Sour Concord Grapes

I’m not one of the three pasty men in the photograph that accompanies a The New York Times report about the latest transmutation of the entity once known as Concord Records.  While I bear a slight resemblance to the executives who oversee the conglomerate, I suppose I lack some of their business acuity.  I certainly had myriad opportunities to get in on the ground floor of the operation.  I regularly interacted with Carl Jefferson, the late founder of Concord Records, as I toiled as a sales rep for independent record labels when his company was strictly devoted to mainstream jazz recordings.  When he wasn’t scolding me about slow payments or the ostensibly light spreads of his latest releases, Jefferson and I had delightful discussions about our mutual admiration of musicians like Ruby Braff.  Even though things have worked out for me, I occasionally regret not striving to become a redoubtable music industry mogul.


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I reviewed the 25th anniversary edition of Rockfest.

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I reviewed Tech N9ne's return to the Midland.

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Future’s concert at the Sprint Center was my show of the week for The Kansas City Star and
Ink magazine.

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I gave Nick Schnebelen my KCUR Band of the Week designation.

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

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I reviewed Hermon Mehari’s solo debut album at Plastic Sax.

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Danny Cox recalled the summer of 1967 for The Kansas City Star.

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Bern Nix has died.

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The remix of Bob Marley & the Wailers' Exodus is disorienting.  Here’s ”Turn Your Lights Down Low”.

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Mad Decent added just the right amount of production sweetening to Omar Souleyman’s music on To Syria, With Love.  Here’s ”Chobi”.

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Cuong Vu’s Ballet is miraculous free-ish jazz.  RIYL: Bill Frisell, four (brilliant) dudes jamming, Dave Douglas.

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Orrin Evans might be my favorite mainstream jazz pianist.  His presence elevates Sean Jones’ Live From at the Bistro.  RIYL: Hermon Mehari, the St. Louis jazz club, Terrel Stafford.

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Rock may be dead, but the members of Greta Van Fleet are expert necromancers.  Black Smoke Rising is RIYL Led Zeppelin IV, gravedigging, Houses of the Holy.  Here’s ”Highway Tune”.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Beach Music

My biggest concern while spending a few days in the California sunshine has stepping on a stingray.  The blissful environment wreaks havoc on my sonic acumen.  Of all the music I hear on the beach and on the boardwalk, the only two styles that sound right are contemporary country/pop hits like Florida Georgia Line's "Cruise" and classic West Coast hip-hop like Snoop Dogg's "Up Jump Tha Boogie".  I have little doubt that had I been raised in this environment, my interest in jazz would be negligible and my knowledge of ska would be deeper than the Pacific Ocean.


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Here's my Local Listen feature about Quixotic for KCUR's Up To Date.

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D/Will created a video for "Meeting With God."

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Gee Watts' latest video is "Gator Dance/Dreams".

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I prefer Richard Reed Parry's new classical album Music For Heart and Breathto the output of Arcade Fire.  RIYL: Nico Muhly, string sections, Terry Riley.

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The guys in Deltron 3030 reveal what's in their bags.

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Sean Jones' im.pro.vise never before seen is a fine mainstream jazz album.  RIYL: Orrin Evans, tradition, Wynton Marsalis.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)