I’m in the process of culling rather than expanding my music collection. Yet I couldn’t resist checking out an estate sale a few miles from my house last week. Targeted online advertisements promised that thousands of vinyl albums, compact discs and books would be available. I almost became physically aroused by what I encountered. A man- presumably departed, RIP- had amassed a comprehensive collection centered on mainstream jazz. My initial haul from the mother lode included the Mosaic box sets pictured here at $8 a pop. I truthfully told my life partner that we could resell the limited edition titles on the Rolls Royce of jazz reissue labels for over $80 each, but I don’t think I can part with these gems. I returned twice to scoop up several dozen obscurities by the likes of Morton Feldman, Lee Konitz and Steve Swallow.
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I wrote an extended concert preview about Little Big Town for Ink and brief music previews for The Kansas City Star and Ink.
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I contributed to a Local Listen segment about Shooting Star to KCUR. (For the record, my text was altered. I wouldn’t frame the band’s history in those terms.)
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I document a pilgrimage I made while in New York at Plastic Sax.
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Samuel Ramey may have been the primary draw at the Wichita Grand Opera’s production of Turandot at Yardley Hall yesterday, but it was Yunnie Park’s performance that floored me.
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Delbert McClinton’s cover of Ray Sharpe’s “Linda Lu” filled me with joy at the Paola Roots Fest on Saturday. Shemekia Copeland also delivered.
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I had a good time at Hmph’s instore at Mills Record Company last week.
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Sie Lieben Maschinen created a video for ”Clever Work”.
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I’m all about Charles Gayle’s Christ Everlasting. RIYL: Cecil Taylor, transcendence, Anthony Braxton.
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The Weeknd’s Beauty Behind the Madness sounds like a Michael Jackson impersonator singing over watered-down Kanye West beats. While it’s better than the output of most pop stars, the album is hardly the important work of art many pontificators would have you believe.
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Joell Ortiz’s Human is shockingly good. I suppose I should have gone to his show at the Riot Room earlier this month. Here’s "Lil’ Piggies".
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The corny elements of Revive Music Presents Supreme Sonacy undermine the exciting aspects of the survey of young jazz artists.
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Just as I was beginning to wonder if Myra Melford’s appearance at Take Five Coffee + Bar really deserved to top my June listing of My Favorite Performances of 2015 (So Far), I stumbled across her free (in both senses of thew word) Live at The Stone EP. It’s wonderful.
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Folktronica (ugh) ensemble Haiku Salut manages to encapsulate much of what I intensely dislike in contemporary music. While I’m hating, I’ll add that Charlie Puth’s “Marvin Gaye” makes me want to throw myself under my lawnmower.
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The good stuff on Eligh’s 80 HRTZ is really good. RIYL: Aesop Rock, words, Busdriver. Here’s ”808”.
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I’ve dismissed Aaron Diehl as a young fogey in this space, but Space, Time, Continuum is undeniably nice. RIYL: Benny Golson, expensive suits, Joe Temperley.
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Contrary to a headline I recently spotted, Maddie & Tae aren’t “Nashville rebels.” Start Here is RIYL: Hunter Hayes, radio hits, Florida Georgia Line.
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Wild Dance, the latest effort of the Enrico Rava Quartet, is thrilling. RIYL: Terje Rypdal,ECM , Steve Turre.
(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)
