Concert Review: Homegrown Buzz Showcase

Knowing my basketball team was bound to lose on Saturday afternoon, I hedged my bets by attending the Homegrown Buzz Showcase in the Power & Light District.

I kept one eye on television monitors- there’s no shortage of screens in the entertainment district- and both ears on music.

I caught complete sets by five acts and small samples of a few other bands. Three artists stood out.

Various Blonde isn’t perfect- there are a couple elements that could stand a little improvement- but its outing in a crowded restaurant verified my assertion that Various Blonde’s is one of Kansas City’s best rock bands. 

Brandon Phillips covered Iron Maiden, Elvis Costello, Jawbreaker, Leonard Cohen and a song by his band the Architects in his solo set.  It’s not the first time I’ve fallen under his spell.

I’ve seen a lot of mainstream pop, rock, R&B, hip-hop and country acts on the KC Live! stage.  It was a nice change of pace, consequently, to see the post-hardcore band Maps For Travelers make a mighty noise on the big stage.

About that game- my team lost on a last-second shot.


---
I reviewed Bill Frisell’s appearance at White Theatre.

---
I reviewed Helmet’s show at the RecordBar.

---
I reviewed Live at the Living Room, the new album by Victor & Penny Loose Change Orchestra and Their Loose Change Orchestra.

---
I contributed a segment on Millie Edwards to KCUR.

---
Lew Soloff has died.

---
Brandon Phillips of the Architects throws down the gauntlet in an essay for Alternative Press.

---
The Kansas City Chorale’s Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil was released this week.

---
I’m tempted to think that Cannibal Ox made Blade of the Ronin with me in mind.  It’s right in my wheelhouse.  RIYL: Wu-Tang Clan, hip-hop in 1993, Ultramagnetic MCs.

---
I guess Estelle isn’t the artist I thought she was.  The new album True Romance isn’t very good.  RIYL: Solange, disappointments, Jazmine Sullivan.  Here’s ”Conqueror”.

---
The production on Big Sean’s Dark Sky Paradise is excellent.  Too bad about the rapper.  Here’s a video for the opening track.

---
Rhiannon Giddens has doubled down on the retro thing.  Her debut album is RIYL: Judy Collins, calculated realness, Mimi Farina.

(Original image of Various Blonde’s Josh Allen by There Stands the Glass.)

The Right Profile

As a typical teenager, I viewed the world in black and white. 

I took the nascent punk revolution at face value and renounced my affinity for everything that didn’t conform to the new sound.  I spent the better part of a year attempting to be a purist, an absurd challenge for a kid who grew up loving Waylon Jennings, Michael Jackson, Elton John and Stevie Wonder. 

It’s almost impossible to overstate the impact of London Calling.  When my favorite band embraced jazz, reggae, rockabilly and blues in 1979, I was freed from the false stylistic constraints of punk.

I wasn’t alone.  Thousands of Midwestern kids like me would soon welcome a new wave of Los Angeles bands like the Blasters and Los Lobos. 

J.D. McPherson’s excellent Let the Good Times Roll reminds me of that era.  The smart, funny and soulful album is as solid as anything that came out of the roots revival of the early 1980s.


----
I reviewed Aaron Lewis’ concert at the VooDoo.

---
I created a Local Listen segment about Maps For Travelers for KCUR.

---
The lineup of the 2015 edition of Rockfest represents a step up from recent years.

---
Orrin Keepnews has died.

----
EarthEE, the new album by THEESatisfaction, is very good.  RIYL: Shabazz Palaces, funkateers, Erykah Badu.

---
Ibeyi’s self-titled album is just a tad too precious for my taste.  RIYL: Dirty Projectors, public radio, Cibelle.  Here’s Ghosts.

---
Jacky Terrasson is the exactly the type of brash ambassador that jazz desperately needs.  That said, his new album Take This makes me want to listen to Slayer.  Here’s the album trailer.

---
If Spoon wasn’t really good, the band might sound like Diamond Rugs. Cosmetics also resembles an  inferior version of the Latin Playboys or Morphine.

---
Gang of Four's What Happens Next is depressingly uninteresting.

---
Bob! How could you? (I love that man.)

---
I don’t even know who I am anymore.  A couple tracks on Diana Krall’s easy listening album Wallflower brought me to the brink of tears.  RIYL: Julie London, elevators, Andy Williams.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Ooh! My Head

People keep asking me what I think of the latest release by my nemesis Drake.  They don’t like hearing that I’ve been too busy attending shows to listen to much new music.  My reviews and/or notes, listed in the order of how much I enjoyed each event of the past eight days:

1. Merle Haggard at the Uptown Theater
2. Blackberry Smoke, the Temperance Movement and the Ben Miller Band at the Uptown Theater
3. The Hot Sardines at the Folly Theater
4. Hellyeah and a handful of forgettable bands at the Midland
5. Thursday’s offerings at the Music Fair portion of the Folk Alliance International Conference.

---
Clark Terry has died.  I believe a 2010 concert at the Gem Theater was his final performance in Kansas City.

--
Lesley Gore has died.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Concert Review: Guy, K-Ci & JoJo, El DeBarge and Doug E. Fresh at Municipal Auditorium

While I’ve been to worse concerts, the disparity between the high quality of artists’ recorded output and embarrassingly inept performances has rarely been greater than it was at Municipal Auditorium last Friday.

Even after Bobby Brown canceled due to a well-reported family tragedy, I wasn’t about to miss a show that included appearances by grown-and-sexy hit-makers Guy, K-Ci & JoJo, El DeBarge and Doug E. Fresh.

Fresh's opening set with the Get Fresh Crew was the highlight of the evening.  While billing himself as “the world’s greatest entertainer” is a laughable conceit, “the original human beatbox”’s old-school presentation was a lot of fun.

El DeBarge is one of the most under-appreciated artists in popular music.  His career may have been derailed by personal problems, but every time I see him perform I feel as if I’m witnessing a man with talent commensurate to that of Michael Jackson.

