Review: Ha Ha Tonka at the RecordBar

I'm surely not the only Midwestern music fan who instinctively compares Ha Ha Tonka to the Ozark Mountain Daredevils. While separated by about three decades, both roots-oriented acts sprung out of Springfield. Their members even bear an uncanny time-adjusted resemblance to one another.

Ha Ha Tonka's November 23 show at the RecordBar reminded me that the comparison is a bit misleading. O.M.D. had a proclivity for boogie. H.H.T.'s ramshackle rock and quiet harmony singing largely avoided that tempting trap on Thanksgiving Eve. The only false step was an annoying cover of "Pumped Up Kicks." I had so much fun that I was never even tempted to chat up the former NBA player and the boy band superstar standing just a few feet away from me.

Will H.H.T. ever have a "Jackie Blue"-style hit? O.M.D. had the support of producer Glyn Johns and the major label machinery. H.H.T.'s three albums have been issued by small but proud alt-country label Bloodshot Records. The odds against great songs like "Usual Suspects", consequently, are almost insurmountable. Even so, there's no shame in becoming the next version of The Gourds.

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I monitored the final round of Sonic Spectrum's music trivia last night. Had I been playing for keeps, I would have been tempted to overturn a table in a fit of self-loathing for failing to identify this gem.

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I'm a big fan of my Kansas City jazz blog Plastic Sax.

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Kansas City Click: You know where to find me Tuesday evening.

Max Groove appears Wednesday at Chaz.

Kinky Friedman does whatever it is he does Thursday at Knuckleheads.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Paul Motian, 1931-2011

An anecdote from Thanksgiving morning serves as a testamonial to the music of Paul Motian. I played I Have the Room Above Her at high volume as members of my compound busily prepared a Thanksgiving meal. Aside from a couple comments concerning the "angry" playing of Joe Lovano, no one complained about listening to the free jazz trio of Motian, Lovano and Bill Frisell. Even people who prefer the likes of Adele and Willie Nelson recognized that Motian's music was both artful and compelling. Motian died Tuesday.

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I interviewed Karrin Allyson at Plastic Sax.

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Andrea True has died.

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I have yet to make up my mind about the complicated hit album by Rhymes-with-snake.

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My (re)discovery of the month: Chilean rapper Ana Tijoux.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Review: The Kansas City Wind Symphony at Village Presbyterian Church

Cut it out! During each of the last three concerts I've attended at Village Presbyterian Church, the bandleader apologized for his ensemble's progressive leanings. The most recent culprit was Dr. Phillip C. Posey, conductor of the Kansas City Wind Symphony.

His attempt to sell the ensemble's forthcoming "Music for the 21st Century" program featuring selections by Vaclav Nelhybel, Ron Nelson and Charles Ives sounded like a pitiful disclaimer at Sunday's jazz-themed concert.

"Yes, it's got some weird stuff on it," he said. "But it's got some wonderful stuff on it, too."

The contrite commentary by Matthew Christopher Shepard of Te Deum (my review) and the church's own Mark Bell of the Village Presbyterian Choir (my review) was similarly disappointing and entirely unnecessary.

Posey, Shepard and Bell should be proud of their bold choices. Gentlemen- you have a strong vision. Own it. I understand that some people don't want to be exposed to unfamiliar music. And sure, the way the audience of about 350 enthusiastically clapped along to J.F. Wagner's Under the Double Eagle March at Sunday's concert was unsettling on more than one level.

Don't become discouraged by the naysayers. Your desire to present interesting music is precisely why I'll continue to patronize your programs. For what it's worth, I've got your back.

I'd hoped to offer a detailed analysis of the concert, particularly pianist James Cockman's work on Rhapsody in Blue, but I was seated near an unruly toddler. The child's incessant yammering, coughing, sneezing and hiccuping didn't allow me to listen attentively.

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Here's my review of Tech N9ne's sold-out concert Saturday at the Midland Theater. Don't miss the comments.

