelrad--Listen To Your Radio WEBN AM Buffalo
Atomic Platters, Bear Family - Rockin' Behind the Iron Curtain Bobby Marchan singing with Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns
The Best of Ace Records- The R&B Hits , Rock-N-Roll - Kruschev Bo Diddley
Atomic Platters, Bear Family - Civil Defense Spot-- "Don't Use the Phone" Art Linkletter
Atomic Platters, Bear Family - I'm Gonna Dig a Hole Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup
Atomic Platters, Bear Family - Sputniks and Mutniks Ray Anderson & the Home Folks
Atomic Platters, Bear Family - SEGMENT: Andras Simonyi
Listen - Instrumental: Mack the Knife Louis Armstrong and Lotte Lenya
Lotte Lenya: American Theater Songs, Columbia Masterworks Heritage - SEGMENT: Arvell Shaw and Dave Brubeck on Louis Armstrong
Listen - Frankfort Special Elvis Presley
G.I. Blues, RCA Victor - Magic Carpet Ride Steppenwolf
The Second, ABC Dunhill - Monk Times The Monks
Black Monk Time, Polydor - Instrumental: Time is Tight Booker T and the MGs
Booker T. & the MGs on Stax 1968-1971, Stax - SEGMENT: Rik De Lisle
Listen - West of the Wall Toni Fisher
Atomic Platters, Bear Family - Fraulein Townes Van Zandt
The Late Great Townes Van Zandt, Tomato - Closing Bed: O'er the Waves Willie Nelson
Red Headed Stranger, Columbia
HOUR two
- James Bond Theme Monty Norman Orchestra
The Best of James Bond, Capitol - Secret Agent Man Johnny Rivers
...And I Know You Wanna Dance, Imperial - Civil Defense Spot-- "CONELRAD...Sounds pretty complicated"
Atomic Platters, Bear Family - Relax and Take It Easy Tommy Duncan
Atomic Platters, Bear Family - Jesus Hits Like an Atom Bomb The Pilgrim Travellers
Atomic Platters, Bear Family - Civil Defense Spot-- "Family Fall Out Shelter" Fred MacMurray
Atomic Platters, Bear Family - Guided Missiles The Cuff Links
Atomic Platters, Bear Family - You Hit Me Baby Like an Atomic Bomb Fay Simmons
Atomic Platters, Bear Family - Political Science Randy Newman
Sail Away , Reprise - Instrumental: From Russia with Love Count Basie
The Crime Scene, Capitol Records - SEGMENT: Gorky Park, Moscow 1989
Listen - Civil Defense Spot-- "Listen and learn" Johnny Cash
Atomic Platters, Bear Family - Tennessee Carl Perkins
Atomic Platters, Bear Family - Atomic Power Uncle Tupelo
March 16-20, 1992, Rockville - Eve of Destruction Barry McGuire
Eve of Destruction, Dunhill Records - Gimme Shelter Rolling Stone
Let It Bleed, London Records - Instrumental: Who Is Guilty Voskreseniye
Russian Rock Legends Vol. 2, Moroz Records - SEGMENT: Stas Namin
Listen - Where Have All the Flowers Gone Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers Rocks the Folk, Imperial - Blowin' in the Wind Staple Singers
This Land, Riverside - Closing Bed: Infinite Search Miroslav Vitous
Infinite Search, Atlantic