The Top Albums, Songs and Performances by Kansas City Musicians in 2019

Favorite Albums and EPs by Kansas City Artists
1. The Sextet- Among Friends
2. Samantha Fish- Kill Or Be Kind
3. Matt Villinger- All Day
4. Heather Newman- Rise From the Flames
5. Making Movies- Ameri’kana
6. Adam Larson- Listen With Your Eyes
7. Rich the Factor- The Tonite Show
8. Jay McShann- Live in Tokyo
9. Keaton Conrad- Nova
10. Drugs and Attics- Clean Their Room

11. Dylan Pyles- Popular Songs for the Heart
12. Hmph!- Hmph!
13. The Get Up Kids- Problems
14. Wing Walker Orchestra- Hazel
15. Joyce DiDonato- Songplay
16. Norman Brown- The Highest Act of Love
17. Jan Kraybill- The Orchestral Organ
18. Kevin Morby- Oh My God
19. The Greeting Committee- I’m Afraid I’m Not Angry
20. Julian Vaughn- Supreme

21. Merlin- The Mortal
22. A’Sean- One Big Happy Family
23. The Kansas City Chorale- Artifacts: The Music of Michael McGlynn
24. Le Grand- Plastic Jazz
25. Calvin Arsenia- LA Sessions


Favorite Songs by Kansas City Artists
Spotify playlist
1. Keaton Conrad- “What Am I Supposed to Do?”
2. Drugs and Attics- “Dad Party”
3. Samantha Fish- “Love Letters”
4. The Sextet- “To Be Determined”
5. Heather Newman- “Rise From the Flames”
6. Pat Metheny- “America Undefined”
7. Reggie B and the Popper- “Not Funky”
8. Sara Morgan- “Church in a Bar”
9. Tech N9ne- “Like I Ain’t”
10. The Sluts- “Break Their Heart”

11. Ubi- “Gameshow”
12. Norman Brown- “Free”
13. The Get Up Kids- “The Problem Is Me”
14. Stik Figa- “More or Less”
15. The Freedom Affair- “Rise Up”
16. Matt Villinger- “Shot Roulette”
17. Godemis- “Eye Zkreem”
18. Making Movies- “Accidente”
19. Puddle of Mudd- “Uh Oh”
20. Brody Buster’s One Man Band- “Week Long”

21. JL and Joey Cool- “That’s Him”
22. Drop Dead XX- “Betty Ford”
23. The Creepy Jingles- “Atom & Evolution”
24. Nick Schnebelen- “Crazy All By Myself”
25. Other Americans- “Neon Sunrise”


Favorite Performances by Kansas City Artists
1. Logan Richardson’s Blues People- Capsule
2. The Greeting Committee- West Bottoms (Boulevardia)
3. The Sextet- RecordBar
4. Ensemble Ibérica- MTH Theater
5. My Brothers & Sisters- The Brick (Crossroads Music Fest)
6. Bobby Watson & Horizon- White Recital Hall
7. Jerry Hahn and Danny Embrey- Recital Hall at the Carlsen Center
8. Making Movies- KC Live
9. Heather Newman- Legacy Park Amphitheater
10. Doubledrag- Riot Room

11. Matt Otto Quartet- Black Dolphin
12. The Kansas City Symphony- Helzberg Hall
13. Una Walkenhorst- Songbird Cafe (Middle of the Map Fest)
14. Ben Tervort’s Classically Trained- Westport Coffee House
15. Rod Fleeman and Gerald Spaits- Green Lady Lounge
16. Brian Scarborough Quintet- RecordBar
17. Tech N9ne- KC Live (StrangeFest)
18. Soul Revival- Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
19. Peter Schlamb Trio- Capsule
20. Guitar Elation- Green Lady Lounge

21. Midwest Chamber Ensemble- Lutheran Church of the Resurrection
22. ARQuesta Del SolSoul- RecordBar
23. Katy Guillen’s Womanish Girl- The Brick (Middle of the Map Fest)
24. Black Creatures- West Bottoms (Boulevardia)
25. Jason Vivone & the Billy Bats- PorchFestKC

(Original image of the Matt Otto Quartet at Black Dolphin by There Stands the Glass.)

February Recap

Top Five Performances
1. Elton John- Sprint Center
My review.
2. Blake Shelton with Trace Adkins, Lauren Alaina, John Anderson and the Bellamy Brothers- Sprint Center
My review.
3. Ben Allison’s Think Free- Mod Gallery
My review.
4. Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7- Black Dolphin
I like it like that.
5. Heat Index- Thee Gin Mill
Sizzling fusion in the suburbs.

Top Five Albums
1. Yugen Blakrok- Anima Mysterium
A fearsome roar from the Black Panther soundtrack alum.
2. Nubiyan Twist- Jungle Run
Nourishing future jazz.
3. Drew Williams’ Wing Walker Orchestra- Hazel
The Lee’s Summit musician makes a national splash.
4. Mavis Staples- Live in London
A great American.
5. Cochemea Gastelum- All My Relations
Metaphysical jams.

Top Five Songs
1. Natti Natasha- “Pa’ Mala Yo”
Who’s bad?
2. Reggie B and the Popper- “Not Funky”
Heartland funk.
3. Tropkillaz, J Balvin, Anitta and MC Zaac- “Bola Rebola”
Balling.
4. Ariana Grande- “NASA”
Spaced out.
5. Keaton Conrad- “What Am I Supposed to Do?”
Kansas City’s Prince of Pop.

(Original image of Elton John by There Stands the Glass.)

Bow Down: Keaton Conrad is Kansas City's Prince of Pop

Although I’ve praised him in The Kansas City Star (here and here), Keaton Conrad remains an absurdly unheralded young Kansas City musician.  That’s about to change.  An appealing blend of John Mayer’s guitar heroics and Charlie Puth’s pop wiles make Conrad’s new album Nova irresistible.  By deftly incorporating a dash of Harry Styles’ penchant for rock grandiosity and a pinch of Shawn Mendes’ melodic charm into his expansive sound, Conrad earns the title of Kansas City’s Prince of Pop.  “I Think I Fell In Love With You” and “What Am I Supposed to Do?” sound like surefire hits.  The ‘70s-ish production of a few tracks including “Rust” is bloated and the evocation of the Bee Gees hit “Stayin’ Alive” on the chillwave jam “Introspective” is only marginally effective.  Yet even the weakest components of Conrad’s space-themed song cycle are impressively ambitious.  Bow down.


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I write weekly concert previews for The Kansas City Star.

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I reviewed Drew Williams’ Wing Walker Orchestra’s Hazel at Plastic Sax.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)