Hold Your Own: The Top Albums, Songs and Performances of 2019

The 50 Top Performances of 2019
1. The Art Ensemble of Chicago- Tennessee Theatre (Knoxville, Big Ears Festival)
2. Lauryn Hill- Kauffman Stadium
3. Logan Richardson’s Blues People- Capsule
4. Alisa Weilerstein, Sergey Khachatryan, Inon Barnatan and Colin Currie- Folly Theater
5. Rickie Lee Jones- Crossroads KC
6. Tomeka Reid, Nicole Mitchell and Mike Reed- St. John’s Cathedral (Knoxville, Big Ears Festival)
7. Jupiter & Okwess- 1900 Building
8. Meredith Monk’s Cellular Songs- Bijou Theatre (Knoxville, Big Ears Festival)
9. Little Joe Hernandez- Barney Allis Plaza
10. The Art Ensemble of Chicago- Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Chicago Jazz Festival)

11. Carrie Underwood- Sprint Center
12. Wilco- Midland theater
13. Mary Halvorson’s Code Girl- The Mill & Mine (Knoxville, Big Ears Festival)
14. Khatia Buniatishvili- Folly Theater
15. The Greeting Committee- West Bottoms (Boulevardia festival)
16. Max Richter with Grace Davidson and the American Contemporary Music Ensemble- Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater (Austin)
17. The Sextet- RecordBar
18. Khalid- Sprint Center
19. Kane Brown- Silverstein Eye Centers Arena
20. Elton John- Sprint Center

21. Tech N9ne- Silverstein Eye Centers Arena
22. Ehud Ettun and Henrique Eisenmann- 1900 Building
23. Riyaaz Qawwali- Cathedral of Saint John the Divine (New York City)
24. Mary J. Blige- Starlight Theatre
25. Rodney Crowell- 04 Center (Austin)
26. Matt Otto, Danny Embrey and Brian Steever- Black Dolphin
27. Bobby Watson & Horizon- White Recital Hall
28. Cardi B- Providence Medical Center Amphitheater
29. The Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet- Jay Pritzker Pavilion (Chicago Jazz Festival)
30. Al Foster Quintet- Smoke (New York City)

31. Orville Peck- RecordBar
32. Leo Wadada Smith- The Standard (Knoxville, Big Ears Festival)
33. X- Knuckleheads
34. Nadia Larcher with Ensemble Ibérica- MTH Theater
35. Gov’t Mule- Crossroads KC
36. Alessia Cara- Sprint Center
37. Squeeze- Chicago Theatre
38. Aaron Parks’ Little Big- Blue Room
39. Metallica- Sprint Center
40. AACM Great Black Music Ensemble- Fred Anderson Park (Chicago)

41. Lana Del Rey- Uptown Theater
42. Snarky Puppy- Muriel Kauffman Theatre
43. The Metropolitan Opera’s “Iolanta and Bluebeard’s Castle”- Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (New York City)
44. Eric Church- Sprint Center
45. Stanley Clarke Quartet- Church of Scientology Center of Kansas City
48. Celine Dion- Sprint Center
49. Mama Said String Band- Churchill Downs (Louisville)
50. Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax and Pamela Frank with the Kansas City Symphony- Helzberg Hall


The Top 50 Songs of 2019
Spotify playlist
1. Purple Mountains- “All My Happiness is Gone”
2. Billie Eilish- “Bury a Friend”
3. Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus- “Old Town Road”
4. Ariana Grande- “NASA”
5. Kate Tempest- “Hold Your Own”
6. 2 Chainz featuring Kendrick Lamar- “Momma I Hit a Lick”
7. Rapsody featuring D’Angelo and GZA- “Ibtihaj”
8. Lauren Daigle- “You Say” (piano version)
9. Reba McEntire- “Stronger Than the Truth”
10. Michael Kiwanuka- “Living in Denial”

11. Summer Walker with PartyNextDoor- “Just Might”
12. Bonnie Prince Billy- “In Good Faith”
13. Jon Pardi- “Heartache Medication”
14. Sarathy Korwar featuring MC Mawali- “Mumbay”
15. Freddie Gibbs and Madlib featuring Anderson Paak- “Giannis”
16. Tropkillaz featuring J Balvin, Anitta and MC Zacc- “Bola Rebola”
17. 10k.Caash featuring Matt Ox- “Kerwin Frost Scratch That”
18. Mark Ronson and Miley Cyrus- “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” (acoustic version)
19. Townes Van Zandt- “Sky Blue”
20. José James with Ledisi and Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah- “I Need Your Love”

