k.d. lang- Sweet Little Cherokee

Gone to bed.

I hope to see k.d. lang for the first time when she sings in my town tonight. Can her celebrated voice really be that powerful and emotive? Here's a Western song from the much despised Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. I happen to like everything about the soundtrack. The film's incidental music and its sudden stylistic shifts are very entertaining.

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My friend Lee wrote a thoughtful post about the absurdity of jazz's "warrior squirrels" in the peanut gallery. I've used the saw about deck chairs on the Titanic; Lee is much more clever.

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Lee and I had only half-jokingly kidded about making a road trip to Branson to see Boots Randolph. Alas, we missed our chance. Here's Boots with Floyd Cramer, Roy Clark and local golfer Tom Watson.

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There's no way this video of a seven-year-old Beverly Sills will fail to make you smile. It's safe to say that any exposure to opera I received during my childhood came courtesy either Looney Tunes or Sills.

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Longtime personal favorites The Rubinoos are in the news! This video clip is pretty damning.

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Kansas City Click: k.d. lang and Lyle Lovett share the stage at Starlight tonight.

The Manhattans and the Spinners are scheduled to play Municipal Auditorium on Saturday.

Otts on the Plaza rocks every Sunday night. This week the noise comes courtesy of Six II Chaos and Tripp Algiers.

The New Birth- Down and Dirty

Clean

Although it's nice to hear that Sly Stone wants to take his show on the road, I won't hold my breathe. Besides, his innovations resonate everywhere. This 1970 track by the New Birth is obviously inspired by Stone, although it also hints at the Meters. Fans of Lil Mama's current hit might also appreciate the "We don't need no music" chant. "Down and Dirty" comes from this out-of-print collection and doesn't seem to be available elsewhere.

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I'm not prepared to offer a musical evaluation of the new T.I. release, but it gets my vote for the year's most attractive CD packaging. Pick it up and you'll see what I mean.

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Kansas City Click: Rich Berry brings acoustic blues to the Plaza tonight.

Jack DeJohnette- Ntoro II

The MP3 is gone.

Kathleen, a coworker at a record store, gave me this oddity as a birthday gift in 1989. While I was touched by the gesture, I detested the CD. What on earth was Jack DeJohnette, one of the world's great drummers, thinking when he recorded this project? I'm sure I hurt Kathleen's feelings with criticism of the recording's primitive synth tones and monotonous musings. Seventeen years later, it sounds groundbreaking and adventurous. Lester Bowie's trumpet work doesn't hurt, either. If you're out there, Kathleen- I'm sorry.

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My review of last night's show by the Goo Goo Dolls, Lifehouse and Colbie Caillat is here.

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Kansas City Click: Throw on your tie-dye and head down to Jazz (the old Jimmy's Jigger) for Yossarian's Lament.

The Way I Live: Midway 2007

TOP 20 SHOWS
I've had the good fortune of attending over fifty shows comprising over 175 performances in the first half of 2007. These are my twenty favorites. Roy Hargrove renewed my faith in the viability of traditional acoustic jazz. Charlie Louvin gave it his all for 25 people. I'm still smiling. Blood flowed during Drowning Pool's brief set.

1. Roy Hargrove- Folly Theater
2. Charlie Louvin- Grand Emporium
3. Drowning Pool- Rockfest at Liberty Memorial (Same show fan footage)
4. Arturo Sandoval- Jazz In the Woods
5. Alison Krauss & Union Station- Starlight Theater
6. Albert Hammond, Jr.- Uptown Theater (Same show fan footage)
7. John McEuen- Mountain Music Shoppe
8. Ronnie Milsap- Kemper Arena (Same show fan footage)
9. Social Distortion- Beaumont Club
10. Burden Brothers- Rockfest (Same show fan footage)
11. Christina Aguilera- Kemper Arena (Same show fan footage)
12. Lynda Randle- Kemper Arena
13. Sean Lennon- Grand Emporium (Same show fan footage)
14. Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers- The Hurricane
15. OK Jones- house party
16. Bowling For Soup- Grand Emporium (Same show fan footage)
17. Ziggy Marley- Crossroads (Same show fan footage)
18. Hubert Sumlin with Kenny Wayne Shepherd- Uptown Theater
19. The Elders- Uptown Theater
20. Jack Ingram- Verizon Amphitheater


SONGS
These twenty songs are insanely wonderful. I limited my selections to songs that have received airplay on commercial radio and television. The exceptions are "Sirens" and "45"; I'm only pretending they're actual hits.

1. Dizzee Rascal- "Sirens"
2. Lil Mama- "Lip Gloss"
3. Rich Boy- "Throw Some D's"
4. Amy Winehouse- "Rehab"
5. Gerald Levert- "In My Songs"
6. Juan Luis Guerra- "La Llave De Mi Corazon
7. White Stripes- "Icky Thump"
8. Spoon- "The Underdog"
9. Jason Aldean- "Johnny Cash"
10. Baby Boy Da Prince- "The Way I Live"
11. James Morrison- "You Give Me Something"
12. Tim Armstrong- "Into Action"
13. Albert Hammond, Jr.- "In Transit"
14. Miranda Lambert- "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"
15. The Saturday Knights- "45"
16. Anthony Hamilton- "Struggle No More"
17. Modest Mouse- "Dashboard"
18. Jake Owen- "Startin' With Me"
18. Beyonce- "Irreemplazable"
20. Lil Flip and Lyfe Jennings- "Ghetto Mindstate"


TOP 20 ALBUMS
While I'm in love with each of the songs listed above, not a single one of these albums completely floors me.

