How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall From Kansas?

I’ve long felt like a provincial yahoo. 

I’m an expert on budget hotels in Amarillo but I’ve never traveled to Africa.  I’ve walked countless streets in small towns in central Kansas but I know only a couple hundred words of Spanish.

A visit to Carnegie Hall last week made me feel like less of a rube.  I’d never made it to the storied concert hall during a handful of previous visits to New York City.

An unamplified performance by my fellow Kansan Joyce DiDonato with the Philadelphia Orchestra in the Perspectives series she curates was sufficiently loud in my $40 balcony seat.  The program was dominated by material from DiDonato’s Stella di Napoli, my ninth favorite album of 2014.

A duet between DiDonato as Romeo and Laura Claycomb as Juliet during a selection from Vincenzo Bellini’s “I Capuleti e I Montecchi” is one of the most stimulating things I've witnessed.  My cousin Lawrence Brownlee was also impressive.

The New York Times reviewed the concert.


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An appearance by Charlie Wilson was no less memorable than shows I’ve witnessed by James Brown, Marvin Gaye and Isaac Hayes.  Here’s my review.

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I reviewed a concert by Maroon 5, Magic! and Rozzi Crane.

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I caught a performance by Noah Preminger’s quartet while in New York.

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I contributed a Local Listen segment on the New Riddim to KCUR.

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Earl Sweatshirt’s new I Don’t Like Sh*t, I Don’t Go Outside… initially strikes me as a rehashed version of his amazing Doris.  ”Grief” sounds like a suicide note.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Concert Review: Timbers at Coda

A few minutes before Timbers performed at Coda on Saturday afternoon, I thought it’d be amusing if the alt-country band dared to cover the Pitbull and Ke$ha hit “Timber.”  I didn’t have to wait long.  As soon as the pedal steel player began riffing at the top of the set, I realized that Timbers would open with the novelty song.  The band’s ability to mock its name allowed me to forgive its occasional forays into tepid folk.  Although the capacity audience of more than 50 included lots of children, the band’s toughest songs inspired a friend to suggest that the matinee show had a “Davey’s at 2 a.m.” vibe.


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I reviewed Tesla’s concert at the Midland theater.

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I contributed a Local Listen segment about Marcus Hampton to KCUR.

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Joyce DiDonato sang a Henry Purcell composition at the Stonewall Inn.

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The Prism Quartet’s Heritage/Evolution features contributions by the likes of Dave Liebman, Rudresh Mahanthappa and Greg Osby.  RIYL: The World Saxophone Quartet, skronk, the 29th Street Quartet.  The group features the Kansas City based Zach Sherman.

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New Riddim’s Second Sight is RIYL: the Blue Riddim Band, 2 Tone, the Slackers.

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Essiet Okun Essiet’s Shona displays a few interesting variations on mainstream jazz.  RIYL: Bobby Watson, all about that bass, Ron Carter.

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I have yet to hear Bob Dylan’s homage to Frank Sinatra, but I have played Hiss Golden Messenger’s Southern Grammar EP a couple times.  It’s a spot-on homage to Planet Waves.

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I’m mystified at the backlash directed at Sam Smith by viewers of the Grammy Awards.  His duet with Mary J. Blige was the highlight of the broadcast.  Besides, I’m a fan of “Stay With Me.”

(Original image of Timbers at Coda by There Stands the Glass.)