I’m proud of my May concert recommendations feature for Kansas City’s NPR affiliate KCUR. Notices about the prominent appearances of stars are balanced by previews of outings by relatively unknown artists. A healthy range of genres and venues is represented. Far from regurgitations of sanctioned talking points, my occasionally deprecatory commentary will never be mistaken for AI-generated claptrap. A Midwestern outlier, I don’t grant favors to friends or attempt to curry favor with artists, publicists or venue owners. But it’s not all about me. While I don’t care for the music made by my tenth and final selection, I acknowledge the significance of his concert for much of the KCUR audience.
April 2024 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency
Screenshot of the trailer for Garsington Opera’s production of Richard Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos” by There Stands the Glass.
The Top Ten Albums of April
1. Oren Ambarchi- Ghosted II
Scary good.
2. Fred Hersch- Silent, Listening
The pianist’s best.
3. أحمد (Ahmed)- Wood Blues
Ahmed Abdul-Malik lives.
4. Bill Frisell- Orchestras
What a time to be alive!
5. Parsnip- Behold
Hocus pocus.
6. Meshell Ndegeocello- Red Hot & Ra: The Magic City
A one-way trip to Saturn.
7. José James- 1978
My bespoke catnip.
8. Kilian Herold- Serenade: Works for Clarinet and Strings by Krenek, Gál and Penderecki
In which I discovered Ernst Krenek.
9. Nia Archives- Silence Is Loud
The groovy poets’ department.
10. Skilla Baby- The Coldest
Detroit vs. everybody.
The Top Ten Songs of April
1. Fat White Family- “Visions of Pain”
“Águas De Março” fermented.
2. Arooj Aftab- "Raat Ki Rani"
Smooth operator.
3. Shabaka- "As the Planets and the Stars Collapse"
Astral projecting.
4. Staples Jr. Singers- “Lost In a World of Sin”
On bended knee.
5. Kamasi Washington featuring George Clinton and D Smoke- "Get Lit"
Hit it and quit it.
6. Mabel- "Vitamins"
Restorative.
7. Eliza Rose- "Lovesome"
Dream house.
8. Anitta- "Lose Ya Breath"
Steam bath.
9. Chino Pacas- “Tunechi”
Tha block is hot.
10. St. Vincent- “Big Time Nothing”
The best track on a disappointing album.
The Top Ten Performances of April
1. Véronique Gens and Susan Manoff at Wigmore Hall (London)
My Instagram snapshot.
2. Mozart’s “Missa Solemnis”, Peter Schipka, Choralschola der Wiener Hofburgkapelle, Wiener Sängerknaben and Wiener Staatsoper, at Wiener Hofmusikkapelle (Vienna)
My Instagram clip.
3. Georges Bizet’s “Carmen” at Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna)
My Instagram snapshot.
4. Joe Lovano, Marilyn Crispell and Carmen Castaldi at Wigmore Hall (London)
My review.
5. Franz Schubert’s Messe in C-Dur, Markus Landerer, conductor, at Stephansdom (Vienna)
My Instagram snapshot.
6. Mike, 454, Niontay and El Cousteau at recordBar
My Instagram clip.
7. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music” at Volksoper (Vienna)
My Instagram snapshot.
8. Steve Hackett’s “Genesis Revisited” at the Uptown Theater
My Instagram clip.
9. Eddie Moore, Ben Tervort and Jalen Ward at Yardley Hall
My Instagram snapshot.
10. Marvin Gruenbaum, John Blegen, Kent Brauninger and Nils Aardahl at the Market at Meadowbrook
My Instagram clip.
The previous monthly recap is here.
Wien
Original image by There Stands the Glass.
I found my people during my first visit to Vienna. Like me, the inhabitants of the spectacular Austrian city tend to be fastidious, disdainful and aloof. The clean streets are filled with bookstores, ice cream parlors and cafés. I’d fit in rather well if I learned to speak German, dressed much better and lost fifteen pounds. Not insignificantly, music is an integral aspect of Viennese culture. For the first time in years I didn’t feel put out by going more than two weeks without playing pre-recorded music. Echoes of the concerts and music-themed masses I attended involuntarily played on repeat in my head. I’m home now. Based on the throes of ecstasy ignited by new albums by Ahmed, Oren Ambarchi and Bill Frisell, the break refreshed my ears.