K-Ci & JoJo was a mess.  Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey dominated the proceedings like a deranged preacher of a sinister church.  His voice remains powerful, but the presentation was downright creepy.  Even renditions of the wonderful songs from the Jodeci catalog were off-putting.  How did the guys behind great hits like ”Wanna Do You Right” go so wrong?

Guy's headlining performance was so incompetent that members of the audience of about 2,500 were booing even before the duo hit the stage. 

The pioneers of New Jack Swing repeatedly missed their introductory cues.  When Guy finally arrived it was immediately apparent that Teddy Riley- the group’s primary creative force- was absent.  Not only were a third of the harmonies missing, the backing tracks were also muddled.  (DeBarge’s keyboard and the Get Fresh Crew’s turntables were the only instruments performed on Saturday).  Adding insult to injury, Aaron Hall kept mistakenly insisting that he was in Kansas.

People walked out in droves.  I captured the embedded image the moment the lights went up at the show’s conclusion to document the fiasco.


---
I reviewed Todd Snider’s appearance at Knuckleheads on Saturday.

---
Rudresh Mahanthappa’s Bird Calls is the leading candidate for my favorite album of 2015.  I hail the recording at Plastic Sax.

---
My Local Listen feature on the Bon Ton Soul Accordion Band aired on KCUR last Friday.

---
Kansas City organist John Obetz has died.

---
Jazz drummer Richie Pratt​ has died.

---
I've been woefully negligent in addressing the recent passing of Don Covay.  A trip to my basement  The Museum of Dead People reminded me of his enormous significance.  An out-of-print 1994 compilation ($170 at Amazon and worth every penny) opens with ”Bip Bop Bip”.  The unhinged 1957 raver recorded with the Upsetters is everything that’s been missing in musical diet of late.  Covay went on to write or co-write hits including “Pony Time,” “See Saw” and “Mercy Mercy.”  In his liner notes, Billy Vera suggests that Mick Jagger based his singing on Covay’s style.  I think he’s right.  The excellent 1973 hit ”I Was Checkin’ Out While She Was Checkin’ In” demonstrates that Covay kept up with the times through the early 1970s.

---
Steve Strange has died.

---
Danny McCullough of the Animals has died.  (Tip via BGO.)

---
Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear performed on The Late Show with David Letterman.

---
Admirers of the blues mural at BB’s Lawnside BBQ will be interested in a reception with the artist on Sunday, February 22.

---
Monta At Odds created a video for “Android Dreams.”

---
Gary Shindler reviewed a concert that featured Vinnie Appice, Kofi Baker, Ripper Owens and Uli Jon Roth.

---
After spotting Africa Express Presents’ In C Mali on Big Steve’s playlist, I cued up the project on a lark.  I had it pegged as an amusing novelty.  I was hooked after five minutes.  At the 20-minute mark I was on cloud nine.  I had an out-of-body experience around the 30-minute juncture.

---
Insane Clown Posse knows what’s up.  (Not kidding.)

---
The Rez Abbasi Quartet plays acoustic versions of jazz fusion classics on Intents and Purposes.  I’m all about it.  RIYL: John McLaughlin, remixed nostalgia, Chick Corea.

---
Eddie Henderson’s Collective Portrait is lovely.  RIYL: Gary Bartz, Sextant, George Cables.

---
The Paradox of Independence, a new live album by Tisziji Muñoz and Marilyn Crispell, is RIYL: James “Blood” Ulmer, skronk, Arto Lindsay.

---
The Cursive-like rocker “The Ideal Husband” aside, I don’t have much use for Father John Misty’s I Love You, Honeybear.  Even so, I’m glad so many people like it.  The value of my dusty crate of overwrought 1970s folk albums just went up.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Concert Review: Timbers at Coda

A few minutes before Timbers performed at Coda on Saturday afternoon, I thought it’d be amusing if the alt-country band dared to cover the Pitbull and Ke$ha hit “Timber.”  I didn’t have to wait long.  As soon as the pedal steel player began riffing at the top of the set, I realized that Timbers would open with the novelty song.  The band’s ability to mock its name allowed me to forgive its occasional forays into tepid folk.  Although the capacity audience of more than 50 included lots of children, the band’s toughest songs inspired a friend to suggest that the matinee show had a “Davey’s at 2 a.m.” vibe.


---
I reviewed Tesla’s concert at the Midland theater.

---
I contributed a Local Listen segment about Marcus Hampton to KCUR.

---
Joyce DiDonato sang a Henry Purcell composition at the Stonewall Inn.

---
The Prism Quartet’s Heritage/Evolution features contributions by the likes of Dave Liebman, Rudresh Mahanthappa and Greg Osby.  RIYL: The World Saxophone Quartet, skronk, the 29th Street Quartet.  The group features the Kansas City based Zach Sherman.

---
New Riddim’s Second Sight is RIYL: the Blue Riddim Band, 2 Tone, the Slackers.

---
Essiet Okun Essiet’s Shona displays a few interesting variations on mainstream jazz.  RIYL: Bobby Watson, all about that bass, Ron Carter.

---
I have yet to hear Bob Dylan’s homage to Frank Sinatra, but I have played Hiss Golden Messenger’s Southern Grammar EP a couple times.  It’s a spot-on homage to Planet Waves.

---
I’m mystified at the backlash directed at Sam Smith by viewers of the Grammy Awards.  His duet with Mary J. Blige was the highlight of the broadcast.  Besides, I’m a fan of “Stay With Me.”

(Original image of Timbers at Coda by There Stands the Glass.)

The Jacka, 1977-2015

The Jacka was killed in Oakland last night.  A television news program reported the murder.  I last saw the underappreciated rapper perform at the Uptown Theater in 2010.  Here are my notes about the show.  D-Boy Era, the Jacka’s throwback hip-hop collaboration with Lee Majors, was my #12 album of 2010.  His most recent release What Happened to the World was my #21 album of 2014.  In spite of his salty persona, the Jacka was very personable when I met with him in a Midtown bar a few years ago.


---
I reviewed Dominique Sanders’ astonishing new album at Plastic Sax.

---
I contributed a feature about Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle to KCUR.

