Woke Up an Optimist: The Best Albums, Songs and Shows of 2015

The 50 Top Albums of 2015 (Spotify playlist)

1. Kendrick Lamar- To Pimp a Butterfly
2. Jill Scott- Woman
3. Rudresh Mahanthappa- Bird Calls
4. Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle- Live in Kansas City
5. Vince Staples- Summertime ‘06
6. Valentina Lisitsa- Plays Philip Glass
7. Ghostface Killah and Badbadnotgood- Sour Soul
8. Torche- Restarter
9. Lalah Hathaway- Live
10. Tech N9ne- Special Effects

11. Bilal- In Another Life
12. Marc Cary- Rhodes Ahead, Vol. 2
13. Mark Ronson- Uptown Special
14. Young Fathers- White Men Are Black Men Too
15. Jodeci- The Past, The Present, The Future
16. Mbongwana Star- From Kinshasa
17. Matthew Shipp Trio- The Conduct of Jazz
18. Jazmine Sullivan- Reality Show
19. Action Bronson- Mr. Wonderful
20. Alabama Shakes- Sound & Vision

21. Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba- Ba Power
22. The Game- The Documentary 2 and The Documentary 2.5
23. J.D. McPherson- Let the Good Times Roll
24. Downtown Boys- Full Communism
25. Bob Dylan- Shadows In the Night
26. Viet Cong- Viet Cong
27. Charles Gayle Trio- Christ Everlasting
28. Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment- Surf
29. Donny McCaslin- Fast Future
30. Dead Sara- Pleasure to Meet You

31. Charlie Hunter- Let the Bells Ring On
32. Matt Kane & the Kansas City Generations Sextet- Acknowledgement
33. Carlos Vives- Más Corazón Profundo Tour: En Vivo Desde La Bahía De Santa Marta
34. Miguel- Wildheart
35. Dwight Yoakam- Second Hand Heart
36. Seattle Symphony- Dutilleux 2
37. Thunderbitch- Thunderbitch
38. Chris Stapleton- Traveller
39. Angie Stone- Dream
40. Dominique Sanders- A True Story Based On…

41. Myra Melford- Snowy Egret
42. The Grisly Hand- Flesh & Gold
43. Omar Souleyman- Bahdeni Nami
44. The Cox Family- Gone Like the Cotton
45. Earl Sweatshirt- I Don’t Like Sh*t, I Don’t Go Outside
46. Deafheaven- New Bermuda
47. Tony Bennett and Bill Charlap- The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern
48. Kamasi Washington- The Epic
49. Samantha Fish- Wild Heart
50. Wilco- Star Wars

The Five Top EPs of 2015
1. Thundercat- Beyond/Where the Giants Roam
2. Myra Melford- Live At the Stone
3. Bummer- Spank
4. Ces Cru- Recession Proof
5. Wondaland Presents: The Eephus

The Five Top Reissues and Compilations of 2015
1. The Supreme Jubilees- It’ll All Be Over
2. Miles Davis- At Newport: 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4
3. Next Stop Soweto: Zulu Rock, Afro-Disco and Mbaqanga 1975-1985
4. Bob Dylan- The Cutting Edge 1965-1966
5. Thomas Mapfumo- Lion Songs: Essential Tracks in the Making of Zimbabwe

The 50 Top Songs of 2015 (Spotify playlist)

1. Kendrick Lamar- “Alright”
2. Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment- “Sunday Candy”
3. Rihanna, Kanye West and Paul McCartney- “FourFiveSeconds”
4. Tyrese- “Shame”
5. Tyler, the Creator with Kanye West and Lil Wayne- “Smuckers”
6. Lila Downs- “Balas y Chocolate”
7. Butch Walker- “21+”
8. Mark Ronson with Mystikal- “Feel Right”
9. Future- “Commas”
10. The Popper- “I’m KC”

11. Kenny Lattimore and Lalah Hathaway- “Nothing Like You”
12. Action Bronson with Chance the Rapper- “Baby Blue”
13. Bomba Estéreo- “Fiesta”
14. John Moreland- “Cherokee”
15. Courtney Barnett- “Dead Fox”
16. Venom- “Long Haired Punks”
17. Kanye West- “All Day”
18. Charlie Wilson- “Touched By an Angel”
19. Joywave- “Nice House”
20. Chedda Da Connect- “Flicka Da Wrist”

21. Miguel- “Coffee”
22. The Weeknd- “Can’t Feel My Face”
23. Big Sean with Drake and Kanye West- “Blessings”
24. Kim Burrell- “Thank You Jesus (That’s What He’s Done)”
25. The Go! Team- “The Scene Between”
26. Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear- “Silent Movies”
27. Chris Stapleton- “Whiskey and You”
28. Yelawolf- “Whiskey in a Bottle”
29. Fetty Wap- “My Way”
30. Lyfe Jennings- “#Hashtag”

31. Missy Elliott- “WTF (Where They From)”
32. E-40- “Choices (Yup)”
33. Youth Lagoon- “Highway Patrol Stun Gun”
34. Emily King- “Distance”
35. Ryan Bingham- “Fear and Saturday Night”
36. La Maquinaria Norteña- "Para Qué Amarte"
37. Father John Misty- “The Ideal Husband”
38. Dr*ke and Future- “Diamonds Dancing”
39. David Banner- “My Uzi”
40. Justin Bieber, Skrillex and Diplo- "Where Are Ü Now" 

41. Rihanna- “B*tch Better Have My Money”
42. Wolf Alice- “You’re a Germ”
43. Radkey- “Le Song”
44. Sleater-Kinney- “Bury Our Friends”
45. Beach Slang- “Bad Art & Weirdo Ideas”
46. José James- “Lover Man”
47. Sarah Ross- “Shotgun”
48. Young Thug with Birdman- “Constantly Hating”
49. Alan Jackson- “Angels and Alcohol”
50. Pops Staples- “Better Home”