21. Natti Natasha- “Pa’ Mala Yo”
22. Randy Rogers Band- “Drinking Money”
23. Charles Bradley- “Lucifer”
24. Tyler Childers- “All Your’n”
25. PJ Morton featuring Jazmine Sullivan- “Built For Love”
26. Kanye West- “God Is”
27. Brittany Howard- “He Loves Me”
28. Lana Del Rey- “Bartender”
29. P.P. Arnold- “Baby Blue”
30. Lizzo- “Jerome”

31. Megan Thee Stallion- “Big Drank”
32. The Highwomen- “Cocktail and a Song”
33. Leonard Cohen- “The Hills”
34. Bill MacKay- “Birds of May”
35. Kvelertak- “Båtebrann”
36. Luke Combs- “Beer Never Broke My Heart”
37. Beast Coast- “It Ain’t Easy, It Ain’t Easy”
38. City Girls- “JT First Day Out”
39. Dinosaur Pile-Up- “Back Foot”
40. Wilco- “Bright Leaves”

41. Bill Frisell- “Everywhere”
42. Keaton Conrad- “What Am I Supposed To Do?”
43. Fontaines D.C.- “Roy’s Tune”
44. Pusha T featuring Kash Doll- “Sociopath”
45. Tiwa Savage- “49-99”
46. Fidlar- “By Myself”
47. Gucci Man- “Mr. Wop”
48. Karol G- “Punto G”
49. Tedeschi Trucks Band- “Hard Case”
50. Mavis Staples- “One More Change”


The Top 50 Albums of 2019
1. Jamila Woods- Legacy! Legacy!
2. Solange- When I Get Home
3. The Art Ensemble of Chicago- We Are On the Edge: A 50th Anniversary Celebration
4. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds- Ghosteen
5. Tyler, The Creator- Igor
6. Miranda Lambert- Wildcard
7. Kris Davis- Diatom Ribbons
8. Mike and the Moonpies- Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold
9. Caroline Shaw and the Attacca Quartet- Orange
10. Flying Lotus- Flamagra

11. Earthgang- Mirrorland
12. Little Simz- Grey Area
13. Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan- Epistrophy
14. Jóhann Jóhannsson- 12 Conversations With Thilo Heinzmann
15. Lee “Scratch” Perry- Rainford
16. Brockhampton- Ginger
17. Brother Ali- Secrets & Escapes
18. Laura Jurd- Stepping Back, Jumping In
19. J. Cole and Dreamville- Revenge of the Dreamers III
20. Raphael Saadiq- Jimmy Lee

21. Sampa the Great- The Return
22. Anderson Paak- Venture
23. Alasdair Roberts- A Fiery Margin
24. Santana- Africa Speaks
25. Calvin Weston- Dust and Ash
26. Matana Roberts- Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis
27. Torche- Admission
28. Brooks & Dunn- Reboot
29. Beyoncé- Homecoming
30. Jamie Branch- Fly or Die II: Bird Dogs of Paradise

31. Hilary Hahn- 6 Partitas for Violin: Antón García-Abril
32. Beast Coast- Escape From New York
33. Aldous Harding- Designer
34. Michael Fabiano- Verdi & Donizetti
35. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah- Ancestral Recall
36. Avery R. Young- Tubman
37. Oren Ambarchi- Simian Angel
38. Terri Lyne Carrington- Waiting Game
39. Samantha Fish- Kill or be Kind
40. Danny Brown- Uknowhatimsayin?

41. Miguel Zenón- Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera
42. Volbeat- Rewind, Replay, Rebound
43. YBN Cordae- The Lost Boy
44. Romeo Santos- Utopia
45. Rhye- Spirit
46. Jimmie Vaughan- Baby, Please Come Home
47. Angel Bat Dawid- The Oracle
48. Becky G- Mala Santa
49. Black Mountain- Destroyer
50. DJ Shadow- Our Pathetic Age


The Top 25 Reissues, Reconstructions, Reimaginings, Compilations and Historial Releases of 2019
1. Eric Dolphy- Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 N.Y. Studio Sessions
2. Prince- 1999 (Super Deluxe Edition)
3. Prince- Originals
4. John Coltrane- Coltrane ‘58: The Prestige Recordings
5. Marvin Gaye- You're the Man
6. Jay McShann- Live in Tokyo 1990
7. Anthony Braxton- Quartet (New Haven) 2014
8. Burial- Tunes 2011-2019
9. Prince- The Versace Experience
10. Azymuth- Demos (1973-1975), Vol. 1 & 2