---
La Guerre’s Sapphires is RIYL: Hospital Ships, yearning, Regina Spektor.

---
The Floozies’ Do Your Thing is an invigorating dance party.  RIYL: Zapp, disco, Daft Punk.

---
I loved John Doe’s recent appearance at Knuckeheads.  Tim Finn reviewed the show.

---
Vinyl Community noteworthy Teddy Dibble pays tribute to his late brother.

---
I’ve yet to select my favorite new jam on Charlie Wilson’s Forever Charlie. RIYL: The Gap Band, romance, the Commodores.  Here’s ”Me and You Forever”.

---
I questioned what I’m doing with my life after I ingested all 153 minutes of the new live album documenting John Scofield’s collaboration with Gov’t Mule.  It’s more in line with the Allman Brothers Band than with Miles Davis. 

---
Gehenna, the latest release by Danish band By the Patient, hits the spot.  RIYL: Behemoth, riffs, Vader.

---
If neither Hand Over Fist’s “Prize Fight” nor any of the stunning songs on P.O.S’s Never Better failed to break through, it’s unlikely that the latest Doomtree album All Hands will alter the crew’s fortunes. 

---
My high hopes for Mohammed Fairouz’s Follow, Poet were dashed when I finally heard the bloated project.  RIYL: high concept, Leonard Bernstein, sociology.

---
Dawn Richard’s Blackheart is a compelling variation on post-Beyoncé R&B.  Here’s ”Blow”.

---
I have yet to watch the archived performance by Our Point Of View, the all-star group featuring Robert Glasper, Ambrose Akinmusire, Marcus Strickland, Lionel Loueke, Derrick Hodge and Kendrick Scott.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Viet Cong

Maybe Bela Lugosi isn’t dead.  Viet Cong has crafted one of the best albums of its type since the likes of Bauhaus roamed the earth.  When I saw goth giant Peter Murphy perform at the Riot Room last year, I sensed that he was desperately searching for an interesting variation on the sound he helped create decades ago.  His backing band wasn’t about to accommodate him.  Viet Cong has the answer. 


---
I contributed features on The Kansas City Bear Fighters and Bob Bowman to KCUR.

---
Bo Dollis has died.  The Wild Magnolias’ 1988 release I’m Back... at Carnival Time was a formative album for me.  Here’s ”Carnival Time”.

---
Edgar Froese of Tangerine Dream has died.

---
Demis Roussos of Aphrodite’s Child and “Forever and Ever” has died.

---
Joey Bada$$’s B4.DA.$$ is an enormous disappointment.  The advance singles are easily the strongest tracks on the album.

---
The Intimate Truth, Ledesi’s new acoustic EP, is a tossed-off affair.  I like anyway.  RIYL: Leela James, coffeeshops, .M.J.

---
Belle and Sebastian’s Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance is excellent.  While I hope to catch the band for the first time on their  current tour, the Scots' music just isn’t my thing.  RIYL: fops, Donovan, high tea.

---
I’ve long been tempted to characterize Enter Shikari as the British version of Linkin Park.  While its earnestness is easy to mock, I admire the band’s goofy new concept album The Mindsweep.  RIYL: Rage Against the Machine, The Wall, Queensryche.  Here’s ”The Anaesthetist.

---
Moonlight, the latest effort by Hanni El Khatib, is decent.  RIYL: Arthur Brown, angst, Jack White.  Here’s ”Moonlight”.

---
Lupe Fiasco’s dopey lyrics are the most insufferable aspect of his wretched album Tetsuo & Youth. 

---
In an alternate universe, the Decemberists would be my favorite band. Alas, I didn't major in medieval history and I don't have an open relationship with a clove cigarette-smoking and Spanish wine-drinking barista. One more thing- my awareness of the music of James Brown hinders my enjoyment the otherwise admirable new album What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World.

---
The recycled Americana on Ryan Bingham’s Fear and Saturday Night is impressive.  RIYL: Lucero, intoxication, prime Joe Ely.

---
The video for Fantasma’s ”Shangrila” is delightful.  Tip via Big Steve.

----
You’d think I’d adore Sleater-Kinney.  You’d be wrong.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Mark Ronson- Uptown Special

When What Up, Dog? was released in 1988, I was employed at a record store.  Many of my colleagues and customers lost their minds over the high-concept collision of soul and rock orchestrated by Don Was of Was (Not Was).  I didn’t appreciate it quite as much as most listeners.  In Uptown Special, however, I hear everything people claimed to love about What Up, Dog?.  Mark Ronson’s mind-bending combination of pop, rock, hip-hop and R&B is elevated by outstanding features from Bruno Mars, novelist Michael Chabon, Mystikal, Steve Wonder and a dude from Tame Impala. The project tops the best work of Don Was. ”Feel Right” is my favorite track. 

---

I reviewed a concert by Earl Klugh.

---

I reviewed a concert by the Black Lillies.

---

I document the latest live and recorded work of the Paul Shinn Trio at Plastic Sax.  

---

Kim Fowley has died

---

A$AP Yams has died.

---

Kansas City’s She’s a Keeper has released Westside Local.

---

Swamp Dogg’s fine The White Man Made Me Do It came out a couple months ago, but it came to my attention only recently.  RIYL: Barrence Whitfield, music by music geeks, Sly Stone.

---

Justin Townes Earle writes good songs, but I can’t tolerate the flat production on Absent Fathers.  RIYL: Lyle Lovett, psychotherapy, Jason Isbell.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Concert Review: Charles Gatschet and Matt Hopper at the Dubliner

I'm fairly certain that I was the only person among the handful of listeners at the Dubliner on Sunday evening that wasn't somehow affiliated with the weekly Here's to the Roots showcase.  It's a shame.  The performance by Kansas City guitarists Charles Gatschet and Matt Hopper was exquisite.  Squarely in the duet tradition of Herb Ellis/Joe Pass and Bucky Pizzarelli/Ed Laub, the pair traded leads on standards and compositions by the likes of Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk.  Following an awkward interview with the tasteful guitarists, Havilah Bruders added impressive vocals to beautiful renditions of "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "Georgia."


