Frank Wess- The Very Thought of You

Forgotten.

I try to keep my head down here at the There Stands the Glass compound. It's painfully obvious that I don't worry about what other music bloggers are doing. I'm here only because this obsession is so infuriatingly itchy. It's in me and it's got to get out. I also happen to have an obscenely large collection of dead format media.

The only thing that that ever sticks in my craw is when readers- even readers claiming to enjoy There Stands the Glass- call this an obituary site. I just hate that.

Who else is going to write about Stephen Bruton? And I don't see Brooklyn Vegan or Gorilla vs. Bear tripping over one another in a race to be first to pay tribute to Vern Gosdin. That's fine; those sites are great. But if I don't write about the passing of Bud Shank, well, there's a good chance that it will go unmentioned in the music blogger community. And that's simply not acceptable.

So when I spotted Frank Wess' name in an RSS feed yesterday, I feared the worst. Thankfully, it was just a review of an appearance at Lincoln Center by the 87-year-old jazz veteran.

He's heard here playing flute on a twenty-year-old live session. The band is just breathtaking. It includes Harry Edison, Ronnell Bright, Snooky Young and Marshall Royal.

Keep going, Mr. Wess. I don't want to write about you again for a long, long time.

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I downloaded Coldplay's new live album today. And I enjoyed it. Wanna make something of it?

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Kansas City Click: Pal of There Stands the Glass Howard Iceberg leads a troupe of songwriters at Coffee Break on Troost tonight.

Esperanza Spalding visits The Folly Theater Saturday.

Arthur Dodge provides the music Sunday at Westport Flea Market.

Dead Rock West At Knuckleheads

I'm disappointed in my people.

Like most serious fans, I consider Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers concertgoers to be my brothers and sisters, if only for the night. It's insanely fun to sing Clyne's great songs, arm-in-arm, with friends both old and new.

I was initially thrilled when the promoter explained Tuesday's unusual setup at Knuckleheads. Dead Rock West would open on the smaller indoor stage. Weather permitting, Clyne would immediately follow on the outdoor stage. If it rained, Clyne would play on Dead Rock West's backline indoors.

It didn't work out like I expected. Almost all of Clyne's rabid fans chose to jockey for position at the outdoor stage as Dead Rock West tore it up indoors. It was an unfathomably silly decision that might only make sense for teenage girls at Warped Tour.

I've characterized Dead Rock West as "X without the anger." On Tuesday night- shamefully the first time I've seen the California band- they proved themselves to be much more than a clever catchphrase. They effortlessly moved from Mermaid Avenue-style grit to the shimmering pop melodies of original material like "Highway One." Incidentally, the excellent Honey and Salt is aging quite nicely.

And as I discovered when I interviewed Frank Lee Drennen in 2007, the members of Dead Rock West are very nice people as well.

At least Knuckleheads provides a live video feed throughout their ramshackle roadhouse. But seriously- which experience is better? Standing inches from the delightful Cindy Wasserman or picking up the show on retro-chic video monitors?






















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The next big thing? That's easy. As I've previously suggested, Kansas rapper XV is standing on the verge of getting it on.

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Alacartoona plays Thursday's early show at Jardine's.

(Original images by There Stands the Glass.)

Stephen Bruton, 1949-2009

Farewell.

I've always considered Stephen Bruton to be Texas' version of Keith Richards. The comparison has nothing to do with lifestyle. It's about swagger. The men shared thin but soulful voices, instinctive senses of rhythm and a love for American roots music.

Bruton died Saturday. I last saw him perform in the '90s when he was part of Bonnie Raitt's touring band but Bruton was probably best known for his long association with Kris Kristofferson.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Bruton family chose to play "Getting Over You" at the memorial service. The haunting song is from his 1993 solo album What It Is. Incidentally, Stephen's surviving brother Sumter was featured at There Stands the Glass in 2008.

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The musical highlight of my weekend was provided by Fito Olivares. Eldar, one of my longtime favorites, just didn't inspire me this time around.

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Kansas City Click: Richard Buckner sings sad songs tonight at Davey's.

Review: Mac Lethal's Love Potion 5

Mac Lethal- "Undertow" (Lala stream)
"Undertow" video at YouTube

Mac Lethal can be a real jerk. And I can relate.

Brimming with anxiety and overflowing with internal contradictions, the rapper is a lot like the guy I see when I look in the mirror.

That's why the most important comment Mac makes on his new mixtape Love Potion 5 is a much more than a mere throwaway line.

"This is just a demo... the key is don't put a lot into each song," Mac notes. "That way you never get frustrated 'cause when you get frustrated you quit."

Man, does that ever sound familiar!

Relaxed and freed of inhibitions, Mac includes some of the most compelling music of his career on Love Potion 5. He is positively apoplectic on "Drunk Flow III (Painkillers+Beer)." "Stir Crazy" and "Heart Uvva Pig (Map of Love)" are also hilarious.

"El Camino," a clever reworking of "A Milli," includes a reference to local Chinese restaurant chain Bo Ling's. It's only appropriate. Imagine Lil Wayne as a Johnson County condo dweller.

It's not all good. No one wants to hear Mac whine about Asher Roth. And what's with the misogyny and homophobia? Cut it out, man. You're better than that.

Mac bashes users of the social media site on "At Least There's Twitter." In fact, he hates the service so much that he's only posted 344 times since he joined six weeks ago.

