Overcome by sudden fatigue, I went to bed early last night. I experienced a riot of visions during nine hours of uninterrupted slumber. Each of a seeming interrelated series of dreams was entirely new, unlike the variations on familiar themes I usually experience.

The tone ranged from horrific universal decimation to intimate harmonic utopias. I felt as if I had survived a harrowing expedition upon awakening. My real-life to-do list suddenly seems like child’s play.

Cooked provides a similarly cathartic encounter. The two extended tracks on Oren Ambarchi’s new album contain an overwhelming conflux of sounds and ideas. Intermittently nightmarish and celestial, Cooked is a psychedelic odyssey.

William Brownlee

September 22, 2026

Concert Review: Bilal and Yaya Bey at Star Theater

William Brownlee

September 22, 2026

Original image by There Stands the Glass.

About 150 grown-and-sexy fans of rarified soul music attended performances by Bilal and Yaya Bey at Star Theater on Sunday, September 20. I was also present. A $45 expenditure placed me in the resplendent room. I may be grown (old) and (un)sexy, but I grooved with Bey and her three-piece band throughout her opening set. And that’s how The Incident occurred.

Having been aware of my enthusiasm, Bey brought me to the stage to sing with her. After my demurals were rejected, everyone in the venue learned that I’m not much of a singer. While spending a minute nose-to-nose with Bey was delightful, my inability to effectively trade licks with the current critical darling was humiliating.

Bilal is only a decade older than Bey but it feels as if his 2001 debut album 1st Born Second came out several decades ago. The man with a spectacular voice has gradually drifted into increasingly esoteric musical terrain, a progression that’s made him a There Stands the Glass mainstay. Bilal’s two 2024 albums, for example, placed at #10 on my Top Albums of 2024 list.

A four-piece band wasn’t quite at the level of frequent Bilal collaborators including Robert Glasper and Questlove, but it was plenty good enough to provide a sympathetic backdrop for the vocalist’s transcendent emoting. The Incident had a mild reprise when Bilal spotted me scowling at his praise for Portland’s dispensaries. I got off with a relatively modest chiding from the indelible talent.

William Brownlee

September 16, 2026

Concert Review: Public Image Ltd. and Plague Vendor at Wonder Ballroom

William Brownlee

September 16, 2026

The most infamous provocateur in rock history remains rotten. John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, spewed spit, projected snot rockets and insulted the near-capacity audience of more than 600 at Wonder Ballroom on Monday, September 14. I relished his relentless barrage of vulgar behavior.

A day-one fan of the Sex Pistols, I’d somehow never managed to be in the same room with Lydon. My $56.25 investment in a general admission ticket for Lydon’s Public Image Ltd. corrected the significant hole in my concert-going career. Even so, I acknowledge that buying the ticket was a dicey proposition.

Mocking the “wheelchair brigade” positioned near the stage, telling fans “my, how you’ve aged!” and screaming “f*** you” at an apparent heckler, Lydon lived up to his loathsome reputation. Less appealing was the use of the treacherous “okay” hand gesture by Lydon and some fans, something I’d hadn’t previously witnessed at a concert.

There was nothing dodgy about Lydon’s voice. At 70, he resembles Winston Churchill with a mohawk, but his singing is remarkably powerful. Public Image Ltd.’s vintage songs were given correspondingly bold makeovers by the storied guitarist Lu Edmonds (The Damned, Mekons, 3 Mustaphas 3), bassist Scott Firth and drummer Mark Roberts.

The approach careened between beery good cheer and dark nihilism. The pervading sound of the ninety-minute outing, consequently, was a violent form of pub rock. That said, I preferred Jah Wobble’s 2024 live rendering of Metal Box’s “Poptones.”

Opening act Plague Vendor was a nice surprise. The electrifying Stooges acolytes- replete with bloodletting and shouts of “gimme danger”- is among the best biker bands I’ve encountered.

William Brownlee

September 14, 2026

Album Review: Lo Steele- Only a Drop

William Brownlee

September 14, 2026

Charlie Hunter’s new album AM Clock Radio hits me like aural catnip. Slinky instrumental versions of 1982 hits like Dazz Band’s “Let It Whip,” DeBarge’s “I Like It” and Zapp’s “Doo Wa Ditty (Blow That Thing)” are absolutely irresistible for a funk and R&B fan of my age and inclinations.

