“Sweeney’s Gumbo YaYa” is a radio program that aired weekly from September 8, 2014 to March 10, 2022. (Listen to past shows). Just about every show has an accompanying article outlining the wide range of music originating from New Orleans heard on the show.
This series of shows is for the rare breed of listener who enjoys a wide mix of music selected by a real person, not an algorithm. I try to tell the story of how this 300-year-old city became an essential source of our music culture. In the process you will hear blues, jazz, R&B, hip hop, folk, Cajun, Zydeco, Mardi Gras Indian, rock, and everything in between-new and old. It’s music from New Orleans, as well as Lafayette and Baton Rouge.
While I live in the Northwest, I was born in New Orleans and attended Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School at the corner of Freret and Napoleon from kindergarten to fourth grade in the 60’s. I wore the uniform required of Catholic students — khaki shorts, black tie and saddle oxford shoes. Lourdes is no longer a school but I still wear the khaki shorts.
To get a flavor of the show, here’s a bit about the show’s patron saint, Ernie K-Doe!
Sweeney's Gumbo YaYa 
Hello,
Thanks for the shout outs on the show. That particular stack of 45rpm phonograph records were discovered at a second hand store in Beaumont, TX. Stopped off on the way to Lafayellte to hunt up records and stuff. Also stopped in Port Arthur and Lake Charles but this was by far the best find. There were a few other r&b singles in there but they’ve since been absorbed into the general stacks of wax. Anywho, glad you are enjoying them.
ta,
Calvin Johnson
LikeLike
Your show is bomb today, thank you for sharing! Where could I find a track list of the songs you played in order on your show today on kaos? There was a band I heard and I couldn’t quite make out the name.
Melissa
LikeLike
Spinitron.com – Look for KAOS and my show. It will give you the times when I played. If that fails, we can talk and I’ll figure it out.
LikeLike
I’d love to carry this on KOCF, Fern Ridge Community Radio, but it appears I’d have to edit it each week to put in a station ID. Is this correct? Great show! Allen (Program Director)
LikeLike