---
I reviewed the Kansas City Symphony and Yefim Bronfman on Friday.

---
I contributed a Local Listen segment about Vinson Cole to KCUR's Up to Date.

---
I admired Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle's appearance at Take Five Coffee + Bar on Saturday.

---
Andraé Crouch has died.

---
Elena Obraztsova has died.

---
Anthony Saunders sings on "Dreaming", a track from Dominique Sanders' forthcoming album.

---
I had to lie down for a bit after watching Henry Threadgill, Roscoe Mitchell, Muhal Richard Abrams, Larry Gray and Jack DeJohnette discuss their forthcoming ECM album.

---
Kassé Mady Diabaté's Kiriké is wonderful.  RIYL: Toumani Diabaté, life, Habib Koité.

---
"Recognition", a track from THEESatisfaction's forthcoming album, is RIYL: Dirty Projectors, funkateers, Shabazz Palaces.

---
Daniel Herskedal's Slow Eastbound Train seems promising.

---
A new release featuring Anna Netrebko served as my introduction to Tchaikovsky's "Iolanta."  I'm in love.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

I'm Feeling Low and the Fish Won't Bite

Just as the song suggests, a loud dose of vintage R&B almost always sets me straight when I'm blue.  When I'm ailing, however, even the sweetest music rankles me.  I'm back in the swing of attending performances, but I only lasted twenty minutes at a gig last night.  The flu is the enemy of music.


---
I remember the late Kansas City drummer Tommy Ruskin at Plastic Sax.

---
Little Jimmy Dickens has died.  I'm so glad I was able to see him a handful of times at the Grand Ole Opry.

---
Guitarist Jeff Golub has died.

---
Alberta Adams has died.

---
D/Will created a video for "Keep Coming Back".

---
I agree with the pontificators who suggest that the entirely decent "Only One," the new collaboration between Kanye West and Paul McCartney, is the worst thing West has released.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

The Sickness

An ongoing battle with the flu has left me feeling like a desiccated bird.  The following loose ends are all I muster at the moment.


---
I reviewed Karrin Allyson's concert at the Folly Theater.

---
The Kansas City Star published a few dozen top album lists.

---
Deborah Brown is Plastic Sax's Person of the Year.

---
I participated in a Best Music of 2014 program on KCUR's Up to Date.  I also contributed Local Listen segments about BCR and Oleta Adams to the show.

---
I lost my mind over The Gobots' D-Boy Era in 2010.  What Happened to the World, the Jacka's new album, is the best thing he's done since then.  RIYL: Mac Dre, crack, Too Short.  Here's "Gang Starz".

---
I had to stop listening to Beautiful Life, Jimmy Greene's tribute to his late daughter, when a children's choir entered on "Ana's Song."

---
J. Cole's 2014 Forest Hills Drive is entertaining radio rap.  RIYL: Wale, rappers rapping about their careers, Kid Cudi.

---
I regret not listening to Sunny Sweeney's Provoked sooner.  It may be the best contemporary country album of 2014.  RIYL: Miranda Lambert, cheatin' songs, Kacey Musgraves.

---
Orange Goblin's Back From the Abyss is RIYL: Motorhead, beer, Black Sabbath.

---
Sleaford Mod's Divide and Exit is a hoot.  RIYL: Art Brut, getting yelled at, The Fall.

---
The hilarious Stromae demonstrates his great taste in a "What's In My Bag?" segment.

---
I respect the fact that a lot of my friends adore TV on the Radio's Seeds, but the album is not for me.  At every turn I expect the band to break into "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway."  RIYL: The Mars Volta, punk-prog, The Police's Synchronicity.  Here's "Happy Idiot".

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

No Quarter: The Top Reissues, Compilations and Soundtracks of 2014

Although the sounds on the top three titles listed below rearranged my DNA this year, I inadvertently neglected to include this list in my previous post.  Here's a corresponding Spotify playlist.

The Top Reissues, Compilations and Soundtracks of 2014
1. Francis Bebey- Psychedelic Sanza: 1982-1984
2. Various- Haiti Direct: Big Band, Mini Jazz & Twoubadou Sounds, 1960-1978
3. Various- The Sound of Siam, Volume 2- Molam & Luk Thung Isan from North-East Thailand 1970-1982
4. Miles Davis- Miles at The Fillmore: Miles Davis: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 3
5. Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton (soundtrack)
6. Marshall Allen Presents: Sun Ra and His Arkestra- In the Orbit of Ra
7. Wheedle's Groove: Seattle's Finest In Funk & Soul 1965-75
8. Eccentric Soul: The Way Out Label
9. Rolé: New Sounds of Brazil
10. Led Zeppelin- deluxe remasters

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Vote for Me Dummy: The Top Albums, Songs and Shows of 2014

The 50 Top Albums of 2014
Spotify playlist
I preferred Jim Lauderdale to Sturgill Simpson and Keyshia Cole to Mary J. Blige.

1. Flying Lotus- You're Dead!
2. St. Vincent- St. Vincent
3. Peter Schlamb- Tinks
4. Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens- Cold World
5. Against Me!- Transgender Dysphoria Blues
6. The Architects- Border Wars (Episode II)
7. Kris Bowers- Heroes + Misfits
8. Keyshia Cole- Point of No Return
9. Joyce DiDonato- Stella di Napoli
10. Young Fathers- Dead

11. Budos Band- Burnt Offering
12. Jim Lauderdale- I'm a Song
13. Down- Down IV: Part II
14. Shabazz Palaces- Lese Majesty
15. Kelis- Food
16. Pallbearer- Foundations of Burden
17. Toni Braxton and Babyface- Love, Marriage & Divorce
18. Da Cruz- Disco e Progresso
19. Danilo Pérez- Panama 500
20. Leela James- Fall For You

21. The Jacka- What Happened to the World
22. Spoon- They Want My Soul
23. Sturgill Simpson- Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
24. Joyce Yang- Wild Dreams
25. Pat Metheny Unity Group- Kin
26. David Binney- Anacapa
27. Future- Honest
28. D'Angelo- Black Messiah
29. Rosanne Cash- The River & the Thread
30. Ambrose Akinmusire- The Imagined Savior Is Far Easier to Paint