1. Robert Glasper- In My Element
2. The Frames- The Cost
3. Autumn Defense- Autumn Defense
4. Angelique Kidjo- Djin Djin
5. Pendergast- Between the Bottle and the Pulpit
6. White Stripes- Icky Thump
7. Lil Flip- I Need Mine
8. Beyonce- B'Day 2.0
9. OK Jones- Elephantoms
10. Modest Mouse- We Were Dead Before Before the Ship Even Sank
11. Wynton Marsalis- From Plantation To the Penitentiary
12. James Morrison- Undiscovered
13. Alison Krauss- A Hundred Miles Or More
14. Dino Saluzzi and Anja Lechner- Ojos Negros
15. Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life
16. Arcade Fire- Neon Bible
17. Society's Parasites- Society's Parasites
18. Kenny Wayne Shepherd- 10 Days Out
19. Paul Motian- Time and Time Again
20. John Hammond- Push Comes To Shove

Lee Perry and Mad Professor- Heads of Government

Overthrown.

There's been near-constant rainfall in my city for two days. The deluge may foil my plans to hijack the sound system at tonight's outdoor show by 311 and Matisyahu. I want to turn the kids in the audience on to vintage dub, roots rock reggae and the rantings of Lee "Scratch" Perry. I might lead off with this gleaming, oddly artificial approach to Perry's universe. It's from the out-of-print Black Ark Experryments.

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Conner, one of the Midwest's most promising bands, is playing their last show Saturday. It's too bad. I thought their overtly commercial sound gave them a real shot at breakout success.

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Kansas City Click: I'll be with 311 and Matisyahu in Westport tonight.

Children's music act The Terrible Twos are at the Reading Reptile in Brookside on Saturday afternoon. They're an offshoot of the New Amsterdams. Get up, kids!

Italian jazz pianist Roberto Magris plays Sunday at the Blue Room.

Rodney Crowell- I Wish It Would Rain

Dry.

Rodney Crowell plays a free concert in Olathe, Kansas, Friday night. I know from attending previous events in the series that hundreds of people walk over from nearby houses. I suspect that many will be in for a surprise when they encounter the increasingly politicized Crowell. If he's feeling particularly contrary, Crowell might sing this devastating song about a male prostitute for the suburban audience. Crowell, one of the greatest living country-based songwriters, has never been more artistically relevant. The Houston Kid, released in 2001, might even be his best album. Here's a video of a live performance of the same song.

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A generous soul has uploaded 156 78s to YouTube. There's a lot of European stuff that's brand new to me.

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Kansas City Click: Mavis Staples' tour in support of We'll Never Turn Back comes to the Folly Theater tonight.

Will Bernard Trio- Hall of Science

Closed.

I spend a lot of time trying to divine the future of jazz. Does the music belong to Wynton Marsalis? Is it all up to Roy Hargrove? Or is it in the hands of noisy but groove-oriented guys like Will Bernard and his some-time collaborator Charlie Hunter? The guitarist has a new release on Palmetto Records. Directions To My House is a self-released project from 2005. "Hall of Science" shows that Bernard works in a slightly different stream than Bill Frisell and Marc Ribot. This murky video with Bernard, Stanton Moore and Lonnie Smith might provide additional answers to these questions.

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When I excitedly sent an audio link of "Lip Gloss" to a few of my pals several months ago they told me I was foolish to assert that the song- little more than a beat and a playground chant- would be one of the biggest songs of the year. It's currently #10 on Billboard's Top 100. On the other hand, I can't believe that his record company allowed Chris Brown to release the horrendous Wall To Wall. What a self-absorbed mess!

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Kansas City Click: Blowfly is at the Record Bar tonight? No disrespect, but I didn't realize he was even alive. Sure enough, here's a live fan video from 2005. The Pornhuskers (NSFW) are the ideal opening act.

Ronnie Milsap- Old Habits Are Hard To Break

Broken.

As I began to prepare a mid-year survey post for this site, I ranked the most memorable live performances of the dozens of acts I've seen so far in 2007. Amazingly, Ronnie Milsap's effort opening for George Strait ranks near the top. I had expected the former star to be washed up. Boy, was I wrong. As I wrote at the time, it was as if Elvis was still alive. This is a John Hiatt song from the out-of-print Back To the Grindstone. Since it's clearly a throw-away number, Milsap feels free to invest it with a loose, swampy vocal.

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Uh oh. I didn't sense a rush to pick up the Kelly Clarkson at retail today. It's too bad- I like the girl.

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I swooned when I heard "Change of Heart" for the first time in at least five years yesterday. Man, it's hard to believe that Petty once ruled the rock world.

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Kansas City Click: Sara Borges, a tough honky tonk angel, is at Knuckleheads tonight.

J Mascis & The Fog- Tell the Truth

The truth was told.

I'm pleased to see that Dinosaur Jr are making a well-deserved victory lap, and I look forward to hearing Beyond, which was released on April 30. During the band's hiatus. J Mascis continued refining the band's sound on solo albums like the out-of-print Free So Free from 2002. "Tell the Truth" contains the key elements- Mascis' exhausted whine hiding behind the monolithic guitar sound that merges the Ramones and Boston.

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Arturo Sandoval brought the funk to the most unlikely of places Saturday night. My review is here. I write nice things about Friday's smooth jazz show here.

