July 2020 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Don’t let my uncharacteristically buoyant selections fool you- I’m no less agitated than I was three months ago.

Top Five Albums
1. Westside Gunn- Flygod Is an Awesome God 2
My review.
2. Asher Gamedze- Dialectic Soul
Better git it in your soul.
3. Lianne La Havas- Lianne La Havas
My review.
4. Mike Dillon- Rosewood
My review.
5. Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride and Brian Blade- RoundAgain
My review.

Top Five Songs
1. Genevieve Artadi- “Godzillaaa”
A purposeful grimace.
2. Ray Wylie Hubbard featuring Paula Nelson and Elizabeth Cook- “Drink Till I See Double”
Honkytonk humor.
3. Illuminati Hotties- “Freequent Letdown”
Not a pick-me-up.
4. Flo Milli- “May I”
Can she kick it? Yes, she can!
5. Elle King- “The Let Go”
Liberating.

Top Five Livestreams
1. Bobby Rush- at home
The bluesman meets the moment.
2. Snoop Dogg and DMX- Verzuz rap battle
Murder was the case.
3. Charlie Parker Centennial Tribute featuring Bobby Watson and Deborah Brown- Gem Theater
Kansas City’s finest.
4. Guitar Elation- Black Dolphin
Funkshun junkshun.
5. Little Freddie King- Louisiana Music Factory
Eightieth birthday party.

I conducted the same exercise in June, May, April, March, February and January.

(Screenshot of Isabel Leonard in the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Charles Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette by There Stands the Glass.)