Album Review: Daymé Arocena- Sonocardiogram

Cesária Évora’s burnished voice accentuated some of my happiest moments of the 1990s.  The morna sung by the Cape Verde star was an integral part of my domestic chill-out soundtrack during the Clinton era.  Évora died in 2011.  Her spirit seems to have resurfaced a continent away in the form of Daymé Arocena.  The Cuban musician performs entirely different styles of music- her wondrous new album includes jazz, R&B balladry and Santeria incantations- yet Sonocardiogram is imbued with the same sort of soulful spirituality that I relished in Évora two decades ago.


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My Tool take: Fear Inoculum is a net positive for the world.  Here’s the title track.

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I respect the positive vibes, constructive sentiments and jazz-steeped production on Common’s Let Love, but man, the Chicago rapper sure is corny.  Here’s “Hercules”.

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Unpopular opinion: Sleater-Kinney’s The Center Won't Hold is excellent.  Sure, it sounds just like a St. Vincent album.  That’s a good thing.

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Dedicated readers of my music blogs won’t be surprised to learn that I adore Miguel Zenón’s Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera.  RIYL: Charlie Parker, certifiable genius, Dizzy Gillespie.

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I don’t know if Post Malone or the team of people tasked with keeping the gravy train rolling is responsible for the success of the project, but the highly anticipated Hollywood’s Bleeding is more than sufficient.

(Original image of a Mexican street scene by There Stands the Glass.)

Mopping Up

As an obsessive-compulsive music consumer, I’m frantically attempting to enter the new year without an imposing backlog of unheard music from 2018.  A cursory survey of the most rewarding components of my recent cramming sessions follows.  And yes, the albums are ranked.

Lionel Loueke- The Journey
One of the most important musicians alive turns down the volume and slows the tempo. 
RIYL: Weather Report, offhanded brilliance, Steps Ahead.

Marianne Faithfull- Negative Capability
Not exactly the feel-good album of the year. 
RIYL: looking death in the eye, Leonard Cohen, the bitter truth.

Cupcakke- Ephorize
The rapper’s extremely raunchy- and undeniably hilarious raps- make me blush.
RIYL: Cardi B, The Joy of Sex, Leikeli47.

F*cked Up- Dose Your Dreams
The investment in the 88-minute concept album pays off.
RIYL: George Orwell, Titus Andronicus, Pete Townshend.

Miguel Zenón- Yo Soy La Tradición
Undiluted genius or indulgent puffery?  It’s probably both. 
RIYL: Anthony Braxton, third stream, Rudresh Mahanthappa.

Phonte- No News Is Good News
Mature and nuanced rap.
RIYL: Black Thought, a man without a market, Oddisee.

Jeff Tweedy- Warm
I have nothing but respect for Tweedy. 
RIYL: Fred Neil, real life, Will Oldham.

Khruangbin- Con Todo El Mundo
Mildly diverting lounge music. 
RIYL: Friends of Dean Martinez, the first rehearsal of a Malo cover band, Calexico.

Dem Atlas- Bad Actress
Often overbearing emo-rap.
RIYL: Atmosphere, rappers who want to rock, Grieves.

Joan Shelley- Rivers and Vessels
Another outstanding young troubadour.
RIYL: Sandy Denny, 1970s folk, I’m With Her.

Meek Mill- Championships
There’s a reason the Philadelphian is more celebrated for his travails than for his rapping.
RIYL: corny guys, French Montana, excellent guest features and production.


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I list my favorite jazz albums and performances of 2018 at the Kansas City jazz blog Plastic Sax.

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I write weekly concert previews for The Kansas City Star.

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The elegant vocalist Nancy Wilson has died. 

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Galt MacDermot, the composer of “Hair,” has died.  (Tip via BGO.)

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Many of my colleagues don’t want to hear it, but Champagne Campaign is one of the most popular rock bands in Kansas City.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Quarterly Report

I’m embarking on a brief blogging break.  Before I get out of Dodge, I’ll leave you with three arbitrary lists.

