Gabito Ballesteros

October 2025 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the trailer for the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Vincenzo Bellini’s “La Sonnambula” by There Stands the Glass.

The Top Ten Albums of October 2025*
1. Clarice Jensen- In holiday clothing, out of the great darkness
Bach-based drones.

2. Patricia Brennan- Of the Near and Far
Infinite.

3. Laura Jurd- Rites & Revelations
New rituals.

4. Charles Lloyd- Figure in Blue
Rapturous sketches.

5. Jakob Bro, Wadada Leo Smith and Marcus Gilmore- Murasaki
Wadada #1.

6. Sylvie Courvoisier and Wadada Leo Smith- Angel Falls
Wadada #2.

7. Militarie Gun- God Save the Gun
Firepower.

8. Yazmin Lacey- Teal Dreams
Think Jill Scott, not KC Current.

9. Meredith Monk- Cellular Songs
Primordial.

10. The Necks- Disquiet
Unsettling.

*October 31 releases excluded.


The Top Three Reissues, Reimaginings and Compilations of October 2025
1. Bruce Springsteen- Nebraska ‘82: Expanded Edition
Reasons to believe.

2. Peggy Lee- Mirrors: Expanded Edition
Existentialism courtesy of Leiber and Stoller.

3. JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown- Scaring the Hoes: Director's Cut
Refreshed version of the disruptive 2023 classic.

The Top Ten Songs of October 2025
1. Nathy Peluso featuring Rawayana- “Malportada”
Bad behavior.

2. Gabito Ballesteros and Fuerza Regida- “Chrome Hearts”
Shiny.

3. Amadou & Mariam- “Bienvenue à la maison”
A fond farewell.

4. SML- “Chicago Four”
Big shoulders.

5. Say She She- “Shop Boy”
C’est chic.

6. Robert Glasper featuring Norah Jones- “Prototype”
Two of a kind.

7. СОЮЗ featuring Tim Bernardes- “Lingua Do Mundo”
Belarus meets Brazil.

8. Silvana Estrada- “El Alma Mia”
Ooh! My soul.

9. Mobb Deep featuring Clipse- “Look at Me”
Seen.

10. Dave- “My 27th Birthday”
The party’s over.

The Top Ten Performances of October 2025
1. Brad Mehldau and Christian McBride at Muriel Kauffman Theatre
My review.

2. Terence Blanchard at Muriel Kauffman Theatre
My review.

3. Angela Hewitt at the Folly Theater
My Instagram snapshot.

4. Militarie Gun, Liquid Mike and Public Opinion at the Bottleneck
My Instagram clip.

5. Destroyer and Jennifer Castle at Warehouse on Broadway
My review.

6. Matt Villinger, Peter Schlamb, Sebastian Arias and Matt Robertson at the Blue Room
My Instagram clip.

7. Pete Escovedo at the Folly Theater
My notes.

8. Michael Shults, Dan Velicer, Dawson Coleman and Andrew Ouellette at Polsky Theatre
My Instagram snapshot.

9. Angela Hewitt’s masterclass at White Recital Hall
My Instagram snapshot.

10. Susan and William Goldenberg at Asbury United Methodist Church
My Instagram clip.


The previous monthly recap is here.

February 2024 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of Lise Davidsen in the trailer for the Metropolitan Opera’s new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s “La forza del destino.”

The Top Ten Albums of February 

1. Heems- Lafandar
My review.

2. Lee “Scratch” Perry- King Perry
My review.

3. Hera Hyesang Park- Breathe
The soprano’s imaginative song cycle.

4. Kali Malone- All Life Long
A secular service.

5. Joel Ross- nublues
Blue notes.

6. James Brandon Lewis Quartet- Transfiguration
The saxophonist with Aruán Ortiz, Brad Jones and Chad Taylor.

7. Ben Allison, Steve Cardenas and Ted Nash- Tell the Birds I Said Hello: The Music of Herbie Nichols
My review.

8. Arcangelo- Handel: Theodora
A revelatory new recording of the 1750 oratorio.

9. Vijay Iyer, Linda May Han Oh and Tyshawn Sorey- Compassion
Piano trio nonpareil.

10. DJ Harrison- Shades of Yesterday
My review.

The Top Ten Songs of February 

1. Little Simz- “Mood Swings”
Schizophrenic.

2. GloRilla- “Yeah Glo!”
Glow-up.

3. Terrace Martin- “Kill Bill”
Smooth jazz revival.

4. Scott H. Biram- “Inside a Bar”
Set ‘em, Joe.

5. Sierra Ferrell- “I Could Drive You Crazy”
Insane earworm.

6. Ducks Ltd.- "On Our Way to the Rave"
Another jangle-pop miracle.

7. Thee Sinseers- “Hold On”
Little bit o’ soul.

8. Hatis Noit featuring Armand Hammer- "Jomon (Preservation Rework)"
Ancient to the future.

9. Gabito Ballesteros and Natanael Cano- "Proyecto X"
Trippy corrido tumbado.

10. Logan Richardson- “Black to the Point”
My album review.

The Top Ten Performances of February 

1. Militarie Gun, Pool Kids, Spiritual Cramp and Spacing at recordBar
My review.

2. Folk Alliance International Conference, Day One (Willi Carlisle, Justin Adams and Mauro Durante, Freedy Johnston)
My review.

3. Jeremy Denk at the Folly Theater
My review.

4. Folk Alliance International Conference, Day Three (Jolie Holland, Ensemble Sangineto, Mitsune)
My review.

5. Folk Alliance International Conference, Day Two (Trond Kallevåg, Louisa Stancioff, Humbird)
My review.

6. Jackie Myers, Rich Wheeler and Jeff Harshbarger at the Market at Meadowbrook
​​My Instagram snapshot.

7. Desmond Mason, Angela Ward, DeAndre Manning and Jaylen Ward at the Blue Room
My Instagram clip.

8. The Kansas City Wind Symphony at Village Presbyterian Church
My Instagram snapshot.

9. Pinnacle Winds at St. Peter & All Saints Episcopal Church
My Instagram clip.

10. Mire Pral at the Market at Meadowbrook
My Instagram clip.



The previous monthly recap is here.