The 50 Top Shows of 2015

1. Miguel- Midland theater
2. Chance the Rapper- Midland theater
3. Mark Dresser, Myra Melford and Matt Wilson- Take Five Coffee + Bar
4. Charlie Wilson- Sprint Center
5. Lee Konitz with the Dave Douglas Quintet- Jazz Standard (NYC)
6. Juan Gabriel- Sprint Center
7. The Rolling Stones- Arrowhead Stadium
8. Sufjan Stevens- Midland theater
9. Bobby Watson Quartet- Folly Theater
10. Tech N9ne- Rockfest at Penn Valley Park

11. Joyce DiDonato with the Philadelphia Orchestra- Carnegie Hall (NYC)
12. Merle Haggard- Uptown Theater
13. Tropicalisimo Apache- Barney Allis Plaza
14. Teddy Riley- Starlight Theatre, opening for Keith Sweat
15. Chris Brown- Sprint Center
16. Wichita Grand Opera’s Turnadot- Yardley Hall
17. Helmet- RecordBar
18. Diana Krall- Midland
19. Lauren Krum with the Project H- Westport Coffee House
20. Sleater-Kinney- Uptown Theater

21. Four Fists- Riot Room
22. Julian Davis- Living Room
23. Avishai Cohen, Tal Mashiach and Nasheet Waits- Take Five Coffee + Bar
24. Max Raabe and Palast Orchester- Helzberg Hall
25. Crobots- Rockfest at Penn Valley Park
26. Luke Bell- Riot Room patio
27. Ben Miller Band- Uptown Theater, opening for Blackberry Smoke
28. Bill Frisell- White Theatre
29. Peter Schlamb’s Electric Tinks- RecordBar
30. Hellyeah- Midland theater

31. Maroon 5- Sprint Center
32. Counterparts- Aftershock
33. Ebony Tusks- Riot Room patio
34. Delbert McClinton- Paola Roots Fest
35. Failure- Liberty Hall
36. Doug E. Fresh- Municipal Auditorium, for opening for Guy
37. Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7- Green Lady Lounge
38. Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle- Take Five Coffee + Bar
39. John Doe- Knuckleheads
40. Boots- Midland theater, opening for Run the Jewels

41. Noah Preminger Quartet- 55 Club (NYC)
42. Kansas City Symphony with Yafim Bronfman- Helzberg Hall
43. Duncan Burnett and the Ministry- Riot Room patio
44. Gregg Allman- Ameristar Casino
45. Radradriot- Records With Merritt
46. People’s Liberation Big Band- RecordBar
47. Smashing Pumpkins- Midland theater
48. Robert Randolph & the Family Band- Town Center Plaza
49. Todd Rundgren- VooDoo
50. Drop a Grand- The Brick

I compiled composed similar lists in 2014, 2013 (albums, songs and shows), 2012 (albums and songs and shows), 2011 (albums and songs and shows), 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007 (albums, songs and shows) and 2006.

(Original image of Juan Gabriel by There Stands the Glass.)

B.B. King, 1925-2015

The first B.B. King concert I attended altered the way I perceive culture and society.

My date and I were among the only white people in the balcony of the Uptown Theater in 1979 (people under the age of 18 weren’t allowed on the floor at the time). 

The demonstrative audience- they preferred co-headliner Bobby Bland to King- showed me how to become completely immersed in the music.  Nothing was the same for me after that night.

I noticed the changing complexion of King’s audience each time I saw him perform.  The transition seemed to have been fully realized at the final King show I attended.  The great man served as an opening act for Peter Frampton at a sad 2013 concert at the Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

The giant of American music died last week.


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I reviewed a concert by Samantha Fish and Katy Guillen and the Girls.

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I contributed a Local Listen segment about Behzod Abduraimov to KCUR.

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The Numero Group has issued a 1969 recording by the Kansas City band White Eyes. RIYL: Crosby Stills & Nash, psychedelics, Richie Furay.  Here’s an 81-second video promoting the find.

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Heidi Lynne Gluck’s The Only Girl in the Room is impressive.  RIYL: Jenny Lewis, winsomeness, M. Ward.

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Teddy Dibble shares a handful of avant-garde jazz albums from his collection.

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Bernard Sollman of ESP-Disk has died.

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I’m not ready to proclaim as Chris Stapleton as the best thing since Dolly Parton’s wig, but Traveller is pretty great.  RIYL: Waylon, the Sturgill Simpson of 2015, Willie.

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I’ve been born again.  The Supreme Jubilees’ recently reissued album “It’ll All Be Over” is that powerful.  Here’s the title track.

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A version of  ”True Trans Soul Rebel” featuring Laura Jane Grace and Miley Cyrus is kind of weak, but it makes me smile anyway.

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John Patitucci’s Brooklyn is surprisingly hip.  RIYL: Lionel Loueke, international cocktail jazz for 2015, Steve Cardenas.

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The world didn’t need Stone Sour’s Meanwhile In Burbank… but I’m glad the covers EP exists.  

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As far as I can tell, I’m the only person on the planet who’s heard Juneteenth, Stanley Cowell’s excellent new solo piano album.

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I listened to media sensation Joey Alexander’s debut album.  It’s fine.  The problem with the cycle of hype associated with jazz prodigies, of course, is that most are discarded when they hit their mid-twenties.  There’s no denying that the visual element is very compelling.

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Portions of Pops Staples’ posthumous Don’t Lose This are magnificent.

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I’d rather think about Zac Brown Band’s dabblings in EDM and heavy metal than listen to  Jeckyll + Hyde a second time.  ”Heavy Is the Head” is my favorite track.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)