My Ten Favorite Concerts of 2017 (so far)
1. Charlie Wilson, Fantasia and Johnny Gill- Sprint Center
2. Jazz 100 featuring Danilo Pérez, Lizz Wright and Avishai Cohen- Yardley Hall
3. Joseph- Madrid Theatre
4. Patti LaBelle- Muriel Kauffman Theatre
5. Ramsey Lewis- Gem Theater
6. Ben Folds with the Kansas City Symphony- Helzberg Hall
7. Gaelynn Lea- Folk Alliance International Conference at Crown Center
8. Jessica Care Moore- Black Archives of Mid-America
9. Pure Disgust- Encore Room
10. Simone Porter- Folly Theater

My Ten Favorite Songs of 2017 (so far)
1. Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos- “Slide”
2. Valerie June- “Astral Plane”
3. Sunny Sweeney- “Bottle by My Bed”
4. Craig Finn- “God in Chicago”
5. Lorde- “Liability”
6. Young Fathers- “Only God Knows”
7. Alejandro Fernandez- “Agridulce”
8. José James- “To Be With You”
9. Brother Ali- “Own Light (What Hearts Are For)”
10. Chronixx- “Majesty”

My Ten Favorite Albums of 2017 (so far)
1. Miguel Zenón- Tipico
2. Tinariwen- Elwan
3. Yelena Eckemoff- Blooming Tall Phlox
4. Future- Hndrxx
5. Uniform- Wake in Fright
6. Mark Eitzel- Hey Mr. Ferryman
7. Víkingur Ólafsson- Philip Glass: Piano Works
8. Code Orange- Forever
9. Ibibio Sound Machine- Uyai
10. Noah Preminger- Meditations on Freedom



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I reviewed Rodney Crowell’s appearance at Knuckleheads.

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I reviewed Patti LaBelle’s concert at Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

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I reviewed the Jazz 100 concert at Yardley Hall at Plastic Sax.

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I discussed Victor & Penny on my weekly segment for KCUR.

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I wrote an extended preview of Xenia Rubinos’ concert for The Kansas City Star and Ink magazine.

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I write weekly music previews for The Kansas City Star and Ink magazine.

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Craig Finn’s We All Want the Same Things is a mixed bag.  The standout tracks are “God in Chicago” and “Jester & June.”

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Tedeschi Trucks is my all-time favorite jam band.  Here’s a ten-minute interpretation of ”Keep On Growing" from Live From the Fox Oakland.

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Havok’s Conformicide is RIYL Megadeth, political metal, Revocation.  Here’s ”Intention to Deceive”.

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Spoon’s Hot Thoughts and Sinkane’s Life & Livin’ It could be the first and second discs of the same sprawling modern pop album.  RIYL: dancing, the Isley Brothers, fun.

(Original image of Charlie Wilson, Johnny Gill and band by There Stands the Glass.)

Pain Meds

Ten absorbing new albums have provided comfort and distraction during my recovery from an invasive surgical procedure.  My ranking and notes follow.

1. Syd- Fin.  The promising producer a.k.a.Syd the Kid, a.k.a. The Internet, isn’t Prince reincarnated, but she has her moments.  RIYL: The Weeknd, works in progress, Usher.

2. Alejandro Fernandez- Rompiendo Fronteras.  So romantic!  RIYL: Juan Gabriel, gorgeous schmaltz, Rod Stewart.

3. Tinariwen- Elwan. Further confirmation that Tinarwen is the world’s best blues band. RIYL: Terakaft, Mali, John Lee Hooker.

4. Mats Gustafsson- Ljubljana.  Cracking the code of the free jazz duet between the saxophonist and pianist Craig Taborn is well worth the effort.  RIYL: Albert Ayler, room-clearing noise, Matthew Shipp.

5. Miguel Zenón- Típico.  The celebrated album is a tad musty.  RIYL: Charlie Parker, critical consensus, Benny Golson.

6. Howe Gelb- Future Standards.  A compellingly morose cocktail jazz album from the Giant Sand dude.  RIYL: Bobby Troup, despair, Hoagy Carmichael.