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XV's new video is, well, "Awesome.

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The trailer for The Other F Word elicited a knowing smile out of me.

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Oh my dear Lord!

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I listened to the new Bjork album on repeat yesterday. It finally took.

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Here's the trailer for a documentary about Split Lip Rayfield. (Via Back to Rockville.)

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As the video for "The Game" by J-Young indicates, Kansas City can be a hard town. (Via Credentials Hip Hop.)

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Kansas City Click: New Jazz Order return to Harling's on Tuesday.

I once worked in a warehouse with a member of Foxy Foxy/Sacrifice Isaac. I guess the band(s) has reformed, because an act by that name(s) is performing at The Riot Room on Wednesday.

Thanksgiving breakfast dance returns to Kansas National Guard Armory on Thanksgiving! Due to an unfortunate incident following Millie Jackson's show three years ago, I've been permanently banned from attending these magical functions.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Jackie Leven, 1950-2011

I used the sad news of the passing of Jackie Leven as an excuse to go crate digging in my own basement. I knew I had at least one album by Leven's band Doll by Doll in my dank subterranean storage space. The sticker on the album's Jem Imports sleeve indicates that I picked up Doll By Doll's Gypsy Blood at Kief's in Lawrence for 99 cents. I'm too lazy to load it up on my USB turntable and none of the streaming services I use has the album. At least Rdio offers a lengthy positive review. I remember it as a sincere collection of overwrought pub rock, sort of like a roots-oriented version of Phil Lynott. In fact, it's exactly like this.

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It's a good thing I'm not creeped out by dead spiders. I did become mortified in my basement as I was reminded of my misguided habits as a formerly obsessive record collector. Why did I feel compelled to own every album by wildly inconsistent artists like Graham Parker and Smokey Robinson? And the hundreds of flyers I took in cutout bins yielded as many misses (Sea Level anyone?) as hits (Garland Jeffreys).

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I still don't get Google Music.

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Laura Kennedy of the Bush Tetras has died. (Tip via BGO.)

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I know this is sacrilege, but Aimless Love is my favorite John Prine album.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Review: Te Deum Chamber Choir at Village Presbyterian Church

Do you suppose that astral travel is possible? Based on the camera angles he or she selected, the person who shot this footage of Te Deum performing at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is a believer. I experienced a momentary out-of-body experience at Village Presbyterian Church as Te Deum performed Bach's Jesu, Meine Freude on Sunday afternoon.

Bach's righteous evocation of God inspires transcendental thoughts, especially when performed with the exquisite mastery demonstrated by Te Deum. Aside from a tendency for the sopranos to overwhelm the rest of the ensemble, Te Deum was perfect. The Rosicrucian text featured in Britten's A.M.D.G. was startling, but the program's primary attraction for me was James MacMillan's Te Deum. Matthew Christopher Shepard, Te Deum's Artistic Director and Conductor, prepared conservative members of the audience for the discordant elements of the 2001 composition.

"I assure you that whatever you hear them sing is accurate," he warned. "Although it may not seem so."

The amazing performance showcased the power of the choir's powerful voices and the chapel's excellent acoustics. It's too bad that so few people under the age of fifty were among the audience of about 300. Kansas Citians who enjoy Bjork and Sigor Ros should consider investigating Te Deum. The ensemble's next performances are March 24-25, 2012.

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I reviewed Friday's concert by Iris DeMent and Greg Brown.

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In my former life as an indie label sales rep, I was often expected to entertain and accommodate touring musicians. I loathed that aspect of my job. Jock-sniffing and babysitting were never my things. Every once in a while, however, I'd encounter a musician who was neither needy nor insecure. Kind, smart and funny, Doyle Bramhall was one of the most impressive musicians I've met. He died Saturday.