What a jerk.

(Don't worry, brother. You know I still love you.)


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Any act that drops Con Funk Shun and Maze on unsuspecting teenagers gets my vote. Here's my review of a concert headlined by Jason Mraz.

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I've often said that I'd give anything to have a voice that approximates Otis Redding's. Then I'm reminded that it doesn't guarantee happiness.

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Kansas City Click: There Stands the Glass favorite Fito Olivares performs tonight at KC Fiesta. I'm more than slightly excited.

Poncho Sanchez plays the Gem Theater on Saturday.

Are you kidding me? Seventy-three-year-old Engelbert Humperdinck is still at it. He hits Ameristar Casino on Sunday.

Pierre "Keyz" Parker, 1988-2009

Goodbye.

Local rapper Keyz was murdered Sunday morning.

Beyond the unspeakable nature of this and other all-too-common tragedies, two minor coincidences have left me rattled. Earlier that evening I parked on the street next to Grand Slam Liquors. Parker was shot nearby just a few hours later. The next day, still oblivious to the murder, I happened to toss this Keyz promotional flyer into my bag at 7th Heaven. Eerie.

The Pitch ran a music-oriented story and a crime-oriented piece. Here's a death notice in the Star.

This track from Keyz's latest mixtape, based on a Minnie Ripperton sample, isn't great, but it's typical of the post-Fat Tone sound that's still favored by the majority of Kansas City's rappers. In this context, of course, the track's thuggish nature makes for difficult listening.

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I loved Tony Bennett's effort last Saturday night. I also reviewed The People's Liberation Big Band on Friday.

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Kansas City Click: The New Vintage Big Band assembles tonight at BB's Lawnside BBQ.

(Note: I'm uncertain of this track's title and of Parker's year of birth.)

Trio Cantores de la Sierra- El Bejuquito

Party's over.

My Cinco de Mayo has been a happy one, if only because it inspired me to knock the dust off this delightful collection of folk music from southern Mexico. Each song is more celebratory than the last. My favorites, though, are the inspired duets like "El Bejuquito." I wish I could figure out what the dancers are doing in this rough but worthwhile video of a Trio Cantores de la Sierra performance.

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I insisted that my music trivia team be named "The Marquee Moonies" as a tribute to Richard Lloyd, who was playing the same venue later last night. Here's a friend's report: He shredded, literally, ripping the strings off his guitar in the Hendrix-esque, feedback-drenched finale! Backed by Television drummer Billy Ficca, so half of the punk pioneering band were there, doing their greatest "hits" like "Elevation," etc. Before 30-40 people! Bonus: the merch guy was Rolling Stone writer Charles M. Young.

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I picked up The Popper's excellent new single at 7th Heaven last week. The title? "You Ain't Bout Sh%#! (The Deadbeat Daddy Anthem)."

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Kansas City Click: The Blue Room hosts a Latin jazz listening party tonight. Pablo Sanhueza of Makuza and Miles Bonny will spin the clientele's LPs and CDs. I might have to dig out my Ray Barretto vinyl.

Bill Pekar- Colors Are All the Same

Invisible.

I almost became that guy.

There was a period in my life when I fell hard for the Texas troubadours. I'd see 'em all- Vince Bell, Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, Joe Ely, Kinky Friedman, Steve Fromholz, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Nanci Griffith, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Walter Hyatt, Lyle Lovett, Gary P. Nunn and Doug Sahm- on a regular basis.

And then there was Robert Earl Keen. Even back in the '80s I had a hard time comprehending the phenemenon. I'd see a guy like T-Bone Burnett play to a few dozen people in a coffeehouse one night and then be part of drunken orgy of thousands at a Keen concert the next night. It was- and continues to be- really weird.

Keen's style spawned so many imitators that it's become a genre unto itself. As Bill Pekar's song indicates, Keen's approach has come to represent a comprehensive worldview. Don't get riled up about his song's title. It's actually about the bitter rivalry between the Aggies and the Longhorns.

A couple thousand fans will probably attend a Cross Canadian Ragweed concert in my town this weekend. I won't be there.

While I still have deep affection for the sound, I was pushed off the bandwagon a few thousand miles ago. Oh, I'm well aware that geniuses like Alejandro Escovedo are still grinding, but the modest, low-key brilliance of this has mutated into this.

I'll let the owner of this truck- that guy- go in my stead. After all, the road goes on forever.

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I loved last night's show by Eddie and the Hot Rods and Cretin 66 last. Here's my review.

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Kansas City Click: The revival of The Blue Riddim Band continues tonight at Czar Bar.

The Randy Rogers Band plays outside The Beaumont Club with Cross Canadian Ragweed on Saturday.

Charlie Hunter hits Crosstown Station on Sunday.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Vern Gosdin, 1934-2009

Farewell.

I was raised on Waylon, Willie and the boys. While I liked that stuff, it wasn't really "my" music. It wasn't until "Set 'Em Up Joe"'s run as a radio hit that I could finally embrace the music of my childhood without reservation. The song had it all- boozy barroom ambience, candid acknowledgment of heartbreak, unabashed appreciation of the healing power of music and glorification of tradition. The latter sense of reverential pride is echoed on "Mother Country Music," a song from a misleadingly titled set. Vern "The Voice" Gosdin is responsible for bringing me into the fold. He died Monday. (Tip via BGO.)