31. Mutilation Rites- Harbinger
32. Black Milk- If There's a Hell Below
33. Various Blonde- Summer High
34. The Popper- Values, Respect, Loyalty & Beliefs
35. Angelique Kidjo- Eve
36. Ben Miller Band- Any Way, Shape or Form
37. SZA- Z
38. Lecrae- Anomaly
39. Coltsblood- Into the Unfathomable Abyss
40. Pharrell Williams- Girl

41. Takuya Kuroda- Rising Son
42. Triptykon- Melana Chasmata
43. Bob Mould- Beauty & Ruin
44. Mary J. Blige- The London Sessions
44. Ledisi- The Truth
45. Juilliard String Quartet- Elliott Carter: The Five String Quartets
46. GoGo Penguin- v2.0
47. Iceage- Plowing Into the Field of Love
48. The Project H- We Live Among the Lines
49. Bohren & Der Club of Gore- Piano Nights
50. D/Will- Reset


The 50 Top Songs of 2014
Spotify playlist
It may have been a weak year for albums, but 2014 was a stellar year for songs.

1. Skating Polly- "Alabama Movies"
2. Rick Ross, Kanye West and Big Sean- "Sanctified"
3. Michael Jackson- "Love Never Felt So Good"
4. Kendrick Lamar- "i"
5. Jack White- "High Ball Stepper"
6. Mary J. Blige- "Whole Damn Year"
7. Jeremih and YG- "Don't Tell 'Em"
8. Zara McFarlane- "Open Heart"
9. Jason Eady- "One, Two... Many"
10. Sam Smith- "Stay With Me"

11. Ledisi- "The Truth"
12. Guided By Voices- "Vote for Me Dummy"
13. Drive-By Truckers- "Primer Coat"
14. Joey Bada$$- "Big Dusty"
15. Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks- "Lariat"
16. Freeway and the Jacka featuring Killa Mike- "Sunnah Boys"
17. Miniature Tigers- "Swimming Pool Blues"
18. Ex-Hex- "Beast"
19. Yelawolf- "'Til It's Gone"
20. Jhene Aiko- "The Worst"

21. Ume- "Black Stone"
22. Future with André 3000- "Benz Friendz"
23. Jenny Lewis- "Slippery Slopes"
24. Tech N9ne- "Strangeulation 1"
25. Robyn Hitchcock- "The Ghost In You"
26. T-Pain- "Drankin' Patna"
27. Black Lips- "Smiling"
28. Pharoahe Monch- "Damage"
29. Prince- "Funknroll"
30. FKA twigs- "Two Weeks"

31. Leela James featuring Anthony Hamilton- "Say That"
32. Rick Ross with Project Pat- "Elvis Presley Blvd."
33. Nick Waterhouse- "Sleeping Pills"
34. Die Antwoord- "Pitbull Terrier"
35. The Reverend Horton Heat- "Let Me Teach You How To Eat"
36. Doomtree- ".38 Airweight"
37. Julión Alvarez y su Norteño Banda- "Te Hubieras Ido Antes"
38. Tinashe- "2 On"
39. Yusuf- "Dying to Live"
40. Lizzo- "Paris"

41. Bonnie "Prince" Billy- "Quail and Dumplings"
42. Clipping- "Work Work"
43. Bobby Shmurda- "Hot Boy"
44. Beyoncé- "7/11"
45. Colbie Caillat- "Try"
46. Slipknot- "Custer"
47. F*cked Up- "Sun Glass"
48. Rickie Lee Jones- "Been on a Train"
49. Regina Carter- "Hickory Wind"
50. Big K.R.I.T.- "Cadillactica"


The 50 Top Shows of 2014
I'm going to fall about a dozen gigs short of my annual benchmark of 365.

1. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds- Midland theater
2. Jessica Care Moore- Blue Room
3. Pat Metheny Unity Group- Topeka Performing Arts Center
4. Kraftwerk- Sony Centre (Toronto)
5. Bettye LaVette- Knuckleheads
6. Marijuana Deathsquads- RecordBar
7. Pharaoh Sanders- Blues Alley (Washington D.C.)
8. Miguel Zenón- Blue Room
9. Spoon- Liberty Hall
10. Lecrae- Independence Events Center

11. Kronos Quartet- Helzberg Hall
12. T-Pain- Crossroads KC
13. Living Color- Knuckleheads
14. Marmozets- Warped Tour at Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
15. Charlie Hunter and Scott Amendola- The Brick
16. Deborah Brown with Joe Lovano and Terrel Stafford- Prairie Village Jazz Festival
17. Chrisette Michele- Uptown Theater
18. Tony Bennett- Muriel Kauffman Theatre
19. Nicola Benedetti- Folly Theater
20. Maze- Municipal Auditorium

21. Sam Baker and Mary Gauthier- Folly Theater
22. Allen Toussaint- Folly Theater
23. Ladysmith Black Mambazo- Liberty Hall
24. Bahia Orchestra Project- Helzberg Hall
25. Shabazz Palaces- Riot Room patio
26. Ingrid Laubrock and Tom Rainey- RecordBar
27. Nickel Creek- Uptown Theater
28. St. Vincent- Liberty Hall
29. Wolf Eyes- Riot Room patio
30. Joan Sebastian- Cricket Wireless Amphitheater

31. John Cale- Lawrence Arts Center
32. Black Label Society- Penn Valley Park
33. Morris Day & the Time- Parade Park
34. Burt Bacharach- Muriel Kauffman Theatre
35. Brad Cox- La Esquina
36. Marcus Hampton- Gem Theater
37. Regina Carter- Helzberg Hall
38. Lalah Hathaway- KC Live
39. Eric Taylor- Knuckleheads
40. Judas Priest- Midland theater

41. Brad Mehldau Trio- Folly Theater
42. Fitz & the Tantrums- KC Live
43. Eric Benét- KC Live
44. Peter Noone's Herman's Hermits- Town Center Plaza
45. John Scofield- Folly Theater
46. Guitarras Ibericas- Recital Hall at the Carlsen Center
47. The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra- Muriel Kauffman Theatre
48. Vine Street Rumble- Celebration at the Station at Union Station
49. Hunter Hayes- Sprint Center
50. Brother Ali- The Granada


The Ten Best Opening Acts of 2014
I get there early.