Only a Drop, Lo Steele’s March release co-produced by Hunter, may be even more satisfying. I first became aware of Steele a few days after relocating to Portland a couple weeks ago. She co-headlined the Montavilla Jazz Festival, but I wasn’t able to catch her during the seven hours I spent at the event.

I was present, however, when Steele sat in with Alden Hellmuth at the 1905 for a charming rendition of “Save Your Love for Me” on September 10. I discovered Only a Drop later that evening.

As the hundreds of thousands of people obsessed with D’Angelo’s Voodoo know, Hunter played a key role in shaping the feel of the landmark 2000 album. Only a Drop is a mellower, gospel-infused descendent of Voodoo. Portland should be proud.

William Brownlee

September 8, 2026

Album Review: Sullivan Fortner- Leave That In There

William Brownlee

September 8, 2026

Something was missing each of the several times I’ve attended a performance by Sullivan Fortner. The pianist was never less than masterful, but even when I sat a few feet from the pianist at Mezzrow in 2017, I got the sense that Fortner was holding back.

The promise Fortner previously bottled up is spilled on Leave That In There. Accompanied by bassist Tyrone Allen II and drummer Kayvon Gordon on the new plugged-in album, Fortner lets his freak flag fly. Even the organ jazz workouts “Swirl” and “Aria II” are trippy.

I hope Fortner isn’t in a hurry to return to conventional mainstream jazz. When he does revisit the sound that made his reputation, I’m confident the newly liberated Fortner will elect “to leave that in there.”

William Brownlee

September 6, 2026

Concert Review: Zoh Amba and Bijoux Cone at Show Bar

William Brownlee

September 6, 2026

Original image of Zoe Amba and band by There Stands the Glass.

A genuine rock 'n' roll high school, Revolution Hall is a former Portland public school converted into an entertainment emporium. A Taylor Swift-themed dance party was the primary attraction at the complex on Thursday, September 4. I was bemused to find myself amid hundreds of cheerful women wearing spangled dresses.

Show Bar, a small room in Revolution Hall, attracted fifty substantially grungier and gloomier people who paid $20 apiece for a show featuring Zoh Amba and Bijoux Cone. Even though Amba’s Eyes Full is one of my favorite non-jazz, non-classical albums of 2026, I passed on a chance to catch Amba open for Courtney Barnett in Kansas City last month.

I began smiling ten seconds into an explosive hour-long performance by Amba’s trio and am still on a post-show high as I write these words two days later. Amba resembled the young Rodney Crowell while the feral attack often sounded much like 1984-era Minutemen. As a bonus, Amba played a few minutes of free jazz skronk.

Cone lacked Amba’s heedless confidence. Splitting the difference between Anohni and Lou Reed, Cone’s solo outing was marred by frequent references to her phone. Still, the rousing karaoke version of Suicide’s “Surrender” closing Cone’s set provided an appropriate foretaste of Amba’s exceedingly un-Swiftian triumph.

William Brownlee

September 1, 2026

August 2026 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

William Brownlee

September 1, 2026

Screenshot of the trailer for Opera Holland Park’s production of Johann Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus” by There Stands the Glass.

The Top Ten Albums of August 2026
1. Linda May Han Oh and Melissa Aldana- Beneath Lifted Skies
Stunning duo #1.

2. Miguel Zenón y Luis Perdomo- El Arte del Bolero, Vol. 3
Stunning duo #2.

3. Skúli Sverrisson and Bill Frisell- For All Your Flowers
My review of stunning duo #3.

4. Sarah Davachi- The Will of Tongues
Deific whispers.

5. Bruce Liu- Lunaris
Celestial piano.

6. Henry Threadgill, Vijay Iyer and Dafnis Prieto- Fifteen
Gold-plated improvisations.

7. Jorja Smith- What Are the Odds
The sweetest taboos.

8. Evil Island- Terraform the Afterlife
My review.

9. Erykah Badu and the Alchemist- Before the World Blows
Faded.

10. Ben Goldberg- Dog Hypnotic, Spillway Four, Optical, Trouble Trouble, For Bobby, Dreaming Upon Waking, Just What You Thought You Wanted and Rock Band
My review.

The Top Three Reissues and Compilations of August 2026
1. The Cramps- Gravest Gravy
Be-bop-a-lula.