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It's not quite Heavy Metal Parking Lot. In some ways, this painfully awkward interview of metal fans loitering in front of The Uptown Theater yesterday is even better. (Via Wayward Blog.)

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I'm pretty darn excited about KPRS' Summer Jam II. The only thing lacking is a decent promotional poster.

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Kansas City Click: Rust never sleeps. Neil Young visits The Sprint Center tonight.

Tex Williams- I Found a New Baby

She's gone again.

I hereby declare my intention to lobby for a Western swing revival. After all, what could be better than a mashup of country and jazz? The awkwardly titled On The Air 1947-1949: Western Swing from South California combines fiddle, accordion, pedal steel and vibes. It's plenty weird. Tex Williams' interesting career is best remembered for "Smoke Smoke Smoke." Don't miss the video.

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I liked The Gaslight Anthem but I loved Heartless Bastards. Here's my review of their show.

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Hey! Graham Parker has a YouTube channel. (Tip via B.L.)

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I wonder if I'm the only person in the world who intends to acquire today's new releases by both Bob Dylan and Tech N9ne.

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Kansas City Click: Barclay Martin plays pretty tonight at Jardine's.

Mack Allen Smith- Mean Ole Frisco

Mean no more.

I don't yet own the new compilation The Early Years: 1962-1967 (a first for a title featured at There Stands the Glass), but I just couldn't wait to post Mack Allen Smith's version of"Mean Ole Frisco." On the surface, it's just another Elvis Presley-inspired bit of hillbilly pop, but there's something about the achingly sincere and nakedly aspirational performance that I find deeply moving. The talented journeyman has also written a couple books, including the fictional Honky Tonk Addict. A YouTube search on Smith turns up a fun novelty tune and a decent countrypolitan cover of "It's Only Make Believe."

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I watched The Heartbreak Kid last night. Call me a simpleton if you must- I really liked it. The use of music in this scene is my favorite bit. The look on Ben Stiller's face at :45- keep in mind that he just married this woman- encapsulates the often awful moment of clarity that can only be provided by music.

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This remarkable short film makes excellent use of a piece by E.S.T., the late Esbjorn Svensson's group.

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Kansas City Click: The mighty, mighty Architects begin a two-night stand at The Czar Bar Friday.

Heartless Bastards support The Gaslight Anthem Saturday at The Beaumont Club.

The Wild Women of Kansas City return to Jardine's on Sunday.

(Photo courtesy of The Mississippi Arts Commission.)

Cedar Hill Refugees- Keys To the Kingdom

Locked out.

It happens. Sometimes a great album is hidden inside deceptively atrocious packaging. Its unfortunate appearance aside, Pale Imperfect Diamond by Cedar Hill Refugees is easily among my favorite albums of 2009. It combines the likes of Marty Stuart, Greg Leisz, Ron McCoury and Harry Stinson with Uzbek musicians. As demonstrated on "Keys To the Kingdom," featuring the unmistakable voice of The Almighty Ralph Stanley, the result is often surprising and never less than intriguing. More information is available at Effigy Records.

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I'm amused that so many partisans of hard rock and heavy metal- stylistic genres ostensibly representing freedom and rebellion- are so conservative and reactionary. Here's my review of last night's Chris Cornell show. Unlike this guy, I loved the concert.

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Mac Lethal has birthed yet another first-rate video.

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The New Low Down offers a podcast interview with Andrew Connor of Ghosty.

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Kansas City Click: I'm not particularly excited that The Toadies are at The Beaumont tonight. I realize the statement makes me the odd man out, but I prefer Burden Brothers.

Jay Thomas- Easy Living

Departed.

Since I don't have a CD player or satellite radio in my car, I often find myself listening to Bob Parlocha when I drive late at night. I'm fascinated by the old school sensibility of the syndicated jazz jock. A couple weeks ago I caught him raving about Jay Thomas. And the trumpeter is very good. He strikes an elegant balance between the classic swing of guys like Ruby Braff and post-Miles modernity. "Easy Living" is from 1993's Blues For McVouty. It's also one of several MP3s also available at Thomas' site.

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The new album from Medeski Martin & Wood is really good. It's strikes me as an imaginative combination of Nine Inch Nails, The Meters and Art Tatum.

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OK, I'll admit it. Kris Kristofferson made me cry Friday. Here's my review.

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I just received word that Rhythm & Ribs, Kansas City's annual blues and jazz festival, is taking a "hiatus" in 2009.

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Today's Plastic Sax post stimulated a nice discussion. I'm proud of my Kansas City jazz site.

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Kansas City Click: Lonnie Smith hits The Blue Room tonight.

Blind Pilot- The Story I Heard

The end.

In a shocking announcement that rocked the indie rock world, The Decemberists have selected Purple Stuff, a DJ Screw tribute band, as the opening act for their summer tour.

"We felt our fans needed to be challenged," explained Decemberists front man Colin Meloy. "And Purple Stuff represents where it's at in 2009."

Just kidding.

Fellow Portland band Blind Pilot have been tapped to support The Decemberists' forthcoming tour. They specialize in the kind of hyper-articulate art-rock that appeals to The Decemberists' discriminating fans. "The Story I Heard" is a typically smart example from the band's excellent 2008 album 3 Rounds and a Sound.

The evocative video for "Go On Say It" perfectly captures Blind Pilot's sensibility.