1.Suicidal Tendencies- Uptown Theater, for Slayer
2. Pusha T- Midland theater, for 2 Chainz
3. Kvelertak- Uptown Theater, for Mastodon
4. Electric Würms- Crossroads KC, for the Flaming Lips
5. King 810- Sprint Center, for Slipknot
6. Sarah Jarosz- Uptown Theater, for Nickel Creek
7. Thy Art Is Murder- Aftershock, for Emmure
8. Judy Collins- Knuckleheads, for Don McLean
9. Gary Clark, Jr.- for Kings of Leon, Sprint Center
10. Death Vessel- Horseshoe Tavern (Toronto), for Shearwater

(Original image of Hunter Hayes by There Stands the Glass.)

Ian McLagan, 1945-2014

I've never met Mick Jagger.  It's probably just as well.  After all, what would we talk about?  I don't have any insights into jet ownership or luxury apartments in Cannes.  Talking to Ian McLagan was easy.  The occasional sideman for the Rolling Stones and a founding member of the Small Faces and the Faces was one of rock's most approachable stars.  Back when SXSW was more of a regional music conference than a global marketing platform, I made a point of catching McLagan perform at the Saxon Pub every March.  Watching a British legend joyously perform in a Texas roadhouse thrilled me.  His appearance in Kansas City at Davey's Uptown in 2004 (or maybe it was 2005) was even more rewarding.  Alas, McLagan's 2013 gig at Danny's in Lenexa was merely adequate.  McLagan died last week.


---
I reviewed Jenny Lewis' concert at Liberty Hall.

---
My favorite jazz performances of 2014 are listed at Plastic Sax.

---
It would be churlish of me not to share the "2014 Year In Review" promotional video from a company that employed me for several years.

---
Mary J. Blige's The London Sessions isn't quite as good as I'd been lead to believe.  RIYL: Keyshia Cole, pain, Charlie Wilson.

---
I'm horrified to confess that I find Room, the new collaboration between Julian Lage and Nels Cline, entirely unlistenable.

---
I sold my rarest Sun Ra vinyl years ago at $100 a pop.  Even so, I'm inclined to buy vinyl copies of Marshall Allen Presents: Sun Ra and His Arkestra- In the Orbit of Ra to give to my fashion-conscious friends this holiday season.  The new collection is an excellent introduction to Sun Ra.

---
Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone of the Zombies are charming in their "What's In My Bag" segment.

---
"Yeezus Film" hints at the brilliance of Kanye West's 2013 tour.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Concert Review: Paolo Nutini at Knuckleheads

Sometimes you get what you pay for.

I jumped at the chance to catch a free show by the male version of Adele at one of my favorite venues on Saturday. 

Realizing that the room housing the primary indoor stage would reach capacity quickly, I showed up at Knuckleheads 75 minutes early.  As Paolo Nutini and his band conducted a sound check, I waited in line outside with a couple hundred shivering people.  I was the only member of the queue without a canned food donation.  The event was apparently promoted by 90.9 The Bridge as a charitable benefit, but I rarely listen to the station.

After buying a PBR man-can for $3.50, I secured a seat at the back of the room and immediately sensed trouble.  Everyone around me was in the celebratory mood associated with holiday weekends.  No one was talking about Nutini.

Sure enough, half of the people in attendance didn't even acknowledge Nutini and his band when the 55-minute show began.  After 15 minutes of not being able to make out individual songs, I fought my way to the front.  A generous friend found room for me at a prime table 20 feet from the stage.  I still couldn't hear. 

I sensed that  Nutini's sound crew created a lush mix that would have been ideal if no one was talking.  Yet chatter overwhelmed the music.  Two bros squeezed next to me were talking about "locking down" women, whatever that means.

While I couldn't make out individual instrumentation, Nutini's voice occasionally rose above the din.  His recordings don't lie.  Nutini is a superb singer who has staked out a prime territory between Otis Redding and Maxwell.

At least, that's what I think I heard.


---
I reviewed Slipknot's return to the Sprint Center.

---
I list the Top Jazz Albums of 2014 at Plastic Sax.

---
Ensemble Ibérica is releasing a new album next week.

---
Teddy Dibble conducts a show-and-tell with the face-themed album art in his vinyl collection.

---
Ottomans, the new album by Hidden Pictures, was released today.   RIYL: Crowded House, smart pop, OK Jones.

---
Bobby Keys has died.  I have a vague recollection of once seeing him perform as a member of Johnny Copeland's band.  Is that possible?

---
"Elvis Presley Blvd" is the best song on Rick Ross' entertaining Hood Billionaire.

---
I finally got around to listening to Eric Church's The Outsiders.  Like the little girl with the curl, when it's good, it's very, very good, but when it's bad, it's horrid.

---
How did I overlook Broken Ankles, the 2014 collaboration between Freeway and Girl Talk?  "Lived It" is excellent.

---
The Art of Conversation, the highly praised duet album by Kenny Barron and Dave Holland, is exquisite.  RIYL: tony clubs, New York City, elegance.

---
I'm not feeling De La Soul's new song "The People".

---
Syleena Johnson's Chapter 6: Couples Therapy is RIYL: Lalah Hathaway, heartache, Jill Scott.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

I'm Not the Player of the Year

Although a poster of Bootsy Collins has watched over me for years, I haven't seen a performance by the funk giant in eons.  A few hours before I intended to drive to Collins' concert on Saturday, I peeked at Ticketmaster to confirm the schedule.  Only then did I notice that the casino event was a seated show.  Left with a choice of spending $75 to be tethered to a chair or spending $50 to stand in the back recess of the room, I opted to save my money.  I'm still pouting.  Here's Joel Francis' review.


