March 2020 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

My memories of the concerts I attended during the first week of March seem like implausible fever dreams.

Top Five Performances
1. Luciana Souza, Chico Pinheiro and Scott Colley- Folly Theater
My review.
2. The Pavel Haas Quartet with Boris Giltburg- Folly Theater
My review.
3. Bill Frisell’s Harmony- Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
My review.
4. Stephen Martin’s 5529 jam session- 5529 Troost
My Instagram clip.
5. Nick Schnebelen- Uptown Theater
The blues-rock stalwart almost upstaged headliner George Thorogood.

Top Five Albums
1. Jay Electronica- A Written Testimony
My review.
2. Childish Gambino- 3.15.20
My review.
3. J Balvin- Colores
In spite of everything, spring is here.
4. Hailu Mergia- Yene Mircha
Life itself.
5. Nicolás Jaar- Cenizas
Dark shadows.

Top Five Songs
1. Duck Sauce- “Captain Duck”
Wot.
2. Bob Dylan- “Murder Most Foul”
Jukebox hero.
3. Meredith Monk- “The Games: Downfall”
Hee-haw.
4. Aoife O’Donovan- “Bull Frog’s Croon: iii. Valentine”
I feel like going home.
5. Run the Jewels featuring Greg Nice and DJ Premier- “Ooh La La”
Gangstarrs.

I conducted the same exercise for Feburary and January.

(Original image of Stephen Martin’s jam session by There Stands the Glass.)

EP Review: Radiant Children- Tryin'

Why hasn’t Radiant Children blown up?  The four dream-soul songs on Radiant Children’s Tryin’ EP are superior to almost everything the Internet, Janelle Monaé or Little Dragon have issued recently.  Don’t believe me?  Even cursory examinations of “Life’s a Bitch” and “Poke Bowl” will convince you that the London based trio has been unjustly overlooked.


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I reviewed Luke Bryan’s concert at the Sprint Center for The Kansas City Star

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I reviewed Lonnie McFadden’s "Charlie Parker: Past, Present & Future" at the Gem Theater at Plastic Sax.

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I write weekly concert previews for The Kansas City Star.

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Believe it or not, the Temptations’ new interpretation of the Weeknd’s “Earned It” is excellent.

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Luciana Souza’s Book of Dreaming is too rarified for my blood.  RIYL: Gretchen Parlato extreme tastefulness, Joni Mitchell.

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Old dogs execute all manner of new tricks on a strange new tribute album.  Billy Swan and Buzz Cason perform surprising interpretations of Buddy Holly songs on Billy & Buzz Sing Buddy.  “Lookin’ For Someone to Love” is one of the project’s most conventional selections.

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I’m disappointed that Ólafur Arnalds’ Re:member doesn’t possess the emotional resonance of the late Jóhann Jóhannsson’s work.  RIYL: androids, Brian Eno, bleeps.

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Vete de mi vida.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)