Marva Wright, 1948-2010

Thank you, Ms. Wright.

New Orleans soul and blues vocalist Marva Wright died yesterday. She was a longtime staple on Bourbon Street. Wright didn't tour much, but tens of thousands of tourists saw her perform in the French Quarter. The amazing "Let Them Talk" proves that Wright could wail with the best of them. It's taken from her strong 2000 album Marva. See Wright in action here.

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While I can't locate the image, the original art for Wright's debut album featured the voluptuous singer in a provocative pose on a motorcycle. Posters of the album decorated the back rooms of hundreds of record stores in the early '90s.

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Kansas City rapper Ron Ron's video for "100 Barz" hit YouTube today. (Tip via Credentials Hip Hop.)

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Complaining about the inadequacies of commercial radio is akin to criticizing the menu at McDonald's, but I'm disappointed that the new format of Kansas City-area 103.7 The Dam is dominated by familiar hits from the likes of Drowning Pool, Foo Fighters, Godsmack, the Offspring, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots and Weezer. I like most of that stuff, but it's not exactly fresh.

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I'm enjoying the new album by Manu Katche. Here's the ECM's online player.

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My favorite new song is a throwback jam. Leela James' "Tell Me You Love Me" sounds like Shirley Brown fronting the Isley Brothers.

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There's absolutely nothing wrong with She & Him's cover of "Ridin' In My Car." Even so, it only serves to deepen my appreciation of Al Anderson.

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Dinner and a Movie, Brother Lynch Hung's new album, was released this week by Kansas City's Strange Music.

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I'm back from Italy, where I heard teenage girls sing along to Ke$ha and middle-aged cab drivers blast the Black Eyed Peas.

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Kansas City Click: Ludacris opens for the Black Eyed Peas at the Sprint Center on Wednesday.

Howard Iceberg is among the artists appearing at the Czar Bar on Thursday.