----
I reviewed a Burt Bacharach concert.

---
I contributed a Local Listen feature on Kasey Rausch to KCUR.

---
Here's the video for Ces Cru's "Double OT".

---
Jimmy Ruffin has died.

---
The Oliver Lake Organ Quartet's What I Heard is excellent.  RIYL: Charles Gayle, genius, John Patton.

---
Beyoncé wins. Again.

---
The Last Southern Gentlemen, a new recording led by Delfeayo Marsalis is lovely.  RIYL: Al Grey, sophisticated swing, Vic Dickenson.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Keyshia Cole- Point of No Return

I like it when Keyshia Cole gets angry.  She's furious on Point of No Return, a dark song cycle in the tradition of Marvin Gaye's Here, My Dear.  I admire the album so much that I've even talked myself into liking features by three of 2014's most annoying rappers.  Future's profane rap on the despairing "Love Letter" provides context.  Cole punks an unwitting 2 Chainz on "N.L.U.".  Juicy J helps Cole pull of the ridiculous "Rick James".  I won't argue if There Stands the Glass readers suggest that Point of No Return is a second-rate imitation of Beyoncé's self-titled 2013 release.  It's still my jam.


---
I reviewed a concert by Black Veil Brides, Falling in Reverse, Set It Off and Drama Club.

---
I reviewed a concert by Hunter Hayes.

---
I contributed a Local Listen segment on Gene Clark to KCUR.

---
The Architects are "Out of the Woods".

---
Molly McGuire has released a new album.

---
Kyle James made a video for "This Is Love".

---
A recent performance of "Heliophonie," a new composition by Dwight Frizzell & Thomas Aber, was documented for posterity.

---
Big Bank Hank of the Sugarhill Gang has died.

---
I'm mildly disappointed by Dave Hollister's Chicago Winds… The Saga Continues.  RIYL: R. Kelly, grown-and-sexy music, Johnny Gill.  Here's "Spend the Night".

---
Jeff Coffin & the Mu'tet's Side Up is RIYL: Lenny Pickett, jazz with humor, Steve Turre.

---
St. Vincent gets Sound Advice.

---
Frank Catalano's Love Supreme Collective is RIYL: John Coltrane, the right kind of tribute album, Pharaoh Sanders.

(Original image of D.I.A. 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.


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

---
Making Movies appear in a Tiny Desk Concert.

---
Manitas de Plata has died.

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

---
Cat Stevens is the comeback artist of the year.

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

It's the Talk of the Town

My traveling companions nixed my plan to catch Bob Dylan's concert in Denver on Saturday night.  One associate had seen him three times.  That was plenty for her.  Another had attended a Dylan performance as a child but was aware of his dubious reputation as an entertainer.  A glutton for punishment, I can't get enough of Bobby. 

As Dylan played elsewhere, I found myself at a David Sedaris reading at Macky Auditorium on the campus of the University of Colorado.  I was astounded that over 2,000 people paid $40 and $50 to hear an author read.  I laughed a lot during the show, but never as heartily as when fans triumphantly raised their arms in the air when the presentation began. 

The reading was a revelation for this music-centric scribe.  I finally located the missing audience for the likes of the Kronos Quartet, Ambrose Akinmusire and Mary Gauthier.


---
I contributed a Local Listen segment about White Girls to KCUR's Up to Date.

---
Mr. Acker Bilk has died.

---
Wayne Static of Static X has died.

---
Here's T-Pain's viral Tiny Desk Concert.

---
Run the Jewels 2 is about as imaginative as its title.  I expect more from two of the smartest men in hip-hop.  RIYL: 2 Live Crew, songs about genitals, UGK.

---
I can deal with the passing sirens on "Improvisation No. 3," but I wish Branford Marsalis' otherwise sublime solo recording In My Solitude: Live at Grace Cathedral didn't include vibe-killing bursts of applause.  RIYL: echo, John Coltrane, reverb.

---
The Stanley Clarke Band's new album leans towards the cheesiest versions of Return to Forever and Weather Report.

---
Here's a video trailer for a new set of Trip Shakespeare reissues.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Concert Review: Kverlertak, Gojira and Mastodon at the Uptown Theater

As he took my $30 last Wednesday, the man in the box office of the Uptown Theater raved about the brilliance of Mastodon.  I confessed that while I admire the band, I was really laying down my money for the opening acts. 

I'd already attended three or four Mastodon concerts but I had yet to witness Kvelertak perform "Bruane Brenn" and I hadn't seen Gojira since the French band opened for Lamb of God in the same venue in 2007. 

Kvelertak didn't disappoint in an opening set marked by revolting showers of spit and sweat.  Gojira's slow songs caused me to wonder if it's the world's best post-metal band.  For its part, Mastodon dialed the visuals way back from the gaudy spectacles displayed on previous tours. 


---
I reviewed Judas Priest's concert at the Midland theater.

---
I reviewed Lecrae's concert at Independence Events Center.

---
Here's my Local Listen feature on the Architects for KCUR's Up To Date.

---
Kansas City musician Horace Washington has died.

---
Jack Bruce has died.

---
Budos Band's metal-tinged Burnt Offering is RIYL: Booker T & the MGs, epic instrumental jams, the Meters.  Here's the title track.

---
The title of the stellar new Francis Bebey compilation Psychedelic Sanza: 1982-1984 is misleading.  RIYL: God, Mickey Hart, life. (Tip via Big Steve.)

---
The Thought of You, Otis Brown III's debut album as a leader, is RIYL: Joe Lovano's Us 5, the idea of jazz as a living music, Gretchen Parlato.

---
Walt Weiskopf's Overdrive is RIYL: Michael Brecker, classic Blue Note, Kenny Garrett.

---
Hey, there's a new documentary about the Mekons!  (Tip via Rick H.)

---
John Cale recalls Lou Reed on "If You Were Still Around".