Concert Review: Joe Lovano, Marilyn Crispell and Carmen Castaldi at Wigmore Hall
Original image by There Stands the Glass.
I’ve addressed numerous items on my proverbial bucket list during a whirlwind visit to London. Yesterday, I sat in the top front seat of a red double-decker bus after taking in my first Premier League match. Attending a concert at the world’s premier venue for chamber music meant even more to me. Given my predilections, it’s apropos that I heard a jazz trio on my first visit to Wigmore Hall.
I relish the three albums the grouping of saxophonist Joe Lovano, pianist Marilyn Crispell and drummer Carmen Castaldi recorded for ECM Records. Hearing them in perfect clarity amid an audience of about 500 was dreamy. Suffering from jet lag, displeased with Lovano’s sartorial choices and unwilling to continually crane my neck to watch Crispell’s fingering from my $50 seat in the center of the room, I occasionally closed my eyes.
With torrents of improvised sound akin to spray from a fire hose, the musicians’ lack of inhibition often overwhelmed me. Once or twice, I was reluctant to open my eyes for fear I had somehow slipped out of my chair and had passed out on the floor of Wigmore Hall. Three days later, I’m still reeling.
Album Review: funk.BR- São Paulo
I consume music as if it were chewing gum. After squeezing the flavor out of a song or album, I dispose of it. Music becomes a permanent part of my being once ingested. There’s little need to return to it. That’s why I’m always on the prowl for fresh sounds. I’d rather hear something for the first time than return to something I know backwards and forwards. The new compilation funk.BR- São Paulo hit me like an industrial-sized bag of bubblegum. Having heard nothing of the malevolent subgenre that combines Brazilian rhythms with crunk, nu metal and hyperpop, I’m gobsmacked. It will take weeks to digest these innovative flavors.
Concert Review: Steve Hackett at the Uptown Theater
Original image by There Stands the Glass.
The overblown music performed at the Uptown Theater on Wednesday, April 3, was filled with showboating instrumentalists and songs with laughably absurd lyrics. Like most of the audience of more than 1,000, I loved it.
I purchased Genesis’ 1972 album Foxtrot at Metro North Shopping Mall as a cutout in 1974. It’s been my favorite prog-rock album ever since. Of course, I haven’t spent much time with it since the Ramones spoiled my taste for grandiose art-rock in 1976.
Still, I happily laid down $25 plus $14 in fees to hear Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett and five able musicians play a note-perfect rendition of Foxtrot in pleasingly high fidelity on the “Genesis Revisited: Foxtrot at 50 & Hackett Highlights” tour.
Experiencing the concert as a beautiful requiem for the two or three years I unironically embraced prog-rock as a child served as a soothing therapy session. As “Time Table” has it, it was “a time of valor and legends born.”
I'll Remember April
Screenshot of KCUR feature by There Stands the Glass.
Just three of the 17 performances I enjoyed in March were among my concert recommendations for KCUR last month. I just couldn’t bring myself to spend more than $150 for concerts by Bad Bunny and Drake. Yet I’ve invested that much for an impossibly refined event in another continent in three weeks. That’s why I’ll be in attendance at just a few of my April concert recommendations.
March 2024 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency
Original image of Kevin Miller and Lawrence Brownlee by There Stands the Glass.
The Top Ten Albums of March
1. Jlin- Akoma
Fancy footwork.
2. Tierra Whack- World Wide Whack
(Frank) Oceans of fun.
3. Véronique Gens- Paysage
French soiree.
3. Moor Mother- The Great Bailout
Overdue.
5. Norah Jones- Visions
A beautiful mirage.
6. Amirtha Kidambi- New Monuments
Prog-jazz.
7. Ethnic Heritage Ensemble- Open Me, A Higher Consciousness of Sound and Spirit
Astral planes.
8. Charles Lloyd- The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow
With Jason Moran, Larry Grenadier and Brian Blade.
9. Future and Metro Boomin- We Don’t Trust You
En garde!
10. That Mexican OT- Texas Technician
My review.
The Top Ten Songs of March
1. Bill MacKay- “Glow Drift”
Unhalfbricking.
2. Adrienne Lenker- “Free Treasure”
Gifts abound.
