Rough Sundays

If you think something like a three-week lockdown + police helicopters flying overhead in the background is going to keep all of us here at Rough Sundays from getting you your totally favorite podcast of all time, then think again! From a 1957 Newport Jazz Festival track to finding out why Sarah Vaughn isn't mentioned with the greats, to Ethiopian jazz from the 1970s, Count Basie doing his thing, some New England love - brought to you by RacePointSeltzer and even some 90s hip-hop... plus much more.  Make coffee. Hit play. Sit back. And start your Sunday off the 99.3% correct way. 

From a rainy and quiet Istanbul, it's the show scientifically designed to last the EXACT amount of time for you to have a cup of coffee, as well as getting you up and slowly moving on a Sunday morning. This week is just that, featuring 3 Mississippi Mamas, the 17-year-old who got his start with Coltrane (only to be gunned down in a club by his wife), as well as the Ethiopian Elvis, a conversation about whatever happened to Bill Withers plus the Queen of Disco. It's Rough Sundays! All you have to do is hit "play" ... and then talk about this show to like, everyone.

From a locked-down + Ramadan-ing Istanbul, it is PURE SUNDAY GOODNESS in aural form—featuring two old school gospel tracks, Ella + Ray, doo-wop and a new selection of old New England tracks brought to you by Race Point Seltzer. Plus much, much more. Click play, make coffee and enjoy your Sunday how they're supposed to be. 

From the greatest hotel in the world — the Grand Londres in Istanbul, it's 28 minutes guaranteed to wake up and get you moving in the most delicious of ways: gospel, funk, soul, more gospel, some Motown and a brand new section of New England tracks brought to you by Race Point Seltzer.  Make coffee. Click play. Clap your hands. And subscribe in Spotify! 

Despite occasionally veering off into doo-wop, hip-hop, surf rock and more, the basis of this show will always be old gospel tracks, so to celebrate Easter, we revisit those roots with nearly an hour of 80% live gospel music from way back, as well as a story (plus recordings) of being in the First African Baptist Church in Savannah a few years back for Easter. So put on the coffee. A big hat and handkerchief.  Because we taking you to church this Sunday. 

Our last show from Macedonia and our second-to-last show from the Balkans and it's probably the best one so far. We get back to our gospel roots with two old-time tracks, then go to Haiti for some feel-goodness, then to Mama Soul and a discussion as to if she was the greatest backup singer of all-time, a few other surprises and - most importantly - what will become (or already is) your Spring/Summer 2021 song.  All that and more! Hit play! And hooray for Rough Sundays! 

This week's episode shocks listeners by being both recorded in North Macedonia, but having absolutely nothing to do with North Macedonia! And that's not all. We start with a Donny Hathaway live track, move back-and-forth from gospel to New Orleans, back to Motown, some teenage Sam Cooke and then an absolute banger to get you moving... plus an accidental tea recipe.  It's Rough Sundays! Hit play and be joyous. 

The third and final show from Kosovo, featuring Voodoo priests, better covers of a famous track, some proper old-time gospel, Nigerian High Life music and a discussion about the newest film "The United States vs. Billie Holiday"... plus a lot more. Make coffee. Click "play". Be happy. 

Bit of a deviation from our normal show format, but well worth it. Five years ago, while host Aric S. Queen was living on his sailboat in the Bahamas, he and his editor Sun produced a pilot for an investigative NPR-like travel show called "Journey Cakes". In the first episode, he sailed around nearly all of the country's islands trying to track down the history, secrets, darkness and mystery of its national snack "Johnny Bread". 

The second show from Kosovo and probably the best podcast you've ever heard from Kosovo with the name "Rough Sundays". This week, we dive back into some old Cuban classics, Mr. and Mrs. Candi Staton, songs about crawfish and the Bahamas + stories about crawfish and the Bahamas, plus we pay tribute to a reggae legend we lost this week. AND we have fun. So sit back, sip that coffee, ignore the kids, pretend you haven't been sitting in that same chair for over a year and let us handle 33.28 minutes of your Rough Sunday(s). 

Look, we don't want to brag, but this is probably the first gospel music-based podcast from Kosovo that you've ever heard, so if for no other reason to listen this week... However, if you need a bit more of a push, we've got the High Priestess of Soul, the Thunderbolt of the Midwest, two from France's naughtiest crooner and one of the most famous actors of all-time donning a Caribbean accent for his virtually-unknown Calypso album... and a lot more.  It's Rough Sundays. FROM Kosovo. Subscribe and listen in Spotify!

What do oysters + wine + 2am, two notable deaths, a 17-year old deejay from Tulsa and friends of both Thomas Edison & Mark Twain have in common? It's all part of the 14th (yes) episode of Rough Sundays. Make coffee. Have a seat. And let us handle things for half-an-hour.   Subscribe in Spotify! 

Three years ago, on the eve of Mardi Gras, we phoned up Christopher Gargiule, aka "Brother Chris", aka "The Prince of New Orleans" to talk all things about that magical city. From the explanation of a Second Line to Mardi Gras Indians, the history of different krewes to just getting caught up in a little magic, it quickly became one of the most popular shows ever to appear on Rough Sundays. For whatever reason, it disappeared online and had to be tracked down by some tech-savvy folks (who did so at no cost as they remembered the show in question).  And so, on the Sunday before Mardi Gras 2021 - a strange one, perhaps, but even more special for it - it's Rough Sundays, New Orleans edition.  Throw me something, Mister! 

A day late, but that's because it's such a good show that Spotify thought it was done by professionals and wanted to make sure we weren't stealing.  Back down the rabbit hole of Ethiopian Jazz, the resistance and resistance of New Orleans, the realness of Satan and one of the catchiest gospel tracks you've never heard. Plus a whoooooole lot more. Subscribe in Spotify! 

A stone's throw from the Bosnian border, it's Rough Sundays Vol. XI, featuring Civil Rights hymns, Nigerian Palm Wine music, a coffee-soaked Holiday, Elvis vs. Cultural Appropriation and just who, exactly, kidnapped Fats Waller and forced him to stay up for 3 days playing his piano. Subscribe in Spotify! 

Despite what the pictured high-fashion would have you believe, probably the best show since the recent reboot. We go from Palm Wine music coming out of West Africa, across the Atlantic and down to Brazil, followed by some Blind Boys and then probably the greatest live gospel performance ever recorded and a few more tracks after that. It's Rough Sundays — live from Novi Sad, Serbia! [Subscribe in Spotify]

A doozy of a show, featuring gypsy jazz from the 1930s, two old-time gospel tracks, a song about okra + a tribute to Mr. Okra, Brenda Lee and much, much more. Subscribe in Spotify. Be kind to animals. And have a great Sunday!  x

From a snow-covered Belgrade, it's Rough Sundays! Featuring some old Texas blues, old-time religion, jungle fever, some hipster feel-good, plus a continuation the story of the Romani and their music. We then end it all with a tribute to one of the greats that we recently lost.  Make coffee. Click play. And enjoy your Sunday. (Subscribe in Spotify!)

From Belgrade, the first episode of 2021! Featuring gospel from the 1930s, Brazilian goodness, Cuban delights and an introduction to gypsy jazz.  Rough Sundays Vol VII. Subscribe in Spotify. See ya later.

From an old apartment overlooking downtown Belgrade, it´s Rough Sundays - back from a month off (computer died), but in no way are we missing an excuse to fill your hour with mirth and jolly. So pour a drop of something cheerful and let some old holiday tunes keep you warm.  Happy Christmas!!!