7. Allison Crutchfield- Tourist in This Town.  Ingratiating retro pop- rock. RIYL Camera Obscura, handwritten letters, Ellen Foley. 

8. Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears- Backlash.  Scuzzy garage-rock (that’s a good thing, of course).  RIYL: The Fleshtones, Burger Records, the Sonics.

9. Ces Cru- Catastrophic Event Specialists. Jazz interludes are interspersed throughout the Kansas City duo’s best album.  RIYL: conspiracy theories, Twistid, “real” MCs.

10. Delia Derbyshire Appreciation Society.  Sublime synth nostalgia.  RIYL: Brian Eno, getting lost in space, Tangerine Dream.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Darn That Dream

I wandered into a packed coffeehouse in the shadow of Oregon's capitol building last Thursday.  For a few intoxicating minutes, I thought I'd stumbled across a vibrant jazz scene.   A student big band from a nearby university had just played and I was convinced that the jovial crowd was primed to hear a professional band play a headlining set.

The low turnout in Kansas City for the one of the most celebrated artists in jazz was still fresh in my mind.  Although he's pictured on the cover of the current issue of Downbeat, was featured in a 6-minute segment on NPR the previous day and was spotlighted in The Star's jazz column, Miguel Zenón attracted just a few dozen people to the Blue Room last Monday.  (Here are my notes.)

Yet Salem turned out in equal numbers for a superb regional ensemble.  Alas, half the audience fled after 15 minutes of this.  Ten people remained after 30 minutes.  The deliberate evacuation was one of the most discouraging refutations of jazz I've witnessed.


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I featured Sara Swenson on KCUR's Local Listen segment.

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Making Movies appear in a Tiny Desk Concert.

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Manitas de Plata has died.

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Call me a Maggot.  Slipknot's Slipknot- .5: The Gray Chapter rings true to me.  RIYL: rage, Slayer, frustration.

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Cat Stevens is the comeback artist of the year.

(Original image of the Salem jazz debacle by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Dave Holland- Prism

Dave Holland was on bass as Miles Davis unleashed the unholy sound that came to be known as jazz fusion.  I've repeatedly acknowledged my uneasy relationship with the genre at this site.  Much of it- including some of the stuff I like- is the worst sort of wankery.  Holland rectifies most of those excesses with the startling new album Prism.  The lineup- guitarist Kevin Eubanks, pianist Craig Taborn, Holland and drummer Eric Harland- isn't afraid to get dirty.  The only embarrassing element of Prism is the cheesy album art.


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Jackie Lomax has died.

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Jimmy Ponder has died.

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Until Friday, I'd never thought much of Mumford & Sons.  The folk band forced me to reevaluate their worth with an excellent performance in Bonner Springs.  Here's my review of the band's final show for the foreseeable future.

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I reviewed Miguel Zenon's transcendent appearance at the Blue Room last night.  Here's footage of the show.

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I reviewed Chuck Haddix's Bird: The Life and Music of Charlie Parker at Plastic Sax.

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Enter the Riddim is the latest album by the Blue Riddim Band.  RIYL: Kansas City music history, Joe Higgs, Trojan Records.

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Radkey's forthcoming four-song EP Devil Fruit is RIYL the Misfits, the Ramones, Danzig.  And yeah, it's worthy of those comparisons.

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The administrator of the Middle of the Map Fest's Facebook account recently queried fans about which acts they'd like to see at the 2014 festival.  The organizers' tastes aren't exactly simpatico with my preferences, but here are three artists that meet the aesthetics of both MotM and TSTG that might fall within the festival's budget: Flying Lotus, Gary Numan and Nicolas Jaar.

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It's nice to see Ron Gutierrez getting a lot of high-profile work.  I'm a fan.