3. Charlie Parr- "Pale Fire"
Luminous.
4. Waxahatchee- “Burns Out at Midnight”
Return of the grievous angel.
5. DannyLux- "Maldito Alcohol"
Cautionary tale.
6. Mike featuring Earl Sweatshirt and Tony Shhnow- "On God"
Dead friends.
7. Anysia Kim featuring Mike- “In Doubt?”
Uncertain.
8. Matt Champion featuring Dora Jar- "Steel"
Boy band breakout.
9. Chief Keef and Mike Will Made-It featuring 2 Chainz- "Pull Up Ghost Clan"
Chiraq.
10. Lekin- “714”
Both sides now.
The Top Ten Performances of March
1. Lawrence Brownlee at the Lied Center
My review.
2. David Lord at Farewell
My review.
3. Ema Nikolovska at the Folly Theater
My review.
4. The Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s “Roméo et Juliette” at Muriel Kauffman Theatre
My review.
5. Sleater-Kinney at the Truman
My Instagram clip.
6. The Kansas City Symphony’s Matthias Pintscher Conducts Symphony Dances: ‘West Side Story’ and Rachmaninoff with Philippe Quint at Helzberg Hall
My review.
7. Danielle Nicole, Brandon Miller and Go-Go Ray at Records with Merritt
My Instagram snapshot.
8. Seth A Davis, Kwan Leung Ling, Aaron Osborne and Evan Verploegh at 7th Heaven
My Instagram clip.
9. Bryan Hicks, Rod Fleeman and Rich Hill at the Market at Meadowbrook
My Instagram snapshot.
10. Nya at the Blue Room
My Instagram snapshot.
The previous monthly recap is here.
Concert Review: Matthias Pintscher Conducts Symphonic Dances: West Side Story and Rachmaninoff at Helzberg Hall
Original image by There Stands the Glass.
I joined more than 1,000 concert-goers at the last of three de facto coronation ceremonies at Helzberg Hall on Sunday, March 24. Matthias Pintscher, the incoming Music Director of The Kansas City Symphony, appears to be a talented, benevolent and humble potentate.
Prior to the performance, the audience was told that Pintscher was mourning the death of his mentor Peter Eötvös. The distressing news raised the stakes for a vibrant reading of Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from ‘West Side Story’.
Composer Errollyn Wallen was in the house for the world premiere of her Violin Concerto. I couldn’t discern the hushed passages played by guest artist Philippe Quint from my seat in the rafters.
Charles Ives’ loopy “Three Places in New England” was my favorite piece. I sense the subversive programing is an indication of Pintscher’s plans for the Symphony. Aside from the prominence of a saxophone, Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Symphonic Dances” didn’t do much for me.
All tickets were $37 for the concerts billed as “Matthias Pintscher Conducts Symphonic Dances: West Side Story and Rachmaninoff”. Having gladly made the investment, I’m eager to evaluate the responses to Pintscher’s oversight of the Symphony at three European concerts in August. Here’s to fresh starts and new beginnings.
Recital Review: Lawrence Brownlee at the Lied Center
Original image of Kevin Miller and Lawrence Brownlee by There Stands the Glass.
One of the most rewarding things about residing in the Kansas City area is also one of the most discouraging elements about life in the center of the country. Disinterest in what’s dismissed by others as highbrow art allows a lowbrow hick like me incredible access to topflight performances of classical music.
I bought two front-row center tickets to Lawrence Brownlee’s appearance at the Lied Center on Tuesday, March 19, for $21 apiece on Cyber Monday last November. Brownlee has been my favorite operatic tenor since he and Eric Owens stunned me at the Folly Theater in 2019.
The 2,000-seat venue was at about ten percent capacity for the star who regularly appears on the world’s most prestigious stages. Brownlee and pianist Kevin Miller didn’t disappoint.
The recital featuring familiar Italian arias, art songs by Austrian composer Joseph Marx and contemporary works from Brownlee’s Grammy-nominated 2023 album Rising couldn’t have been more rewarding. Kudos to presenters who continue to program decidedly unpopular music in the hinterlands.
Much as some professional sports franchises opt for a “best player available” philosophy when drafting talent, I’ll keep allotting my resources to the best deals available regardless of style. Regrettably, I’m priced out of next week’s Bad Bunny concert.