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I didn't laugh when I saw that someone posted that Guns N' Roses' appearance Saturday at Sprint Center was the best concert they'd ever seen. Nor would I roll my eyes if another person claimed that Saturday represented the worst music experience they'd ever endured. I'd planned to catch the Jayhawks at the Beaumont that night, but when a Groupon deal reduced the price of admission for Guns N' Roses's big show to $25, I reluctantly opted for Axl. No regrets. Here's Tim Finn's review.

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The Weezer Cruise!

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Is Steel Panther hilarious or just a sign that the end time is nigh?

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I intend to stay home for the first time in five days to watch college basketball and listen to the highly-anticipated new album by rhymes-with-mistake tonight. (I've received a D.M.C.A. notification from Google every time I've merely mentioned the star's actual name at There Stands the Glass.)

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Kansas City Click: Mates of State perform Tuesday at the RecordBar.

Lydia Loveless returns to Davey's on Wednesday.

Dax Riggs is booked at the Czar Bar on Thursday.

(Original image of Te Deum at Village Presbyterian Church by There Stands the Glass.)

Heavy D, 1967-2011

News of the death of Heavy D hit me hard for the most ungenerous of reasons. We had age and body type in common. Much of his 1987 debut sounds dated now, but trust me, Heavy D was once a huge star. Time keeps on slipping'...

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My feature on Hermon Mehari and Kansas City's jazz scene is the cover story of this week's Ink magazine.

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I'm intrigued by Rez Abbasi's new album.

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Visqueen is calling it quits.

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Hammerlord's annual Hammerween gig is always fun. Here's footage of this year's event.

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The Low Anthem's What the Crow Brings is available as a free download at NoiseTrade.

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Jimmy Norman has died. (Tip via BGO.)

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You know, Chinese Democracy isn't that bad.

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Kansas City Click: Here are my official picks.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Review: David Budway- A New Kiss

Classical recital by David Budway at YouTube.

Jazz musicians are accustomed to all sorts of indignities. Pianist David Budway would be justified if he feels slighted by the way the individual tracks from the CD version his new album A New Kiss are labeled when ripped to iTunes.

"Japanese Brunch," the first track, is credited to Marcus Strickland. Sure, the saxophonist who guests on the selection is one of the "it" players of moment, but still… The second song is listed as "Brandon Marsalis" [sic]. Sure enough, the star is featured on the ballad, but c'mon man! Tracks 3 through 9 are credited to Jeff "Tain" Watts. An insult? Maybe. Yet the drummer has never sounded better. Guitarist Ron Affif takes the honors on the tenth song and accordionist Joe "Sonny" Barbato is listed on the final track, a fascinating fusion of Arabic sounds and jazz already familiar to fans of Kansas City-based band Alaturka.

I typically don't pay much attention to the way individual MP3s are tagged, so maybe this is merely business as usual. It's also conceivable that Budway approved of these tags, viewing the concept as a savvy marketing ploy by the consistently excellent MaxJazz label. Budway may not have a particularly salable name, but A New Kiss shows that he's a formidable pianist. His solo rendition of "'Round Midnight" is great and his unaccompanied take on "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" is absolutely stunning. "Love You Tonight" is one of the prettiest things I've heard in 2011.

Anyone fortunate enough to hear A New Kiss will know that it ultimately doesn't matter who gets the credit for the remarkable music the album contains.

EDIT: Clayton McDonnell of MaxJazz responds:
Thanks for your review of Budway’s recording. We’re aware of the Branford misspelling and are having it fixed. Obviously, we didn’t deliver it that way since other services, including Amazon, have his name spelled correctly. When our distributor encodes a recording for digital distribution we provide them as much information as possible, and listing the personnel is the only way a consumer will know who appears on the recording. We feel it’s important these musicians are recognized. Once the content is delivered, it’s out of our control as to how each retailer will list the information. Both iTunes and Amazon have the names listed the way we intended, with Budway appearing first. Keep in mind the cover art also appears next to each track, so if ‘Tain’ is listed first, at least the customer has the cover art as a reference. If you want to let me know which retailer you were using I’ll see that the mistakes are corrected. These are just some of the challenges we’re facing in the digital environment. If you feel inclined to update your blog with any of this information we would appreciate it.