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Saturday is Record Store Day. In my town, Vinyl Renaissance is hosting in-stores by The Classmen and Lee Dresser of The Krazy Kats.

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I like Tech N9ne's new video for "Red Nose".

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Kansas City Click: The Rich Boys and comedian Andy Andrist are part of the loud and obnoxious bill Friday at The Czar Bar.

The Mingus Big Band plays The Gem Theater Saturday.

The Kansas City Civic Orchestra performs Sunday at The Folly Theater.

Mike Farris- Streets of Galilee

Road closed.

The era of media saturation doesn't afford many opportunities for surprise. So I was thoroughly delighted by the shock I received when I discovered the identity of Mike Farris. I had repeatedly listened to an advance copy of Shout! Live without bothering to look at the promotional one-sheet. It's refreshing, I thought, that a major label is releasing a live album by an unknown fifty-year-old soul and gospel singer. I reckoned Farris resembled Otis Clay. Only when I began to assemble this post did I discover that Farris is the dude from Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies. "Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!"

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A trustworthy friend urged area music writers to attend a women's singer-songwriter event last night. He hoped to build awareness for a woman named Cheri Woods. I'm glad I showed up. Woods' unaccompanied spoken word/song recital was equal parts Jack Kerouac and Iris DeMent. She exudes a guileless air of folksy authenticity. The woman doesn't even have a MySpace, but I managed to dig up this video.

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I reviewed Friday's Derek Trucks concert.

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I stayed in the next night. Naturally, I tuned in to Sabado Gigante. Yanni, of all people, was featured on my favorite variety show. "There are no rules," he asserts in this promotional video. He's a musical rebel!

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Kansas City Click: Organist Everette DeVan appears tonight at The Phoenix.

Eilen Jewell- Rain Roll In

Dried up.

Lucinda Williams has nothing on Eilen Jewell. Sea of Tears, slated for release April 21, opens with the world-weary yet sensual "Rain Roll In." The remainder of the album simmers with similar intensity. Deliberately low-key, it's a quiet, painfully honest effort that will instantly register with fans of Car Wheels On a Gravel Road and Blood On the Tracks. Jewell will be on tour for the remainder of 2009. Here's an evocative live video.

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My friend BGO informed me of Nancy Overton's death. Don't tell me you didn't love "Lollipop" and "Mr. Sandman".

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Pops Winans died yesterday.

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Can 11-year-old kids rock? I think so. Check out Supercharge. I don't know anything about these tots, but I suspect that they're further evidence of my theory that the Guitar Hero and Rock Band video games are spawning a new generation of real-life musicians. (Tip via B.L.)

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I reviewed Aterciopelados' show earlier this week.

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Kansas City Click: The Wee Trio perform the late show tonight at Jardine's.

Jay Blackfoot, Shirley Brown, Theodis Ealy, Latimore, Marvin Sease and Mel Waiters are on the bill at a woefully under-promoted blues show Saturday at Kemper Arena.

Jason Isbell and Justin Townes Earle hit Knuckleheads on Sunday.

Bud Shank, 1926-2009

Goodbye.

Jazz saxophonist and flautist Bud Shank died April 2. He was 82. Long a favorite of straight-ahead jazz fans weaned on Stan Kenton, Shank's playing, at least for me, became increasingly compelling as he aged. He's heard to great effect here with The L.A. Four- a collaboration between Shank, Laurinda Almeida, Ray Brown and drummers Shelly Manne and Jeff Hamilton. "Williwaw" is from a 1978 date included on this collection.

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In addition to seeing The Game, I caught the Kansas City Symphony (my notes) and Steve Coleman (my review) last weekend.

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I'm a fan of the new CD Baby Hip Hop Podcast. Listeners partial to the underground sound favored by the Black Clover and Rhymesayers labels will dig it.

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Kansas City Click: Aterciopelados make their Kansas City debut tonight at The Beaumont.

The Game At The Granada

Hip hop is the most sonically interesting, lyrically challenging and culturally important music of the last quarter century.

So why does hip hop so often fail to thrive in a live setting?

The Game, one of today's biggest and best rappers, was simply awful last night at The Granada Theater in Lawrence, Kansas. It was so excruciatingly disappointing that I abandoned the club 45 minutes into The Game's performance.

Almost everything that makes The Game's recordings excellent- brilliant street poetry, innovative beats, contrarian perspective and relentless sense of danger- was absent. Had it not been for his distinctive facial tattoos and gruff voice, I might have suspected that the star had been replaced with an annoying impostor.

The Game seemed far more interested in popping bottles and bringing acolytes on stage than in performing music. Even when he remembered that the sold-out room was packed with fans who had forked over $30 to see him, The Game frequently demanded that his DJ spin hits by other artists.

"I pay homage," he explained. "It's what I do."

It's no different than if Radiohead spent much of a concert chatting up fans in the front row and playing covers of hits by Coldplay and The Cure. What's the point?

Because he's a gifted artist, The Game's lack of effort was exceedingly frustrating. Nipsey Hussle, on the other hand, was just plain bad. With his long hair, slight frame and juvenile obsession with marijuana, Hussle recalled fellow Los Angeles artist Snoop Dogg. But where Snoop is clever and charismatic, Hussle is amateurish and annoying.

