KooperKast
Tales from the life of Al Kooper, from songwriter to playing organ for Bob Dylan to producing Lynyrd Skynyrd. Al tells about crossing paths with an amazing cast of characters in rock and beyond. Short podcasts, perfect for those 5-10 minutes time slots.
Episodes
217 episodes
Talking About Horns
We discuss the wonders of adding horns to rock, particularly in view of Al’s experience creating Blood Sweat and Tears. As often happens, Nilly the Dog adds a brief comment of her own. You can submit questions for Al at alkooper.com on the Koop...
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Season 3
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Episode 70
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6:13
Stream of Consciousness
We ponder an interesting stream-of-consciousness email from Steven, talk about our recent partner-in-podcast-crime, Jimmy Vivino, and we begin a longer conversation about working with horns. After each answer from Al, Nilly the Dog adds a brief...
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Season 3
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Episode 69
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6:46
Back to Queens
We answer listener questions about Al the hoopster, his parents big time involvement in the temple in Queens, Al going to Paul Simon’s bar mitzvah, and the origin of title of the Kapusta Albums is revealed… via Ernie Kovacs. After each answer f...
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Season 3
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Episode 68
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7:24
Go Ask Al: Rolling Again
In this episode we talk again – with a little different take – on the infamous Rolling Stone session where Al uncorked his legendary organ sound on Dylan. Then we talk a bit about the upcoming Dylan movie.
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Season 3
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Episode 67
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6:35
Go Ask Al: Flute Thing
In this episode Al answers questions about sheet music for Flute Thing, about Al’s old manger Sam Polley, from a nephew of Denny Cordell, a guy from Al’s old school, producer money from the Dylan days, and Al’s at Birdland as a kid. And Nilly t...
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Season 3
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Episode 66
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8:36
Elvis and Nilly the Dog
The last Vivino episode starts with Elvis and ends with Nilly the Dog, with lots of stuff in between.
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Season 3
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Episode 65
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9:02
Simon & Dylan
We talk about the contrast between the singing styles of Paul Simon and Bob Dylan and how much Al loved playing for Dylan back in the day.
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Season 3
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Episode 64
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7:13
Everly Brothers
The guys talk about the huge influence of the Everly brothers and the conversations wanders on from there...
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Season 3
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Episode 63
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9:29
Calello to Sinatra
The guys talk about the great arranger Charles Calello, then move on to to about arranging in general, and about live recording vs today's multi-tracked.
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Season 3
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Episode 62
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5:36
The Influence of The Band
The guys talk about how pervasive influence of The Band on everyone from Eric Clapton to Elton John, then about how John Simon produced two great albums for The Band... and one for Blood, Sweat & Tears.
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Season 3
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Episode 61
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7:04
More Producers
The guys talk about producers from Phil Spector to Brian Wilson to George Martin to Al Kooper.
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Season 3
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Episode 60
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6:55
Thom Bell
Al and Jimmy talk about their great admiration for the work of Thom Bell, the Philly sound legend.
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Season 3
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Episode 59
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5:56
Elton, Producers, and Al's French Horn
The guys start talking about Elton John, his great producer Gus Dudgeon, other great producers and that somehow leads to Al's legendary French horn opening to the Stone's "You Can't Always Get What You Want".
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Season 3
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Episode 58
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6:34
Jimi and Chicago
The guys start out talking about Jimi Hendrix which leads to other great guitar players, which leads to Terry Kath of Chicago.
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Season 3
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Episode 57
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9:05
Al the Arranger... and more.
The episode starts with Al as arranger, which leads back to Blonde on Blonde and how Al was on two of the four landmark double-albums in rock history.
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Season 3
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Episode 56
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7:29
Big Chuck and Little Richard
This episode starts off with Jimmy stating that Chuck Berry was the most important song writer in rock and roll history. And they go from there and talk about Little Richard and on to how Nashville sessions guys are just different than New York...
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Season 3
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Episode 55
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7:05
Hall of Fame and Stomach Sounds
The guys talk about Al getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the question of how to sell Al’s box set, and on from there. And Al makes some outstanding stomach sounds.
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Season 3
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Episode 54
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5:50
Downloads and the Music Biz
The guys talk about the music biz today and the effect of streaming, how big time studio guys then started bands, and how amazing was Al’s Hammond organ playing with Dylan.
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Season 3
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Episode 53
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6:01
Onward From Royal Teens
Jimmy traces Al’s career after the Royal Teens though songwriting and then becoming friends with Tom Wilson, which led to the day that changed Al’s life and the sound of Dylan and rock forever.
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Season 3
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Episode 52
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6:09
Al and Jimmy 5: Brits vs Americans
Jimmy talks about the big difference between the young American guys who played the blues versus the Brits. And that leads to talking about Al playing keyboard for the Stones, where Mick and Keith picked up Al, while playing a Taj Mahal album i...
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Season 3
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Episode 51
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6:36
Al and Jimmy 4: Jimmy Reed
They talk about their love for the great blues players and Jimmy Reed in particular. (Your host specially dug this conversation since he first saw Al with the The Blues Project in Central Park where Jimmy Reed also played around 1968 or so.)
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Season 3
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Episode 50
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7:10
Al and Jimmy 3: 1650 Broadway
Jimmy talks to Al about the old days writing songs at 1650 Broadway, and Al accuses Jimmy of romanticizing those days, which Jimmy admits he totally trying to do.
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Season 3
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Episode 49
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6:49
Al and Jimmy 2: Icing on the Cake
Jimmy talks about how in many songs a certain instrument plays the role of the icing on the cake; it adds a certain extra beauty and how Al did that for Dylan and for so many others.
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Season 3
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Episode 48
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6:19