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Kansas City Click: I mocked Shurman in this space a few weeks ago. While I'll stand by my claim that they're entirely derivative, that doesn't mean that the country-rock band isn't very good at what they do. And given the right set of circumstances, Shurman is more than capable of delivering rock'n'roll salvation every time they plug in. The hard-touring band is at Mike's Tavern tonight.

Arturo Sandoval- Alo Chicoy

Thanks, Arturo!

This oddity is the most obscure Arturo Sandoval title I own. It was recorded with a Cuban band in London two years before the jazz trumpeter defected to the United States. The dated funk-fusion might shock trad jazz fans, but it shows that Sandoval's showy bluster was in full effect prior to his relative mainstream stardom. I once saw Sandoval participate in a festival's Q-and-A session. He's quite the salty character. This video shows a side of Sandoval familiar to today's audiences. This routine is equal parts Jackie Gleason, Dizzy Gillespie and Robin Williams.

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How old am I? Old enough to relate to every word of Bucky Covington's "A Different World". How young am I? Young enough to know that bitter nostalgia is for losers.

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I've neglected to link to my review of Rockfest. The raging live version of Drowning Pool's "Bodies" resonates with me two weeks later.

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Kansas City Click: Merle flippin' Haggard is at the VooDoo tonight.

Sandoval and Eldar share the stage Saturday at Jazz In the Woods.

How 'bout the Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash at the Record Bar on Sunday? Howard Iceberg & the Titanics open.

Keith Richards and the Band- Deuce and a Quarter

Spent.

I didn't recognize the name Richard Bell when I first spotted news of his death. So I was amazed when I looked into his discography. He worked with a vast array of artists- from Janis Joplin to the Blue Aeroplanes. Bell and Garth Hudson play keyboards on this star-studded session that served as an overdue appreciation of Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana. Man, I love Keith, but pairing him with Levon Helm, one of the greatest voices in popular music, just isn't fair. All the King's Men, released in 1997, is out of print.

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Robert Johnson fans need to see this great video interpretation of his most definitive song.

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Has anyone else noticed that "Icky Thump" is obviously based on this AC/DC song? The crunch, the bagpipes, the rawk- it's all there.

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Kansas City Click: Few landmark artists are responsible for as much horrific music as Little Stevie Winwood. Let's hope he sticks to the (plentiful) good stuff tonight at the Uptown.

Bela Fleck- John Hardy

John moved on.

Bela Fleck disappoints me. I've long asserted that he's capable of producing some of the most interesting music of our time. I consider him a genius. Yet most of his projects seem like dead ends. The cheesy EPK for his new collaboration with Chick Corea is a flaming red flag to me. While I have a weakness for jazz fusion that's rarely displayed in this space, I wish Fleck would spend more time in settings like Tabula Rasa. The out-of-print 1994 session with V.M. Bhatt is amazing. "John Hardy" is its most straightforward piece.

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I drool all over Alison Krauss here.

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Every single male friend I spoke to yesterday asked me if I'd picked up Icky Thump. Either I need to expand my circle of pals or the White Stripes are going to trounce Bon Jovi, Brad Paisley and Huey in their debut week. And yeah- of course I bought it.

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Kansas City Click: The Tennessee Three are at Knuckleheads tonight.

Lonnie Plaxico- Squib Cakes

Crumbs.

Melange is one of many stigmatized titles from the last of the days in which major labels still issued mainstream jazz recordings. Just because a release was ill-conceived as a commercial product shouldn't make the music it contains any less appealing. More jazz artists would be well-advised to subscribe to the same flexible approach as Lonnie Plaxico. He plays both electric and acoustic bass and throws top-tier talent including Lew Soloff and Tim Ries into loose but serious settings. "Squib Cakes" is just one of many MP3s also available at Plaxico's site.

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I spotted Wolfmother hanging out at a casino's buffet this afternoon. I was tempted to introduce myself and talk about tips for maintaining big hair, but I left them alone.

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Kansas City Click: Alison Krauss and Union Station are at Starlight tonight. I'll be there, too.

Denyce Graves- Dido & Aeneas

Farewell.

I return with a cleansed palate. And while I have no intention of curating an opera blog, I can't help but share this devastating slice of beauty. Henry Purcell's dramatic composition with Denyce Graves' rich voice just floors me. I would propose that this piece be played at my funeral, but my passing surely won't merit such divine elegance. Everything on Voce di Donna is similarly lustrous.

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While on vacation, I submitted to the music tastes of my companions- Joss Stone, the Rolling Stones, jazz "mood" compilations, generic Colorado jam bands and High School Musical were in heavy rotation. I did spend some time exploring the radio dial. I came across a AAA station that's far less jam-oriented than its site suggests. They aired Little Milton, the Replacements, Elvis Costello and Linda Thompson in the brief time I monitored them.

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Kansas City Click: It's been a while since I made note of the weekly Rural Grit jam session at the Brick. I'm still working up the courage to present my interpretation of Nashville Skyline.

Ass Ponys- I Love Bob

Bob's a jerk.

If I knew what was bad for me, I'd be sleeping off some pain in a St. Louis Econo Lodge right now. Twangfest is in full swing and I'm missing all the fun. Acts with a country tinge perform for a merry band of like-minded fans at the annual festival. Graham Parker, Elizabeth Cook, Two Car Garage and Wussy are among this year's artists. Wussy is the current project of Chuck Cleaver. Of the Ohioan's many talents, his greatest gift may be his knack for names and titles. As leader of the Ass Ponys he's responsible for two of best album titles in the history of pop- Electric Rock Music and Some Stupid With a Flare Gun. This tale of sadism is from the aptly titled Grim.