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"I need a miracle."  Even though it's undoubtedly worth every penny, I just can't pull the trigger on $100 tickets for the Lyric Opera's "The Capulets & the Montagues" starring Joyce DiDonato. 

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Oh, for Pete's sake.  Eugene Chadbourne has recorded an album of Merle Haggard covers.  It's titled- steel yourself- Merles Just Want To Have Fun.  Here's "I Take a Lot of Pride In Who I Am".  RIYL: making enemies, being alone, straightjackets.

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Jazz-oriented guitarist Todd Clouser made a rock album.  Man with No Country is RIYL: Marc Ribot, Lou Reed, Charlie Hunter.

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"Aheym", the title track of Kronos Quartet's forthcoming album, is a powerful piece of music.  RIYL: Bryce Dessner, high drama, string quartets.

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Travel Guide, the new Ralph Towner album, promises to be lovely.  RIYL: acoustic Pat Metheny, guitar shops, Paco de Lucía.

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I opted for an R&B concert over Rancid's appearance in Lawrence last Saturday.  Thankfully, a fan shot some video.

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No disrespect for the senseless death of Ella, but Cemetery Deer would be an excellent band name.

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After I give the latest release by Rhymes-with-Lake (the rapper's attorneys have forced Google to send me cease-and-desist notifications for simply mentioning his name at this site) a fair shot, I intend to get around to today's new releases by Alan Jackson, Pete Anderson, Black Label Society, Deer Tick, Gov't Mule, Ha Ha Tonka, Elton John, Tim Kasher, Jimmy LaFave, Mazzy Star, Bill O'Connell & the Latin Jazz All-Stars, Yoko Ono & Plastic Ono Band, the Raybeats, Danya Stephens, Touche Amore, Rokia Traore, Allen Toussaint and John Zorn & Thurston Moore.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass  Hey, Mr. Holland- you can use the embedded photo for your next album cover.)

Review: C.J. Boyd at Psychfest

I was the first paying customer through the door at the 2013 edition of KC Psychfest.  I was excited to see the kickoff set by C.J. Boyd.  I was also eager to soak up the same sort of positive vibes emitted at last year's inaugural event.  The energy was so welcoming that I wasn't the least bit perturbed that Boyd's performance was delayed.  (I got the impression that he and the organizers were waiting for the blinding sun streaming through the west windows of the event's "HQ" to go down.)  Boyd played loop-based drones that sounded like Mike Watt on a Charles Mingus bender.  And yeah, he was as good as that combination of references implies.


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I'd like to think that I immediately began goofing on Jim Morrison's vocals and lyrics the first time I heard "Light My Fire."  Yet Morrison's effort is kept credible by those astonishing keyboards.  When I went through my obligatory Doors phase as a teen, I was more attracted to the sonic feel of "Touch Me," "Peace Frog" and "Soul Kitchen" than the vocalist's bellowing.  I never bought into the mystique of the Lizard King, but I really dug the feel of the band.  Ray Manzarek's subsequent production work with bands like X indicated that he truly "got it."   (He's captured here performing with X last year.)  Manzarek died yesterday.

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House producer and vocalist Romanthony has died.

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I harp on the "where's-the-audience" theme for the umpteenth time in my review of one of last weekend's performances by the Matt Otto/Alan Ferber Quartet.

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Here's a free KC Psychfest 2013 sampler.

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WBGO captured the Miguel Zenon Quartet last week at the Village Vanguard.

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Why, yes, I am tantalized by the prospect of another groundbreaking Kanye West album.  Thanks for asking.

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I'll make time for this week's new releases by Airbourne, JC Brooks & Uptown Sound, Daft Punk, Bob James/David Sanborn, French Montana, The National and Darius Rucker as soon as I get my fill of Tap: John Zorn's Book of Angels, Vol. 20 by Pat Metheny.

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Kansas City Click: Oklahoman John Fulbright returns to Knuckleheads on Tuesday.

Greg Enemy is part of Wednesday's bill at the RecordBar.

Antiseen plays Thursday at Davey's.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)