Kutt Calhoun was far better. It didn't hurt that the Kansas City rapper brought much of his Strange Music family with him. Tech N9ne, Krizz Kaliko, B-G Bulletwound and Big Scoob helped him out.

Calhoun may lack The Game's talent, but unlike the headliner, at least he gave it his all.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Brendan Croker- Darlin'

She's gone.

The liner notes to a 2000 compilation of the man's solo work characterize Brendan Croker as "Britain's answer to Ry Cooder." That's fair. He's a master collaborator. Most famously, he worked with Mark Knopfler in The Notting Hillbillies. Even He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named-In-This-Space makes a guest appearance on this collection. Even so, Croker's lovably shambolic roots rock seems more in keeping with J.J. Cale, Nick Lowe and Lowell George.

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If Prince and Pharrell Williams holed up in a Wichita studio during a tornado, they might come up with "A.D.D." I have a spotty track record when it comes to predicting hits, but I'm convinced that if given half a chance, the new song by XV could become a monster.

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Here's an update on the case of murdered reggae star Lucky Dube.

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Kansas City Click: Steve Coleman makes a rare Kansas City appearance tonight at The Blue Room.

A tribute to Muddy Waters continues Saturday at B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ.

The Life and Times headline a strong Sunday show at The Record Bar.

Vassar Clements- Fast Travelin'

Out of sight.

Hillbilly jazz. The phrase is a decent two-word approximation of my musical sensibility. It's also the title of one of my favorite albums. The project was spearheaded by the late Vassar Clements, one of America's great fiddlers. Prior to Hillbilly Jazz and his heralded work with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on Will the Circle Be Unbroken and with Jerry Garcia in Old and In the Way, Clements recorded a string of fiddle tunes and waltzes. "Fast Travelin'" is 59 seconds of delightful flash.

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Boss!

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Riverrock's heyday was before my time but the Kansas City-area country-rock band has reunited.

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Duane Jarvis died today. He was a really nice guy.

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Kansas City Click: The New Vintage Big Band plays tonight at B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ.

Johnny Paycheck- Wherever You Are

She's gone.

You probably already know that Johnny Paycheck was a genuine outlaw. Hits like "She's All I Got", "Colorado Kool-Aid" and of course, "Take This Job and Shove It" , are great. But in the sixties Paycheck recorded an even tougher round of songs when he worked with raconteur Aubrey Mayhew. Yesterday my pal BGO sent me Mayhew's amazing obituary. What a life! Mayhew was mixed up with everything from the Texas School Book Depository building to Charlie Parker. He also owned the Little Darlin' record label, the source of this essential compilation.

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Have you nabbed the free download of Bob Dylan's "Beyond Here Lies Nothing"? It's good. Really good.

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Kansas City Click: Megan Birdsall appears with Clint Ashlock at the Blue Room tonight.

Jeanne Lee and Ran Blake- You Go To My Head

Absorbed.

In his world-weary liner notes to an out of print 1989 release by pianist Ran Blake and vocalist Jeanne Lee, Alain Gerber suggests that jazz may become "a eulogy of itself." Twenty years later, that appears to be exactly where jazz finds itself.

I caught sixteen-year-old Grace Kelly at the Blue Room last night. (Here's my review.) The kid impressed. That said, her singing and playing lack the emotional depth that can only be acquired over time. Kelly can hardly be faulted for being young.

While I wouldn't wish a life of hard knocks on anyone, that's what it might take in order for Kelly to one day produce something as devastating as this rendition of "You Go To My Head." It's what an another area music commentator calls "grown-up music."

Don't miss this stunning video of Lee with pianist Mal Waldron.

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Kansas City Click: Twenty-some years ago The Blue Riddim Band was one of the best acts in town. They reunite at The Beaumont tonight.

Eleni Mandell works the early show Saturday at Davey's.

Federation of Horsepower are on Sunday's bill at Crosstown Station.

Louie V- Shoot For the Moon

Landed.

Kansas City can be an unforgiving place for rappers. There's constant pressure to reflect the appalling violence in the streets. The tragic legacies of Mac Dre and Fat Tone seem to serve as the scene's default blueprints. The racks of local retail specialists are dominated by artists that mirror the thuggish, fatalistic styles of the late rappers. That's why I'm so encouraged by the uncommon post-Kanye West approach of Louie V. "Who would have ever thought that Kansas City would be the birthplace of the best rapper alive?" Louie V boasts on "My City." It's a laughably ludicrous statement, of course, but the imagination and ambition displayed on Pronounced Five (download it at his MySpace) shows that he may get there yet. Louie V opens for Afroman at the Granada on March 28.

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I reviewed Monday's show by Katy Perry and The Daylights.

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MURS and Tech N9ne together? Strange but true. Check it out here.

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In the off chance you're interested, here are the details on where I was last week.

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Kansas City Click: Next-big-thing jazz phenom Grace Kelly appears with Greg Carroll at the Blue Room tonight.

Stik Figa at The (New) Beaumont Club

Maybe most of Kansas City's underground hip hop community was attending SXSW. Or perhaps aficionados were recovering from the previous night's Devin the Dude show at The Riot Room.

Only a handful of people caught Saturday's performance by Stik Figa. It's unfortunate- he's one of the funniest, smartest and most likable artists on the Midwest's hip hop scene. His set included "Caked Up" "The Pie," "Watchatalkinbout," "Funky Fresh" and "TwentyFourSeven." It was all good.