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Most of you are probably already familiar with most of the concepts detailed in this article about artist-owned record labels. Still, I appreciate the reporter's broad net- he interviews musicians ranging from Tracy Lawrence to Joe Pernice.

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Freddie Scott died Monday. Here's an unusual presentation of a Freddie Scott song.

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Kansas City Click:

The Gladstone BluesFest is organized and operated by happy people. Bernard Allison headlines today. Jimmy Thackery plays last on Saturday.

Fifteen heavy rock and metal acts perform at this year's Rock Fest at Liberty Memorial on Saturday.

George Jones may show up Sunday at Ameristar Casino.

Elvis Crespo- Mi Sol, Mi Luna

Twilight.

I love most of the music blogs linked in the right column of this page. It's only natural that several are curated by guys who share my general sensibilities. The most valuable sites, however, inform and educate me about areas in which I'm not expert. La Onda Tropical is among this group. The site has recently spotlighted the new release by merengue vocalist Elvis Crespo. In typically measured but enthusiastic fashion, the site notes that while Crespo's new single is even more shamelessly pop-oriented than ever, it's nonetheless excellent. Here's rough video evidence. If only all music writing was so open-minded and receptive to commercial sounds. This is an impeccable dance vehicle from Crespo's Wow Flash.

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When Jason at The Pitch asked me to name my favorite summer songs- both current and old- I quickly responded with a childhood favorite and Rich Boy's smash hit. My selections better anyone's save area raconteur Brandon Phillips' picks. They're listed here.

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Kansas City Click: It's opening day for this year's massive Wakarusa festival. It's awfully warm outside...

Priestess- The Shakes

Still.

I was both surprised and pleased to discover that Priestess have a track on Surf's Up. The soundtrack for the animated movie was released yesterday. It's a unlikely mix of predictable material ("What I Like About You") and inspired genius (Bob Wills). I saw Priestess open for Zakk Wylde a few months ago. While the heavy Canadian band didn't exactly win the rough crowd over, they managed not to come under physical attack- a real possibility with the surly audience. Priestess' Hello Master is a uniformly excellent but wildly varied mix of old-school metal, stoner rock and Nuggets-inspired garage trash.

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I can't imagine Merle Haggard watching GAC's new program about the planning of Kenny Chesney's summer tour without smashing his television. Although I applaud the effort country stars are making in catching up with the showmanship of their rock counterparts, Chesney's obviously not allowing for a moment of spontaneity in his shows. The documentary offers fascinating insights into a very odd mindset.

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Yesterday's big new releases in my little niche of music retail world are Rihanna, T-Pain and Carl Thomas.

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The vocals on "Underdog," the new song by Spoon that's floating around, sound uncannily like Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy. It's wonderful.

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I'm digging jazz drummer Kendrick Scott's new music.

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Kansas City Click: It makes me so happy to see that the brilliant Brother Ali is in MTV's rotation. He's at the Record Bar tonight.

Joe Pass- Corcovado

Passed.

As I read news reports and editorial hand-wringings about the controversy regarding a CD that would mark a milestone anniversary at Yoshi's jazz club, I was distracted by a small detail. That Joe Pass had two tracks on the planned release momentarily stunned me. "I thought he died years ago," I mumbled. It was with a confusing jumble of emotions that I checked into the status of the jazz guitarist. He did, in fact, pass away in 1994. Here's a sublime take on Jobim's "Corcovado" recorded in 1974 at Donte's, another California jazz venue. It's available on Resonance.

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I saw Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Jake Owen and Catherine Britt perform on Sunday night. My review is here.

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Kansas City Click: One of my friends recently recommended 90 Minutes. It's totally out of character for my pal to suggest a commercial cover band, so I'm sure they have something special going on. They're at Jerry's Bait Shop in Lenexa tonight.

Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez- Extra

Less.

Two eerily similar shows are in my town tonight. Both song-oriented concerts pair a pretty, lush-voiced woman with a gritty young man. The biggest difference between the two events isn't music; it's the price. The few remaining tickets for Norah Jones and M. Ward at the Music Hall start at $50.00. It costs $13.00 to get into Knuckleheads for Carrie Rodriguez and Tim Easton. Rodriguez first attracted attention nationally through her work with Chip Taylor. This bawdy song is from the duo's Let's Leave This Town. Rodriguez may not ever achieve Jones' level of success; it's much more likely that Jones will be playing similar roadhouses twenty years from now.

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Ziggy Stardust has nothing on Edgar Winter. He has to be the most physically striking rock star ever. I took this photo of Winter over the weekend as he cranked out "Frankenstein." You really need to experience this video.

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Kansas City Click: Details on tonights Rodriguez/Easton show are here.

Bush Tetras- Sister Midnight

Bedtime.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the Bush Tetras are still active. Countless bands- including the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Gossip- have incorporated the Bush Tetra's icy funk into their sound. I saw the "No Wave" band open for X and for the Clash in the early '80s. Their Ritual EP received a lot of dorm room spins during that era. Their convincing contribution to We Will Fall: The Iggy Pop Tribute demonstrates their dark appeal. So does this insightful video.

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This video of Myra Taylor confirms a few of my observations about both the inimitable star and behavior at area clubs. Taylor loves to talk. That's usually a good thing, because she's hilarious. And it's almost impossible to get local audiences to STFU. That still doesn't excuse "shushers," who are almost as annoying as oblviouis yackers. For the record, withering stares work best.