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The news that Radiohead will perform an arena show in Kansas City has many of my colleagues giddy. I like Radiohead, but the announcement doesn't send a thrill up my leg. Off the top of my head, here are ten acts that would make me all tingly inside if they were to come to Kansas City: Arab Strap/Aidan Moffat, Erykah Badu backed by a jazz band, Anthony Braxton, Ornette Coleman, Aretha Franklin (all-gospel concert), Gilberto Gil, Metallica/Lou Reed, Nas (backed by the likes of Robert Glasper), Cecil Taylor and The Zombies.

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Tech N9ne turns forty today. Here's his new video.

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Oh, Janelle Monae! What were you thinking?

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Nicholas Payton's B*tches, one of the most intriguing projects of 2011, is now available as an official release.

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Steddy P. has a new video for "Live Your Life".

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I was too wussy to drive to Lawrence for Tuneyards' show last night. Here's footage.

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I'd refer to Hobo Tone's new video as "Spelling Trouble," but he gets a pass because he titled his new project Hobolavirus. I also like this quintessential Kansas City hip hop line: "You punk *ss rappers are going to learn to respect mine/ Most of y'all trying to sound like Rich and Tech N9ne."

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What's in Henry Rollins' bag? A whole lotta noise.

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I'm late to the Animal Man party. This is hilarious (and adorable).

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Kansas City Click: Joe Lally of Fugazi is at the Record Bar on Tuesday.

Max Groove returns to Chaz on Wednesday.

1911 Restaurant & Lounge hosts Alejandro Escovedo on Thursday.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Stylus Style

I almost fell off the wagon this week. No, not booze- records. I accidentally stumbled across this guy on YouTube. Sure, he's a geek, but he's my kind of geek. It's easy to mock record nerds, but Lord help me, I really wish I could spend all weekend crate digging.


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Here's my review of last night's concert by James Galway.

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If Ear X-tacy- can't make it...

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Pianist Walter Norris has died.

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Listen to excerpts of Keith Jarrett's Rio new album here.

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Miranda Lambert's new album is pretty darn good.

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I listened to the new collection of Smile outtakes today. They gave me a headache.

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Man Bear's Talking Drunk at 2 a.m. is available as a free download. RIYL: Don't Tell a Soul.

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Kansas City Click: My official show picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Review: Murs- Love and Rockets Vol. 1

Murs- "316 Ways" video stream

Murs may have cut his hair but he didn't fall off. Like a reverse Samson, in fact, Murs demonstrates renewed vigor on his new album Love & Rockets, Vol. 1: The Transformation. Maybe I'm looking in all the wrong places, but it seems like the project is being roundly ignored. "316 Ways" is vicious- watch the video already- but most of the album is far more relaxed. "Eazy-E" is a joyous tribute to West Coast hip hop. More than a mere celebration of jetsetting, "International" encourages listeners to travel. "Remember 2 Forget" is about the unwelcome recalcitrance of our hearts. A hip hop rarity, "Animal Style" tells a tragic story about the consequences of homophobia. I don't even miss the dreads.


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Just because Herbie Hancock is one of my heroes doesn't mean I'm incapable of giving him a bad review.

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I liked seeing and smelling manure on the sidewalks of Grand Boulevard. Here's my report on the American Royal's debut at Sprint Center.

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Exibit #231 in the case against OFWGKTA.

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I love the handy video preview for Wale's new album.

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Listen to Erin KcKeown's F*ck That: The Anti-Holiday Album here.

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The Granny Smith Theorem, a new mix tape by Les Izmore and D/Will, is available now.

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The music on the new video by Stik Figa and D. Will begins around the 2:30 mark.

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Kansas City Click: The Toasters play the Riot Room on Tuesday.

Tommy Womack returns to Davey's on Wednesday.

The Smoking Popes visit Riot Room on Thursday.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)