Stik Figa opens for Black Sheep at The Granada on March 29.

DJ Sike Steez remixed Atmosphere, Brother Ali, Jay-Z, Mac Lethal, MC Lyte, Reach and Kanye West in his opening set. Nice stuff.

Given woefully inaccurate information by a friend about the night's schedule, I was present for Anti Crew's sound check. The song they were working out overlaid Iron Maiden-style guitar runs on a hip hop beat. I left before their proper set began.

The newly remodeled Beaumont Club is- dare I say it- sleek and stylish. The NASCAR and George Strait signage has been replaced by dark wood and contemporary lighting. The crud on the walls and in the rafters is gone. The gnarly bathrooms at the back of the room are also history.

My biggest pet peeve about the venue, however, hasn't been addressed. The stage is still very low. People stuck at the back of the room at Monday's Katy Perry show, for instance, will likely struggle to see her.

Alas, sight lines weren't a problem Saturday night.

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Kansas City Click: I've never cared for Hamell On Trial. But that won't stop me from recommending his show tonight at The Record Bar.

Katy Perry stars at The Beaumont Club on Monday.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Motoring West

I'm taking a seasonal blogger break. While you're at SXSW, spring training or the tournaments, I'll be skylarking along what's left of "the highway that's the best."

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Blind Connie Williams- One Thin Dime

Spent.

Perhaps it's time to rekindle my long-dormant love affair with the blues. As I've previously revealed in this space, I once went on a five-year blues binge. I suppose I overindulged. Or maybe I lost interest when greats like Little Hatch were replaced by Blues Hammer-style acts at my town's blues bars. Another blues legend, John Cephas, passed on last week. In the process of digging through my dusty blues vaults trying to find a Cephas track, I began listening to long-neglected compilations like this outstanding budget disc. I never did locate any Cephas but I sure am feeling Blind Connie Williams. (Tip via BGO.)

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I reviewed Friday's triple bill of Thriving Ivory, Barcelona and Company of Thieves.

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I took notes during last night's performance by Sara Gazarek.

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I can't believe that I hadn't encountered this dead-on spoof of Rufus Wainwright until today. And for the record, I love the guy.

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Kansas City Click: Miles Bonny DJs at The Phoenix.

The Life and Times- Let It Eat

Consumed.

Tragic Boogie is massive.

Its sound is so immense that it's difficult to imagine experiencing it at The Life and Times' familiar hometown haunts The Brick or The Record Bar. The post-punk arena rock of Tragic Boogie would be a far better fit for The Sprint Center. Barring that, it's headphone music of the first order.

The band's new album combines the arty ambition of Thrice with the ambitious pop sensibility of latter day Flaming Lips. Small, delicate touches, such as the presence of a vibraphone, makes the epic onslaught seem even heavier.

Catch The Life and Times at SXSW. The official release party for Tragic Boogie is April 5 at The Record Bar. Bring a helmet- the intimate room may explode.

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Arvo Part's In Principio is blowing my mind.

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Kansas City Click: The promising Company of Thieves opens for Thriving Ivory at the Midland tonight.

The Czar Bar hosts American Catastrophe Saturday.

Sara Gazarek sings at Jardine's Sunday.

Wire- Too True

No longer true.

Two copies of the out-of-print Behind the Curtain are listed at Amazon. One is priced at $99.99. The other is $122.71. I paid .99 cents for my copy of the 1995 Wire compilation at a Hastings store in Hays, Kansas, several years ago. It's hard to imagine that the band featured on "Too True," a demo from 1977, would be able to do this just two years later. I'm not in the habit of selling off my collection- rare Sun Ra on vinyl excepted- but times are tough. Make me an offer.

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Just because something happened a long time ago doesn't mean it was tasteful or tame. That's the message I attempted to convey in my review of Kevin Mahogany's tribute to Joe Turner. Even in a formal setting, Turner couldn't stop leering.

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Here's more public self-flagellation for your amusement. My music trivia team came in third last night. Again. I failed to identify Gang Starr, Nico, and the members of the Statler Brothers. I lashed out at my teammates in frustration but I managed to refrain from heckling the host.

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Kansas City rapper Ron Ron has a new video.

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Kansas City Click: The Tards are on the bill at The Riot Room tonight.

Noreen Corcoran- Love Kitten

Cat nap.

Twin forces of nature Estelle and Solange played one of the most enjoyable shows in recent memory last night. As this review notes, not many people saw it.

It's a shame- there should be a massive audience for an indie rock show masquerading as an R&B review. I told a friend that thousands of people will later claim to have been present; both women seem destined for huge success. And even if I'm wrong, there's a long and noble tradition of neglected girl groups.

Devotees of both Bruce Springteen and The Ramones will lose their minds when they hear this forgotten gem by Noreen Corcoran from 1963. Its riffs are more than a little familiar. "Love Kitten" is just one of 24 amazing songs on this girl-group compilation.

If a slice of brilliance like "Love Kitten" can miss, nothing is guaranteed for Estelle or Solange.

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I couldn't stop staring at Rex Hobart Tuesday evening at The Record Bar. I had just realized that the honky tonk traditionalist bears an uncanny resemblance to rapper Mac Lethal. Have the two Kansas City-area residents ever been seen together?

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Kansas City Click: Too Short is joined by local luminaries including Rich the Factor tonight at Club Dallas.

