WHAT: American Routes™, the popular public radio program from New Orleans, travels up the Mississippi River to present a special concert at Minnesota Public Radio's® Fitzgerald Theater. American Routes host Nick Spitzer and musical guests Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers and The Pine Leaf Boys present Jazz and Blues, Cajun and Creole: From the Mouth to the Source of the Mississippi River. Ruffins and his band bring a swinging New Orleans jazz sound, while The Pine Leaf Boys feature a new generation's exuberant take on traditional Cajun and Creole sounds.

Now in its ninth year on the air, American Routes is a weekly two-hour public radio program produced in New Orleans by Spitzer, an internationally recognized folklorist, author and storyteller, with award-winning executive producer Mary Beth Kirchner. On July 1, American Public Media™ begins distribution and co-production of American Routes.

American Routes presents a broad range of American music—blues and jazz, gospel and soul, old-time country and rockabilly, Cajun and zydeco, Tejano and Latin, roots rock and pop, avant-garde and classical. The program also presents documentary features and artist interviews. Through the songs and stories on American Routes, Spitzer describes both the community origins of music, musicians and cultures—the "roots" of music—and the many directions they take over time—the "routes."

Formed in 1992, Basin Street recording artists Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers are aptly named—evoking the two things for which Ruffins is highly noted: hot jazz and a smokin' barbecue. As a musician and chef, he believes music and cooking share many of the same qualities: "Music is real, real good for the soul and so is food super good for the soul. It's a spiritual thing too...when you put both of them together, I think you have the biggest party ever." Ruffins' music, like New Orleans itself, swings hard with a big heart as it remembers tradition and the importance of good-time fun. The Pine Leaf Boys have made a name presenting their own inimitable brand of traditional Cajun and Creole music with youthful energy. The group has been described as, "... the link that connects the young and the old generations," and, "the best new, energetic, and fun Cajun band in a very long time." The group plays dance hall standards as well making a point to bring many of the more obscure songs of past masters into their repertoire and playing them with gusto.

WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, June 30

WHERE: Minnesota Public Radio's The Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange Street, St. Paul

TICKETS: Tickets for the concert are $29, $25 and $20. Minnesota Public Radio members receive a discount.

Minnesota Public Radio® operates a 37-station radio network serving virtually all of Minnesota and parts of surrounding states and produces programming for radio, Internet and face-to-face audiences. Programs produced by Minnesota Public Radio, operating as American Public Media,™ reach 14.7 million listeners nationwide each week. Of those, more than 800,000 listen regionally, in Minnesota and surrounding states. A complete list of stations, programs and additional services can be obtained at www.mpr.org and www.americanpublicmedia.org.

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Source: Data are copyright Arbitron, Inc., Nationwide and PSA data. Arbitron data are estimates only. Spring 2006/Fall 2006 average