Ron Gutierrez's reputation as the Latin Luther received an enormous boost at the KC Live! stage in the Power & Light district on Sunday. A woman standing next to me lost her composure during Gutierrez's spot-on rendition of Luther Vandross' "A House Is Not a Home."
"He's reincarnated!" she screamed.
Backed by a six-piece band, Gutierrez's versions of songs associated with Marvin Gaye, Al Green, the Spinners and the Commodores showcased his incredible voice. By the time he closed his hour-long set with McFadden & Whitehead's "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now," many in the audience of over 1,500 had forgotten that they had been waiting to hear Bryson.
I've had the good fortune to hear Gutierrez perform in a variety of contexts. He appears at jazz clubs, has worked with ensembles led by the late Kerry Strayer including the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra and has become a go-to artist for National Anthem duties at professional sporting events. He never fails to awe his audience. Gutierrez isn't merely soulful. His lustrous voice is impossibly pure.
After Sunday's star-making performance opening for Bryson, the Latin Luther may also come to be known as the Maxwell of the Midwest and Kansas City's Nat King Cole.
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Philip Chevron of the Pogues has died.
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Doug Ramsey reports that Oscar Castro-Neves has died.
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I reviewed the 18th & Vine Jazz and Blues Festival.
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"Thank God" is Krizz Kaliko's latest video.
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Cowboy Indian Bear's new video for "Let It Down" is lovely.
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Here's a video recap of Dancefestopia.
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Approach made an 11-minute documentary about the making of his new album.
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Hidden Pictures has released a new 3-song EP.
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Marc Myers offers an inside peek at his interview with Ginger Baker.
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I recently discovered a remarkable "music video" Jimmy Martin made for "20/20 Vision."
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I suppose I'm just not sophisticated enough to appreciate Matana Roberts' Coin Coin Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile. RIYL: John Zorn, advanced degrees, AACM.
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Ponder the Mystery, William Shatner's new prog-rock album, is a hoot.
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I cosign OFWGKTA's "Look".
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Gary Numan is an interesting cat.
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Riff Raff remains my favorite troll.
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A new box set containing material Woody Guthrie recorded for the Feds is titled American Radical Patriot.
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"Am I getting to deep here for you?"- Sonny Rollins.
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Leron Thomas' new album Whatever is good but not great. RIYL: Christian Scott, Sean Jones, Harish Raghavan.
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A coffee table book about Houston's hip hop scene? That's ridiculous. But I want it.
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There Stands the Glass reader BGO encouraged me to share this NPR-sponsored performance by saxophonist Melissa Aldana. The kid has great ideas. RIYL: Lee Konitz, Stan Getz, Jimmy Giuffre.
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Jill Scott is featured in a video from the Robert Glasper Experiment's forthcoming album.
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I'm entranced by The City Under the City, the new release by L'Orange & Stik Figa. Also released today: Anberlin. Jon Batiste, Mary J. Blige, Brandy Clark, Cults, Death Angel, Devin the Dude, Dismemberment Plan, Tim Hecker, Will Hoge, Boldy James, Glenn Lewis, Lucius, Paul McCartney, Morcheeba, Willie Nelson, Gary Numan, Aaron Parks, Pelican, Quadriga Consort, Red Fang, Ralph Towner, Trivium and Young Dro.
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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.
(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)
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