Kevin Mahogany returns to Kansas City for a Saturday gig at the Folly Theater.

The People's Liberation Big Band touches down at the Record Bar Sunday.

Joe Cuba, 1931-2009

Goodbye.

I delayed mentioning the death of Joe Cuba because I refused to accept that my existing collection didn't contain some of his music. I finally found a track on a fine compilation stored in a remote, mouse-infested corner of my basement. Anyone familiar with his music knows that it was worth the delay. If this rowdy and joyous selection somehow fails to sell you on Cuba's legacy, try watching this video. It's poorly lit but immensely life-affirming.

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I caught The Blue Note 7 last week. Here's my review. I also reviewed a performance by Rufus Wainwright.

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Buddy Miller is ailing.

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Kansas City Click: I intend to wheel my Fat Tuesday revelry around Rex Hobart's weekly matinee at the Record Bar.

Scott Severin- Misery Loves Company

No more misery.

A significant portion of my life has been spent working in record stores. While I've reluctantly embraced the changes that have decimated the music retail community, I still wax nostalgic about the old days.

Not surprisingly, one of my first stops on a visit to Omaha earlier this week was the Homer's store on Howard Street. I instinctively began chatting up the guy behind the counter. We bonded over our mutual admiration of The Hold Steady, Bruce Springsteen and The New York Dolls.

I learned that my new friend was Scott Severin. He's a tough, gritty songwriter who paid his dues in New York. Little girls may not understand the craggy voice and street poetry of Severin's 2005 CD Unknown Rider. Similar-minded artists including David Johansen and Lou Reed, however, would surely recognize Severin as one of their own.

This video gives a sense of Severin's personality.

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Kansas City Click: I spend a lot of time embarrassing myself. Last week I told a stranger how much I admire Kristie Stremel. The dude turned out to be the drummer for Exit 159. I vaguely recall the band but I had no idea it included Stremel. They reunite at the Record Bar tonight.

Rufus Wainwright entertains at The Uptown Theater on Saturday.

Knuckleheads hosts Myra Taylor's 92nd birthday party Sunday.

Snooks Eaglin, 1936-2009

Farewell.

The recycled riffs and tedious boogie that dominate today's scene make it increasingly difficult to fondly recall the blues scare renaissance of the late '80s and early '90s. Yet much of the blues-based music produced in that era was, in fact, fresh and vital. The delightful "comeback" of Snooks Eaglin represents the best aspects of that vibrant period. Eaglin's guitar and vocal on this song from '92's Teasin' You demonstrate why his recordings and live dates were significant events. Here's a hilarious live performance. Eaglin died yesterday.

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Kansas City Click: Pato Banton is supposedly at The Levee tonight.

Louis Bellson, 1924-2009

Thanks, Mr. Bellson.

Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni. What a name! Still, I understand why he shortened it to Louie Bellson. The great drummer died February 14. He enjoyed a long career as an elite drummer in part because he could play with the impeccable taste heard on this 1973 track from an Ellington compilation and also like the showy powerhouse on display in this nine-minute drum solo.

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Estelle Bennett of the Ronettes died last week. She was 67. (Tip via BGO.)

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Jazz musicians Coleman Mellett and Gerry Niewood were passengers on Flight 3407. The music at their MySpace accounts reveal the unique talents of both men.

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Trainspotters will note that Ellington's appearance here makes him only the third artist to be featured more than once in over 700 posts at There Stands the Glass.

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Kansas City Click: Marah and Tony Ladesich are at the Record Bar tonight.

Betty Elder- Cowboys

Faded.

The subject of SXSW came up at last night's Twestival charity event. I've attended the annual conference in Austin about a dozen times. That admission inspired awe in a relative youngster. What he didn't understand is that SXSW once had a very different vibe. It wasn't always about Glasvegas, Iggy Pop and Blitzen Trapper. SXSW began as a regional roots-based festival. The first year I attended (was it 1989?) I caught almost nothing but folk, blues, outlaw country, tejano and root-rock acts. Artists like Betty Elders abounded. This song is pulled from a 1996 SXSW promo compilation. The gradual transition to an indie-rock orientation upset the old guard. The shift didn't bother me but I could do without the increased hassle factor.

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Stik Figa Goes To College. That's what I would have titled the supposed final Stik Figa EP. Instead, it's named Babylon. It's available for download at Ill Roots. "Well its official...," the Topekan suggested in a recent blog post. "im takin' my black ass back to school come fall, cant believe i wasted so much time with this rap sh*t."

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I love Blayney's. The staff is cool and the dingy bat-cave vibe has always appealed to me. Yet I rarely go there because the blooze band-oriented booking policy doesn't interest me. Even so, this report is quite upsetting.

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Kansas City Click: Frank Ace plays the blues tonight at B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ.

B.B. King and Buddy Guy perform at the Midland on Valentine's Day.

Maze returns to Municipal Auditorium on Sunday.

New York Rifles- I Know a Girl

She's gone.

Not everyone can be Jack White. Even the most skeptical onlookers are forced to concede that the man is well on his way to rock'n'roll immortality. He's so talented that like-minded artists often pale in comparison. New York Rifles are a very fine garage-punk band. The Portland-based act (go figure) have a refreshingly trashy aesthetic accented by a vocalist who sounds disarmingly like Jello Biafra. "I Know a Girl" is from their forthcoming Make a Wish album. It may not be White Blood Cells, but it's plenty good enough for me.