11. The Time for Peace is Now: World Spirituality Classics 2: Gospel Music About Us
12. The Band- The Band: 50th Anniversary
13. Oklahoma! (2019 Broadway Cast Recording)
14. Esbjörn Svensson Trio- Live in Gothenburg
15. Leonard Cohen- Thanks for the Dance
16. Miles Davis- Rubberband
17. Outro Tempo II: Electronic And Contemporary Music From Brazil, 1984-1996
18. Stan Getz Quartet- Live at the Village Gate, 1961
19. Creedence Clearwater Revival- Live at Woodstock
20. David S. Ware- Théâtre Garonne, 2008

21. Soul Jazz Records Presents: Bunny Lee Dreads Enter the Gates With Praise
22. Mogadisco: Dancing Mogadishu (Somalia 1972-1991)
23. The Beatles- Abbey Road (Super Deluxe Edition)
24. Mary J. Blige- Herstory Vol. 1
25. Attarazat Addahabia- Al Hadaoui


The Top 10 EPs of 2019
1. Drugs and Attics- Clean Their Room
2. Earl Sweatshirt- Feet of Clay
3. Kevin Abstract- Ghettobaby
4. Zara McFarlane- East of the River Nile
5. Channel Tres- Black Moses
6. Rico Nasty- Anger Management
7. Kitten- Goodbye Honeymoon Phase
8. The Greeting Committee- I’m Afraid I’m Not Angry
9. Lil Peep- Goth Angel Sinner
10. Shredders- Great Hits

(Original image of the Art Ensemble of Chicago at the Chicago Jazz Festival by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Cory Wong- Motivational Music for the Syncopated Soul

I’ve long harbored a reverie about hanging out in off-the-strip Las Vegas taverns that feature old-school lounge acts.  Never having been to Sin City for anything but harried business trips as an adult, I don’t even know if joints like that still exist.  The sounds on Cory Wong’s Motivational Music for the Syncopated Soul are precisely what I have in mind.  The opening track could be a collaboration between Bruno Mars and Snarky Puppy.  Other selections sound as if members of Celine Dion’s pit band are on a woozy jazz bender.  “Today I’m Gonna Get Myself a Real Job” resembles an outtake from the score of La La Land while “Starting Line” is cheesy chorus line-style pop.  The pep talk freakout “Compassion Pass”- “you’ll never be as good at being Pat Metheny as Pat Metheny is at being Pat Metheny”- is worthy of prime Was (Not Was).  Much like Las Vegas, Motivational Music for the Syncopated Soul is garishly tacky and curiously beguiling.


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I  featured tracks by Jay McShann, Drugs and Attics, Anderson.Paak and Solange on a Best Music of 2019 (So Far) segment on KCUR’s Up To Date.

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I made a contentious appearance on 90.9 The Bridge’s Thursdays with Timothy Finn show.

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I write weekly concert previews for The Kansas City Star.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

March Recap

Top Five Performances
1. The Big Ears Festival
My capsule reviews of 30 sets.
2. Leikeli47- Encore Room
My Instagram clip.
3. Metallica- Sprint Center
My review.
4. Ryan Keberle & Catharsis- Mod Gallery
My review.
5. Eric Church- Sprint Center
My review.

Top Five Albums
1. Solange- When I Get Home
I no longer pine for new music from Erykah Badu.
2. Little Simz- Grey Area
A true boss.
3. Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom- Glitter Wolf
Delirious chamber jazz.
4. Willie Clayton- Excellence
Take me to the river.
5. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah- Ancestral Recall
Generational brilliance.

Top Five Songs
1. Townes Van Zandt- “Sky Blue”
Buried treasure.
2. 2 Chainz with Kendrick Lamar- “Momma I Hit a Lick”
I want it, I want it, I want it.
3. The Wild Reeds- “Moving Target”
Garage-rock perfection.
4. Zara McFarlane- "East of the River Nile”
New life for an Augustus Pablo gem.
5. Nick Lowe- “Love Starvation”
Pure pop for old people.

I conducted the same exercise in January and February.

(Original image of Dwight Andrews and Leo Wadada Smith at the Big Ears Festival by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Solange- When I Get Home

How I detested A Seat at the Table!   I didn’t hear what others claimed to like about Solange’s 2016 breakout album.  While I’ve admired Solange for more than a decade, I’m hardly a Stan of Beyoncé’s sister.  That’s why I’m enormously pleased to report that Solange has realized her potential with When I Get Home.  The new album equals or betters efforts by like-minded neo-soul and progressive jazz artists including the Internet, Flying Lotus, Robert Glasper and SZA.   While it doesn’t contain any so-called “bops” (ugh), When I Get Home represents everything I love about the current musical moment even as it recalls the seminal work of Stevie Wonder and Erykah Badu.  And no, I haven’t watched the accompanying album-length video.


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I reviewed the first of Eric Church’s two concerts at the Sprint Center for The Kansas City Star.

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I reviewed Norman Brown’s The Highest Act of Love at Plastic Sax.