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Kansas City Click: I hope you signed up for free Bob Schneider tickets. He's tonight at the Crossroads. Blackpool Lights and OK Jones at the Hurricane are a great backup plan in case of rain.

Another free ride is on tap Saturday. Edgar Winter and Shooting Star are at a Shawnee festival.

I don't intend to miss Alan Jackson on Sunday night at Verizon. This song is among the best mainstream country hits of the new millennium. Brooks & Dunn also perform.

Jerry Granelli- Time Recovered

Time's up.

Jazz drummer Jerry Granelli is responsible for some of the most interesting music of the last few decades. Don't believe me? Granelli drummed for Vince Guaraldi on a few of the Charlie Brown soundtracks. And he recorded an album with Buck 65 in 1999. The new The Sonic Temple, featuring the guitar of David Tronzo, was released last month. And there's no telling where this composition is going in its first twelve seconds. Is it Pink Floyd? Ennio Morricone? Granelli is smart like that. Julian Priester's trombone, Anthony Cox's insane bass, David Friedman's vibes and Jane Ira Bloom's soprano complement the veteran throughout 1994's vivid Another Place.

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I can't begin to express how much this pains me. I have no intention of purchasing Live In Dublin on Tuesday. For years I collected everything connected to Bruce Springsteen- from Joe Grushecky albums to tons of bootlegs. I just don't connect to the sound of his big folk band- and I'm part of the target audience. I grew up with Bruce's music and I also have a healthy collection of Pete Seeger albums and CDs. The last straw was when just four months after the street date of The Seeger Sessions, Bruce released an "expanded" product that rendered my original DualDisc version inferior. Now I'm supposed to buy both a double CD and a DVD of this new live recording? My life as a Bruce completist ends here.

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Kansas City Click: Son Venezuela are at the Blue Room. What'll they do for a dance floor?

Marty Brown- Honky Tonk Special

Closing time.

Hey, whatever happened to Marty Brown? The country traditionalist hasn't released an album since 1996. There's pitifully little information available about the man. I recall that 60 Minutes once aired an incredibly condescending feature on Brown's "hillbilly" ways. Maybe it crushed his spirit. It's too bad, because Brown might have prospered with the No Depression crowd if only he'd stuck with it. This moralistic Hank-inflected song is from his 1991 debut.

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I'm very fond of The New Tragedies. Fans of Rumours' unforgettable melodies and harrowing personal politics will love the two samples the Kansas City duo is offering from their forthcoming Souvenirs EP.

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Kansas City Click: Megan Birdsall is at Jardine's. The curious are advised to audition her interpretation of "Dear Prudence."

Maria Muldaur- Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You

Maria's moved on.

I have tremendous respect for every musician who keeps working long after his or her "moment" has passed. In many cases- Bryan Ferry, Sonny Rollins, Solomon Burke, Charlie Rich and Bettye LaVette come to mind- some of the artists' best work arrived decades after the hits quit coming. Maria Muldaur plays a modest bar in my town tonight. I've seen her perform in similar venues; she's fantastic. Here she is forty years ago. I wonder how many people in that coffeehouse expected Muldaur would still be on the road in 2007. I suspect that she's not motivated by money; Muldaur seems to be in it for all the right reasons. On the excellent 1983 release Sweet and Low, Muldaur is backed by two separate bands. One's headed up by Dr. John. Kenny Barron leads Seldon Powell, Ben Riley and Michael Moore on the standard heard here.

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The new R. Kelly is flying off of retail store shelves today.

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I saw Shrek the Third over the weekend. My favorite bit may have been seeing a warring Snow White roaring Zep's "Immigrant Song." Damien Rice's "9 Crimes" is also featured.

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Kansas City Click: Go see Maria Muldaur at Knuckleheads.

Steve Coleman- Cinema Saga

End credits.

A typically insightful series of posts about '90s jazz at Destination: Out put me in mind of Steve Coleman. The bandleader was once the recipient of glowing praise in publications like the Village Voice. The profiles hailed Coleman as the embodiment of jazz's future. Accordingly, I bought Sine Die with high expectations. I instantly despised it. I was certain that the synths, funk elements and a female vocalist's crazy ramblings weren't jazz at all. As Dylan sang, "I was so much older then; I'm younger than that now." In my first listen to the album in an least a decade, I found I now enjoy the funk and the experimental synths. And that girl singer? Her name is Cassandra Wilson! The release is far from perfect; but it's certainly not the ridiculous embarrassment I first took it for.

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My friend Mike uncovered this ancient trailer for The Deliquents. It's Robert Altman's first film. The trailer is mandatory viewing for anyone who decries the corruption of today's youth.

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I receive many of same publicist emails as hundreds of other music bloggers. I welcome seeing how artists are positioned. For the most part, though, I defer such opportunities to the bloggers constantly focused on the next big thing. They're often eager to follow the directives of publicists. Lay Low seems to be an exception. Very few blogs are responding to a publicity push on behalf of the young Icelandic. Maybe most bloggers consider Lay Low too derivative of Jolie Holland and Emiliana Torrini. Or perhaps she's too bluesy for their tastes. That's too bad; Lay Low sounds pretty great to me.

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Kansas City Click: I've decided that I won't attend another show like today's Unsane gig at the Record Bar until I buy a pair of steel-reinforced shoes. I'm tired of getting my toes crushed at hardcore and punk shows.

Carey Bell, 1936-2007

R.I.P.