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Review: The Owen/Cox Dance Company's "A Body of Work"

As the rest of an audience of about 100 watched five athletic dancers at La Esquina on Sunday, October 5, I studied Brad Cox as he manipulated sound at the back of the room.  I have nothing against ballet, but Cox's stunning score for The Owen/Cox Dance Group's production "A Body of Work" demanded my full attention.  Using a combination of prerecorded backing tracks, ambient beats derived from the dancers' movements, a drum machine and the live vocals of Victoria Botero, Cox crafted a compelling soundscape.  Additional percussion emanating from four hanging columns and a quadrophonic mix made the experience even more dizzying.  Cox's exceptional performance was a civilized version of the futuristic work of groundbreaking acts like Marijuana Deathsquads.


---
I reviewed Tuesday's concert by Gaslight Anthem, Against Me! and Cory Branan.

---
The Kronos Quartet's performance at Helzberg Hall floored me on Saturday. 

---
Ikey Owens of Mars Volta has died.  Owens recently produced Various Blonde's Summer High album.

---
John Holt of the Paragons has died.

---
Here's a video tour of the Vinyl Underground at 7th Heaven.

---
Local Customs: Cavern Sound, a compilation of forgotten bands from Independence, will be released this week.  The only name that rings a bell is Morningstar, a band I hadn't thought about in at least 25 years.

---
Iceage's Plowing Into the Field of Love is shockingly raw.  RIYL: The Fall, drunken stupors, the Birthday Party.  Here's "How Many".

---
The video for Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's "Quail and Dumplings" is almost as good as the song.

---
It's not fair to Vince Staples, but almost all I could think about as I listened to Hell Can Wait was how much I still love Earl Sweatshirt's Doris.  RIYL: OFWGKTA, Los Angeles, the Cool Kids.

---
On Worker, the latest studio album by Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, the Oklahoma band veers into electronic territory.  RIYL: Soulive, acting on impulses, Galactic.

---
SZA's fine new album Z is RIYL: Sade, slow motion, Frank Ocean.  "Babylon" is the best track.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Concert Review: Lalah Hathaway at KC Live

I've witnessed performances by Tony Bennett, Deborah Brown, Joyce DiDonato and Bettye LaVette this year.  Lalah Hathaway out-sang all of them at the KC Live stage in the Power & Light District on Sunday.  About 5,000 people attended the free concert.

From the vocal trickery of the Grammy-winning "Something" to the emotional histrionics of the big hit "Forever, For Always,  For Love", Hathaway's repertoire allowed her to demonstrate that she's among the best vocalists in popular music. 

Poor Ruben Studdard didn't stand a chance against Donny's daughter.  He and Hathaway shared a band.  The concert was successful in part because the needless ambient noise I complained about in my review of Eric Benét's recent concert in the same space was blessedly silenced on Sunday. 


---
I reviewed the 18th & Vine Jazz & Blues Festival.

---
Paul Revere has died.

---
Flying Lotus's stunning new album You're Dead! is equal parts hip-hop, jazz and electronic music.

---
Jason Moran's All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller RIYL: Meshell Ndegeocello, high concept, Joni Mitchell.  Here's a recast rendition of "Ain't Misbehavin'.

---
It was nice to see the longtime There Stands the Glass favorite Lazerbeak support Lizzo on the Late Show with David Letterman.  (My notes on Lizzo's 2014 appearance at the RecordBar are here.)

---
Mark Kozelek has jokes.

---
Bill Frisell's new surf-oriented Guitar in the Space Age is RIYL: The Ventures, baby boomers, Steely Dan.

---
The self-titled album by Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn is wondrous.  RIYL: banjer, Raymond Fairchild, no frills.

---
My selections among the recently nominated candidates for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in order: Chic, N.W.A., Lou Reed, Kraftwerk and War.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Lou Whitney

Chuck Berry still maintained a heavy tour schedule when I became old enough to sneak into nightclubs.  What a disappointment!  The first two times I caught him, the legend was clearly going through the motions. 

Ever the glutton for punishment, I once found myself at Parody Hall to give the man another go.  Berry's demeanor shifted from contempt to delight upon recognizing the expertise of the pickup band.  That outing remains the only time I've seen Berry give a damn.  Lou Whitney and his cohorts in the Skeletons/Morells were the men responsible for inspiring Berry.

I spent several nights dancing to Whitney's bands during the next few years.  On the two or three occasions I spoke with him, he was funny and gracious.  Whitney died this week.  C.J. Janovy wrote a nice piece about the beloved Missourian. 

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Sturgill Simpson- Metamodern Sounds in Country Music

I'm skeptical when people who wouldn't know Ray Price from Luke Bryan rave about a country artist.  Having been raised on albums by Waylon, Willie and Kris, I take it personally when jokers subvert those sounds to amuse people who look down on the form.  That's why I avoided Sturgill Simpson's fashionable Metamodern Sounds in Country Music for months.  I'm finally willing to admit that it's really good.  With lyrics that could have been written by Jimmie Dale Gilmore and production modeled on Honky Tonk Heroes, the album sends me back to my smoke-filled childhood home.


---
I reviewed the Zombie Pub Crawl.

---
I participated in a discussion about Kansas City's jazz scene on KCUR's Central Standard last week.

---
D/Will and Stik Figa made a video for "Work".

---
Flying Lotus and Kendrick Lamar are at their best on "Never Catch Me".

---
Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood is my favorite jam band.  Juice is RIYL: Garage a Trois, outdoor festivals, Umphrey's McGee.

---
It really goes without saying, but Prince's messy new Art Official Age contains about 20 minutes of brilliance.  RIYL: Controversy, freaks, Sign o' the Times.

---
Yelawolf's "Till It's Gone" is one of my favorite songs of 2014.  RIYL: Lindsey Buckingham, classic rock, Tech N9ne.

---
Roni Size is back.  His new album Take Kontrol is RIYL: 1997, video game soundtracks, Orbital.

---
Jazz can be a chore.  It took four sessions for me to work my way through Joris Roelof's Aliens Deliberating.  RIYL: Eric Dolphy, nails on chalkboards, Ned Rothenberg.

---
Everclear's spoof of U2's partnership with Apple is perfect.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)