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I write weekly concert previews for The Kansas City Star.

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Bluegrass giant Mac Wiseman has died.

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Jazz guitarist Ed Bickert has died.

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Mark Hollis of Talk Talk has died.

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Drummer Andy Anderson has died.

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André Previn has died.  What a life!  I’ve long employed his solo piano improvisations as sublime background music.

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The jazz critic and producer Ira Gitler has died.

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Zara McFarlane’s four interpretations of Augustus Pablo’s “East of the River Nile” are positioned at the precise center of my musical wheelhouse. 

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Offset’s Father of 4 is so weak that I’m embarrassed for the rapper and for myself for intently listening to all 58 minutes of it.  Here’s “Quarter Milli”.

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Guitarist Julian Lage, bassist Jorge Roeder and drummer Dave King are in thrall of Ornette Coleman on the thorny Love Hurts.  I love it, of course.  Here’s “Tomorrow Is the Question”.

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While attending the rock festival isn’t at the top of my bucket list, I’m consistently impressed by the scale of Rocklahoma.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Concert Review: Michael Angelo at RecordBar

I told the organizers of the Outer Reaches festival that I was extremely anxious about Michael Angelo Nigro’s momentous appearance at their event.  The obscure Kansas City musician who performs as Michael Angelo seems flighty in a 10-minute documentary released last year.

I had the gall to share my concern with Michael Angelo when I encountered him on the sidewalk outside RecordBar prior to his show on Saturday.  When I told him that I didn't know what to expect, he replied that “I don’t know, either.”

His uncertainty was understandable.  The booking was only the second time he’d performed the songs from his recently rediscovered 1976 and 1977 albums and the first time he would air the material in his hometown.  He told the audience of about 75 that “you guys are kind of in a historic moment here.”

Accompanied by guitarist Rusty Crewse and drummer Paul Allee, Michael Angelo played bass and sang during a 45-minute set that sounded untainted by the musical developments of the last 40 years.  The trio recalled the spiritual jangle-pop of Chris Bell’s “I Am the Cosmos” on a couple wondrous selections.  A rendition of “Sorcerer’s Delight” was appropriately freaky.  A novelty song Michel Angelo described as an homage to Tin Pan Alley broke up the heaviness of selections that evoked early Rush.

While it was a bumpy ride, I enjoyed the brief excursion to 1977.


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An Amos Lee concert obliterated my modest expectations last week. Here’s my review.

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I reviewed a concert by Leon Bridges and Lianne La Havas.

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I discussed Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle on KCUR last week.

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

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I address Kansas City’s “jazz dick music” controversy at Plastic Sax.

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Neville Marriner has died.

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Kashif Saleem has died.

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Rockabilly cat Joe Clay has died.  (Tip via BGO.)

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I know the Kansas City rapper Brotha Newz as a high school teacher.  Here’s his high-concept video.

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I have yet to decide if Danny Brown’s Atrocity Exhibition is good or great.  There’s no debating ”Really Doe”- it’s an instant classic.

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Prince lives!  Eric Benét channels the master on “Insane”.

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A play-in-reverse-sequence function on audio playback devices would make chronologically precise compilations that cover expansive time frames such as Pat Thomas’ excellent Coming Home: Original Ghanaian Highlife & Afrobeat Classics, 1964-1981 more accessible.  (Tip via Big Steve.)

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I had a quasi-religious experience while listening to a track from Mother of Light, a forthcoming album by Isabel Bayrakdarian.

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The British jazz scene is on fire.  Neil Cowley Trio’s astounding Spacebound Apes is RIYL: Bad Plus, art-rock, Brad Mehldau Trio.  Here’s ”The City and the Stars”.

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”Change Me” is my favorite song on Tamela Mann’s disappointing new One Way album.

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T.I.’s Us Or Else EP is essential.  Here’s ”Warzone”.  RIYL: Woody Guthrie, thoughtful discourse, Run the Jewels.

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A Seat at the Table, Solange's latest release, sounds like Dirty Projectors filtered through Cornel West.

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While charming, John Prine’s new duets album For Better, Or Worse doesn’t hold a candle to In Spite of Ourselves.  Here’s ”Color of the Blues”.

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I’m trying to wrap my head around Timothy Brownie’s The Ritual Experience at La Guardia Del Maestro, Mexico City.  Here’s a rapturous interpretation of Mark Ronson’s ”Daffodils”.

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I roll my eyes every time I encounter the meaningless compliment “he/she did his/her thing.”  Yet I find myself wanting to employ the irritating cliché to Madeleine Peyroux’s Secular Hymns.  Her imaginative interpretation of an Allen Toussaint classic illustrates the point.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)