I just learned that Chicago bluesman Carey Bell died May 6. He's heard to great effect on this Muddy Waters song. The tough 1988 performance serves as a reminder that Bell was one of the greats. Brought Up the Hard Way is just one of many excellent Bell titles. I also recommend this live video.

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Fans of Mac Lethal and P.O.S. will be pleased by this newly uploaded YouTube video.

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Forget the iPhone. Unless pending legislation dooms Pandora, their new deal with Sprint promises to make me very happy.

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I was pleased to snag the free live EP by The Black Keys at their MySpace page. "Girl Is On My Mind" is especially fine.

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Kansas City Click: It may be hard to muster much enthusiasm for Bow Wow, but it'd be a kick to see how Mims delivers the biggest song of the year tonight at Starlight.

I have to be in a certain mood to appreciate The McFadden Brothers. They're old-school entertainers, so it helps to pretend you've been transported to Vegas circa 1961. They play two sets Saturday night at the Blue Room.

Two terrific jazz acts play free outdoor gigs on the Plaza Sunday afternoon. Listen for Ida McBeth and Gerald Spaits.

O.C.- Constables

Arrested.

My favorite new song of 2007 is Dizzee Rascal's "Sirens". The apocalyptic burst of noise perfectly captures the zeitgeist. That's not to say it's entirely original. The similarities between "Sirens" and O.C.'s "Constables" are striking. Both songs use sirens and paranoid repetition. The narrators convey a sense of impending doom as they're being hunted in a hostile environment. The only real difference is that O.C.'s sound is informed by jazz, whereas Dizzee's grime is based on the squalling of acts like Public Image, Ltd. My suspicion that Dizzee is swiping O.C.'s ideas makes me appreciate him even more. "Constables" is on Word... Life, O.C.'s coveted out-of-print classic from 1994.

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It's "International Talk Like Bob Dylan Day." The official site is so dodgy that I won't link to it. But it's there that I found this ridiculously accurate Bob Dylan impersonator.

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My friend BGO uncovered the single most entertaining music video ever. You won't believe it.

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Kansas City Click: The Grand Emporium features pure pop for now people tonight. Jon Yeager and OK Jones both craft smart, radio-ready music.

Paul Motian- The Riot Act

Peace and quiet.

Drummer Paul Motian has made several albums with Joe Lovano and Bill Frisell. I find them endlessly frustrating. Based on the talent and imagination of the three men, their work together should best all other improvisational jazz. This track from I Have the Room Above Her is typical. Frisell makes interesting noise, Lovano takes it a step further. All the while Motian pushes and pulls. It's fun to hear, but it contains little emotional resonance.

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Young Jeezy's mix CD U.S.D.A.: Cold Summer and Trill Fam were the big new releases yesterday in my corner of the music retail world.

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I've called on individual Virgin stores as well as their corporate headquarters. Aside from the occasional difficulty in pinning a stray buyer down, they were always cool. And as much as I like their massive stores, I always wondered how they made a profit. Chicago was always my favorite location. It's closing.

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Kansas City Click: Although we don't get many chances to see Morrissey in these parts, I'm kind of interested in catching Brian Auger tonight at the Grand Emporium instead. Even though Auger now looks and sounds like this instead of this, he promises to be more fun that that Morrissey mope.

The Nice- Bonnie K

She's gone.

I found myself at a Greyboy Allstars concert Saturday night. The music between sets consisted mostly of Northern soul, reggae dub and the Meters. It was great background music for a gorgeous night under a crescent moon. When an organ-based prog song slipped into the mix, it felt all wrong to me. But it perked up hundreds in the audience made up largely of nouveau hippies in their '20s. It might have been a Booker T. song that I'd never encountered. Or it could have been the Nice. This is my favorite song by Keith Emerson's old band; it's more grungy blues than silly pomp. It's on several compilations, including Nice Hits Nice Bits.

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My friend B. just raved to me about his great experiences at the big 50s festival in Wisconsin last week. He said one of the highlights was Big Jay McNeely. It sounds like it was even wilder than this.

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Kansas City Click: Dennis Winslett is at the Blue Room tonight.

Ce Ce Peniston- House Party

The party's over.

I'm Movin' On makes me feel a little bit guilty. Ce Ce Peniston was enjoying a fine dance music career. She had big hits like "Finally". Then she made me happy by shifting into a more conventional R&B style. But I guess I was about the only person she pleased with the change.

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Thanks to Office Naps, I have a new favorite song- Junior Parker's reading of "Tomorrow Never Knows."

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My thoughts are with you, Bo Diddley.

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Kansas City Click: Mac Lethal claims he'll never play another Kansas
City club after tonight's gig at the Record Bar. Man, I'd love to see
him blow up; Kansas City needs more local stars. Right now, The
Elders and Tech N9ne are the only active locally based acts that can
sell over 1,000 tickets at least $10 a pop in their hometown.

A former local girl, Elana James, plays Davey's Uptown Saturday night.

Ghosty and Jake Blanton are at the Record Bar on Sunday.

Cedar Walton- Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

Clear.

In his lengthy liner notes to the excellent 2001 recording The Promise Land, Bill Milkowski emphasizes Cedar Walton's accessibility. I'll summarize- Walton is soulful, swinging and he plays the melody. That's not to say he's simple- there's a lot going on here. The Walton solo that begins at 2:45 is sublime. That's Vincent Herring playing it straight on sax, and David Williams and Kenny Washington laying back on bass and drums.