2. Iréne Schweizer- Prelude to a Kiss and More
Solo piano at Volkshaus Zürich in 1986.

3. John Williams- Legacy
My review.

The Top Ten Songs of August 2026
1. Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats featuring Yabba- "Difference"
Prog rap.

2. Nicole McCabe and Savannah Harris- "Monstera"
The sound of the moment.

3. Sylvie Courvoisier- "At Risk"
With Patricia Brennan, Thomas Morgan and Dan Weiss.

4. Mike Shabb featuring Mike- “Dontsweatit!”
Swampy.

5. Fat Joe, Pusha T and Dre- “Set of Keys”
Unlocked.

6. Ela Minus & Nick León- "qué les pasó a mis amigos?"
Fast friends.

7. Natanael Cano- “Mar Azul”
Asea.

8. Karol G- "Alguien que te amaba"
One of the better tracks from a disappointing album.

9. Lambchop- “Just West of Nicollet”
Darkness.

10. The Odyssey Cult- “Our First Trip”
Freak scene.

The Top Ten Performances of August 2026
1. J. Cole at the T-Mobile Center
My review.

2. French Organ Festival at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
My Instagram clip.

3. Logan Richardson at the Gem Theater
My review.

4. The Kansas City Symphony with Blake Pouliot at Helzberg Hall
My Instagram snapshot.

5. Steve Cardenas, Forest Stewart and Brian Steever at Ted’s Taproom
My review.

6. Charles Williams, DeAndre Manning and Kenny Watson at First Baptist Church
My Instagram clip.

7. Made in France at French Market
My Instagram clip.

8. David Chael, Aaron Sizemore, Greg Whitfield and John Kizilarmut at Music House
My Instagram clip.

9. Twice on Sunday at Thompson Park
My Instagram snapshot.

10. Jam session at 515 Music Hub
My Instagram snapshot.

The previous monthly recap is here.

William Brownlee

August 27, 2026

Albums Review: Ben Goldberg's 8 x 8 Initiative

William Brownlee

August 27, 2026

The artists associated with Kansas City’s Extemporaneous Music and Arts Society are so prolific that I occasionally struggle to keep up with their output. Ben Goldberg, a Bay Area musician with similarly freewheeling improvisational inclinations, made the collective look like a bunch of slackers by releasing eight albums on August 8.

Each features a different lineup and stylistic approach. The sole constant is Goldberg’s distinctive clarinet, a sound bearing only cursory resemblances to the tones of Benny Goodman and Ken Peplowski. The releases range from mainstream(ish) swing to avant ambience.

Guitarist Will Bernard (Optical), saxophonist John Ellis (Spillway Four), pianist Myra Melford (Trouble Trouble) and percussionist Kenny Wollesen (Dog Hypnotic) are Goldberg’s most auspicious collaborators, but most of the musicians previously unfamiliar to me are no less impressive.

A proper explanation of Goldberg’s 8 x 8 initiative- he turned 66 on August 8- is available here. I like all eight albums, but a ranking of my preferences follows. Anyone with the audacity to question my judgement might begin with a generous sampler featuring two tracks from each of the admirable albums.

1. Ben Goldberg and Kenny Wollesen- Dog Hypnotic
2. Ben Goldberg- Spillway Four
3. Ben Goldberg- Optical
4. Ben Goldberg- Trouble Trouble
5. Ben Goldberg- For Bobby
6. Ben Goldberg with William Winant- Dreaming Upon Waking
7. Ben Goldberg- Just What You Thought You Wanted
8. Ben Goldberg- Rock Band

William Brownlee

August 24, 2026

Album Review: John Williams- Legacy

William Brownlee

August 24, 2026

Orchestral music walloped me when I entered a man’s home a few years ago. I was flabbergasted that a devotee of professional football and dinner theater was blaring what initially sounded like Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen.

The joke was on me. Upon rushing to his entertainment center I discovered he was enjoying a John Williams score for a Star Wars flick. Until that moment I hadn’t understood how closely the prolific film composer based his sound on the works of Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss and Wagner.

As a weirdo who rarely watches movies, the new compilation Legacy is a revelation. Much of the 78 minutes performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Recording Arts Orchestra of Los Angeles and the Wiener Philharmoniker is entirely new to me.

Seemingly everyone else has long appreciated Williams’ Pops-style themes. What they lack in nuance is made up for in the pleasure they offer. I suspect Williams has composed hours of additional music that merits comparison to Wagner. For now, I’m hooked on the hits I’d missed.