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Have you snagged the new Camera Obscura single? It's excellent. I'm still mad at the Scottish band, however, for delivering an inferior show at The Record Bar in 2007. (Tip via Wayward Blog.)

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"Cachaito" died February 9.

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Kansas City Click: Kyle Blake and Two Seconds Away are performing at tonight's Kansas City Twestival.

(Photo by Chris Perry.)

Blossom Dearie, 1926-2009

Goodbye.

I love the adorable novelty songs of Blossom Dearie. Her playful cooing on signature material such as "Blossom's Blues"- "Ray Brown told me I was built for speed!"- never fail to make me smile. Yet she was no one-trick-pony. Just listen the sensitive and artful "Dance Only With Me" for proof. It's available on this indispensable compilation. This live video is also charming. Although Dearie died February 7, she'll live on in her recordings and in artists like Kansas City's Megan Birdsall.

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I praise Ida McBeth today at my Kansas City jazz site.

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The most interesting moments for me during last night's Grammy Awards broadcast came during the performance of "Swagger Like Us." I received several texts during the collaboration of superstars. "Trainwreck!" declared one pal. "This is a mess," wrote another. "Brilliant!" suggested a third friend. I agree with the last sentiment- I laughed with delight throughout the performance. It's amazing to me that in 2009 hip hop remains so polarizing.

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"I'm On a Boat"!

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Kansas City Click: Jason Goudeau exists; I've seen him. The trombonist may not have any internet presence, but he purportedly performs tonight at the Blue Room.

Chris Robley- User-Friendly Guide To Change

Changed.

Do we all have attention deficit disorders? I sometimes wonder. This era of over-stimulation seems to require music that corresponds to the hyperactive zeitgeist. Chris Robley provides it on Movie Theatre Haiku. The impressive album veers wildly between styles and moods. Morphine, DeVotchKa, Harry Nilsson, The Get Up Kids, Nick Drake and Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra are among the dizzying array of artists Robley evokes. Here's a live version of "User-Friendly Guide To Change."

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Some people believe that children should be seen and not heard. I believe that The Republic Tigers should be heard and not seen. Their shimmering album has rightfully received glowing praise. "Buildings and Mountains" sounds incredible on the radio. But their stifled performance last night at the Uptown Theater confirmed their reputation as an unimpressive live act. The reunion of headliners Ultimate Fakebook was better. Unlike The Republic Tigers, they inspired genuine passion and enthusiasm from their fans.

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Although I never completely connected with The Cramps, I was surprised and saddened to learn of the death of Lux Interior. Here's "Human Fly".

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I reviewed a John Scofield concert last weekend.

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Dewey Martin, drummer for Buffalo Springfield, has died. And Tom Brumley, steel guitarist in Buck Owens' Buckaroos, died Wednesday. (Tips via BGO.)

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Kansas City Click: The last time I saw Gil Mantera he was wearing nothing but boots and gold underwear. That's why you won't see me at the Record Bar tonight.

Seed Love is among the bands paying tribute to Bob Marley at Crosstown Station Saturday.

Sax veteran Bob Kindred plays Jardine's Sunday.

Hank Crawford, 1934-2009

Farewell.

Just how important was Hank Crawford? David Sanborn's introductory comments in this video hint at the answer. Without Crawford's inspiration, the one-time television program host suggests, he probably wouldn't have pursued music. Sanborn speaks for countless saxophonists who modeled their sound in large part on Crawford's work with Ray Charles. Along with a select group of men including King Curtis, Red Holloway and David "Fathead" Newman, Crawford created the soul-blues-jazz hybrid that's now so fully absorbed into the musical mainstream that it's become a cliche. But don't blame Crawford. He remained soulful on his later recordings, as heard on this 2000 album. Crawford died last week. (Tip via BGO.)

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Am I sexist? Racist? Xenophobic? A hip hop apologist? I'm shocked by the frank sexual content on Lily Allen's new album. The same language doesn't bother me nearly as much when it comes from a male American rapper.

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Kansas City Click: I'm seriously considering catching Christian star Chris Tomlin tonight at the Sprint Center.

John Martyn, 1948-2009

Goodbye.

When I first began toiling at record stores my various managers inevitably turned out to be huge fans of John Martyn. While I respected Martyn, I never became a member of his small but rabid cult following. My bosses were the usually the types with tastes for expensive stereos and designer drugs. I've never been a part of those scenes, either. So when I played this live 1990 Martyn disc yesterday for the first time in a decade I was shocked at what I heard. The Dave Matthews Band sounds almost exactly like late-period Martyn. Mumbled vocals, odd vocal cadences, saxophone accompaniment, melodic bass guitar, loose improvisational feel- all suggest that Matthews was, in fact, Martyn's informal apprentice. Martyn died yesterday. (Tip via BGO.)

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I'm saddened by the deaths of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Billy Powell and Welsh guitarist Mickey Gee. (And again, both tips via BGO.)

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Even with a new album and his half-time show at the Super Bowl looming, I don't recall a time when my enthusiasm for Bruce Springsteen has been lower. I'm just not feeling it, Boss.

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Kansas City Click: The Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey will likely bring many first-time visitors to Jardine's tonight.

John Scofield stars at the Folly Saturday.

Combichrist shocks The Record Bar on the Lord's Day.