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Great country crooner John Anderson has a new album. So why am I so angry about it? It's the ill-conceived packaging. Easy Money comes in an "Express Pak" and a "Deluxe Pak." The former is a slim paper sleeve stickered with something like, "For fans who only want the music." It's a whopping $13.98 list! If you want liner notes and such, you'll deal with a $18.98 list price. I rarely rail against the music industry in this space, but this idiocy shows that it's hopelessly removed it is from reality.

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Kansas City Click: I wouldn't ordinarily consider going to an upscale Johnson County bar or restaurant. I just don't have the clothes, haircut or wallet to get through the door. But tonight DJ Sku is at Sake Bar. Check out his subversion of Lil Wayne and Birdman's "Stuntin' Like My Daddy."

Mindy McCready- It Ain't a Party

Time to leave.

I missed most of last night's Academy of Country Music awards show, so I don't know if there were any moments as delicious as this. I was pleased to learn that Miranda Lambert beat out Taylor Swift as "Top New Female Vocalist." And witnessing people lined up to buy the new Gretchen Wilson CD yesterday made me even happier. Yet as much as I like Wilson, she's disappointed me. Initial hype indicated that she was a wild rebel set on turning Nashville upside down. And when I saw her swigging Jack Daniels on stage the week her first album was released, I believed it. Fooled again. She's just another fine talent. Wilson, Lambert and Swift might consider the saga of Mindy McCready as a cautionary tale. McCready was on top of the country haystack ten years ago. Her Ten Thousand Angels was a massive hit. Things haven't gone so well for her since. Careful, ladies. Nashville can chew you up and spit you out.

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I don't have much to say about the passing of Jerry Falwell. I regularly monitor televangelist Pat Robertson's CBN network, however, in part to spot regular appearances by musicians. It's really illuminating to see someone like Marty Stuart in that context.

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Kansas City Click: Shoooter Jennings is the headliner at the Beaumont Club tonight. Don't miss opener Scott H. Biram. The guy makes an unholy racket. Man, I'd love to lock Biram and Gretchen Wilson in a recording studio stocked with nothing but bourbon and fried chicken. With Biram's help, Wilson really could topple the Nashville establishment.

Bunny Wailer- Redemption Song

Redeemed.

Bunny Wailer turned 60 last month. As they say, it beats the alternative. His two brethren, Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, are gone. Bunny sings Bob on the out-of-print Time Will Tell. I really like his reverent take on "Redemption Song." It maintains the gospel vibe of the original while teasing out a few new musical nuances.

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I no longer have a stake in independent record label distribution. Even so, the details of Navarre's sale to Koch break my heart. Here's how bad the business has become: Navarre's music division brings in $55 million in net sales, yet the company went to Koch for a paltry $6.5 million. Are you kidding me?

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Kansas City Click: I'm really not in the mood for Nashville Pussy right now. A few Jager bombs might help me get there. The cartoonish band is at Davey's tonight.

The Ocean Blue- Either Or

Neither.

I saw a band called Shurman open for Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers last week. I liked them, but they sounded and looked uncannily like Clyne's band. I spent a few minutes in front of the club talking to the promoter when I arrived. Based on what I heard pumping through the door, I assumed Clyne was trying out some new material. I don't know which is sillier- Shurman doing a Clyne impression or Clyne's decision to have the sound-alike act tour with him. The same issue may have prevented The Ocean Blue from achieving greater commercial success. Depending on the song, The Ocean Blue resembled Aztec Camera, The Smiths, The Cocteau Twins or the Cure. As this track from the out-of-print Beneath the Rhythm and Sound demonstrates, the Pennsylvania band was really good. But even so, it's almost impossible to avoid playing spot-the-influences. Here's a video for a song from the same album.

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Here's my review of Friday's big Brad Paisley concert.

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One thing about country music shows- unless Bocephus or The Possum are involved, you know they're going to start on time. Bob Dylan excepted, few rock-oriented acts seem concerned with schedules. Consequently, I know at least two ticketholders who were shocked to discover that Damien Rice punctually began his performance at 7:30 p.m. last night.

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Kansas City Click: Residents of a mental health facility are in for a treat this afternoon. I hope Emily Tummons performs her great rendition of "Up On the Roof." It's worthy of Karen Carpenter. The three other songs at Tummons' MySpace account are too therapy-oriented for my taste, but I'm looking forward to catching one of her non-institutional gigs.

Jack Ingram- Making Plans

Over.

Of the four acts on the big country package tour that comes to my town tonight- Brad Paisley, Kelly Pickler, Jack Ingram and Taylor Swift- it's Ingram that's the most intriguing. He toiled for years as just another Texas honky tonk troubadour. The out-of-print Live At Adair's dates from those days. Now that he's finally broken through with a slicker sound it'll be interesting to see if the mainstream contemporary country audience sticks with him.

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Whither jazz? It barely registers at UCLA's so-called Jazz & Reggae Festival. Of the two dozen performers, only Christian Scott plays any jazz at all. Don't get me wrong- I'd love to see Dujeous, Luciano, Les Nubians and several other acts on the bill. But why call it jazz? I make this point not to pick on UCLA, but to remind myself that the genre receives meaningless lip service in points beyond my little neck of the woods.

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Kansas City Click: The country tour mentioned above is at Verizon Amphitheater tonight. Everette Devan plays his organ jazz at both Harling's and the Drum Room on Saturday. Damien Rice comes to the Uptown on Sunday.

James Blood Ulmer- Funky Lover

She's gone.

Maybe I'm looking in all the wrong places, but I haven't encountered a single discussion, review or advertisement touting the new James "Blood" Ulmer album. Bad Blood In the City came out this week. I only learned it existed when I became curious to see what label was adventurous and savvy enough to work with Mike Dillon. I'm hoping Ulmer's new project captures the amazing vibe captured on this recent video of Ulmer and Alison Krauss collaborating on "Sitting On Top of the World." If so, it'd be the blues album of the year. "Funky Lover" is from Got Something Good For You, a 1985 session with George Adams, Amin Ali and Calvin Weston. Projects like this make the concept of categories seem silly.

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Make sure your bladder is empty and your mouth is clear before you click on this link. It's The Seeds performing "Pushin' Too Hard" on a forgotten TV show. "I hope you like it- I think it's gassy!" You know who else is gassy? The Electric Prunes!

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Kansas City Click: I'm hopelessly biased when it comes to Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers. I think they're one of the best live rock'n'roll band in the world. At least half the fun is generated by Clyne's rabid, hard-drinking fans. This video from a recent show provides a representative taste of what's on tap tonight at the Hurricane.

Dalton Reed- They Say

Quiet.

Southern musician and songwriter Carson Whitsett died May 8. He seems to have been best known as part of the Malaco Records house band and as a member of Kathy Mattea's touring band. He also wrote or co-wrote an impressive string of soul songs. They include Solomon Burke's "Don't Give Up On Me" and the commonly performed "Blues of the Month Club." He had a hand in creating this fine composition on the late Dalton Reed's Willing & Able album. A family member made a non-musical video montage of Whitsett family photos.

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What if David Bowie's "Space Oddity" was re-imagined as a jaunty folk song? The result might be something like Joel Kraft's new "Computer Geniuses." Hear it here.

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Kansas City Click: The recent election of Mark Funkhouser as mayor has given the phrase "We want the funk" new meaning in this town. It comes full circle when George Clinton touches down at Crossroads KC tonight.

Henry Butler- Improvisation On An Afghanistan Theme

Moved on.

Henry Butler reminds me of Ray Charles, and not just because Butler, like Charles, is a blind pianist. The comparison is apt because Butler is proficient in almost any musical setting. I've witnessed him play blues, jazz, funk, rock and gospel. Charles, of course, had the same wide interests. I'm not sure if Charles ever riffed on music from Afghanistan, as Butler does here on his fantastic out-of-print Fivin' Around.

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Alvin Batiste, who recorded with Butler on at least one occasion, died last weekend. He was 74.

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The disappointed look on customer's faces as they studied the track listing on today's new Z-Ro release saddened me. I guess the song that fans of the Houston rapper wanted isn't included on his new one. A different crowd picked up Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's latest.

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Kansas City Click: It's not live music, but the drinks are reasonably priced and there's no cover. These two goofs spin records tonight at the Record Bar.

Cruzados- Small Town Love

Love is gone.

I saw Social Distortion play another great show last night. If anything, they're getting better. Current drummer Charlie "Chalo" Quintana once was a member of the Plugz, the L.A. punk band that morphed into the Cruzados. Their out-of-print 1987 album After Dark seems to be missed opportunity. Misguided overproduction diminishes the roots rock band's honest grit. For better or worse, members of the Eagles and Pat Benatar are among the contributors.

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I was offered a job by Steve Pritchett a few years ago. We never managed to finalize the deal. According to a statement from Fontana Distribution, the music industry veteran died yesterday. He was a good man.

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Gospel singer J. Robert Bradley has died.

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I had a good time seeing Ziggy Marley and Robert Randolph over the weekend. My review is here.

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Kansas City Click: Anne McCue performs in Kansas City with such regularity that she seems like a local. Catch her at Knuckleheads tonight.

ZZ Top- Loaded

Empty.

George Benson, Counting Crows, Danilo Perez and Walter "Wolfman" Washington are among the headliners at various stages at New Orleans' Jazz & Heritage Festival tonight. Yet even if I caught a Midwest Express flight to the city later today, I'd make a beeline for ZZ Top. Surprised? If you want to know why I'm an unapologetic fan of the Texas trio, look no further than this buried track from their uncelebrated 1996 release Rhythmeen. Its grimy tone masterfully connects Sonic Youth to Lightnin' Hopkins. As with Coachella, you can watch Jazzfest here.

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The astounding music blog Words and Music made me aware of this video. It provides great footage of Peter King demonstrating Charlie Parker's Grafton saxophone at a 1994 Sotheby's auction. Representatives of Kansas City, MO, won the bidding by paying $144,500 for the instrument. It now resides at the American Jazz Museum. I was present at the ceremony in which Mayor Emmanuel Cleaver and other officials proudly presented the prize. I believe it took place at the Black Archives and that Max Roach was there. I can't recall if the Grafton was played that day. Can anyone fill in the gaps?

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Legendary St. Louis disc jockey Rod King, a.k.a. Dr. Jockenstein, has died. He was 55. Tom "Papa" Ray wrote a moving tribute to his friend. As of this morning, it's the lead item at Vintage Vinyl's site. Here's an excerpt: "When Jockenstein began his reign, first he brought the Funk, and then he gave the teenage generation of the day their first taste of hip-hop music."

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Kansas City Click: Ziggy Marley and Robert Randolph will become the first national acts to perform on the new Crossroads KC stage tonight.

On Saturday, my associate Robert Folsom plays Toto's Coffeehouse in Mission along with numerous other acoustic-oriented artists.

Social Distortion hit the Beaumont again on Sunday. The Black Halos and I Hate Kate open.