Henry Scamurra

September 2025 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the trailer for Welsh National Opera’s production of Giacomo Puccini's Tosca by There Stands the Glass.

The Top Ten Albums of September 2025

1. Trio of Bloom- Trio of Bloom
Nels Cline, Craig Taborn and Marcus Gilmore.

2. Vox Clamantis- Pärt: And I heard a voice
Spectral spirituality.

3. Olivia Dean- The Art of Loving
Near-perfect pop.

4. Satoko Fujii and Natsuki Tamura- Ki
Spartan piano and trumpet duo.

5. Cécile McLorin Salvant- Oh Snap
My kind of mixtape.

6. Atmosphere- Jestures
My review.

7. Mulatu Astatke- Mulatu Plays Mulatu
Ethiopian twilight.

8. Rochelle Jordan- Through the Wall
Don’t stop ‘til you get enough.

9. Les Arts Florissants- Gluck: Orphée et Eurydice
Oui français.

10. Jeff Tweedy- Twilight Override
One’s too many and thirty ain’t enough.


The Top Three Reissues and Reimaginings of September 2025

1. Joni Mitchell- Joni’s Jazz
One side now.

2. Kassa Overall- CREAM
My review.

3. Gary Bartz- The Eternal Tenure of Sound: Damage Control
Slow jamz.


The Top Ten Songs of September 2025

1. El Michels Affair featuring Norah Jones- "Carry Me Away"
Surf.

2. Kali Uchis featuring Raven Lenae- “Cry About It!”
Rainin’ in my heart.

3. Mariah Carey featuring Anderson Paak- “Play This Song”
Grown-and-sexy.

4. Rauw Alejandro featuring Mon Laferte- "Callejón de los Secretos"
Boulevard of broken dreams.

5. Tortoise- “Layered Presence”
Slow and steady.

6. Danny Brown- “Starburst”
Glitchy and twichy.

7. Black Lips- “Sx Sx Sx Men”
Filthy numerology.

8. Speed- "Peace"
Only one mode.

9. Lorna Kay- “I’m Never Drinking Again (Again)”
Hair of the dog.

10. Mike Reid and Joe Henry- “History”
Lovely lament.


The Top Ten Performances of September 2025

1. Callie Day and Isaac Cates at Grant Recital Hall
My Instagram clip.

2. 10cc at Ranch Mart Shopping Center
My review.

3. Kid Congo Powers and the Pink Monkey Birds and Dan Jones and the Squids at recordBar
My Instagram clips here and here.

4. Isaac Cates’ Affirmations: A Night of Worship with Oleta Adams, Callie Day, Angela Crawford, Alicia Peters-Jordan and Chrystal Rucker at the Church of the Resurrection
My Instagram clip.

5. Devin Gray at The Ship
My Instagram clip.

6. Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda and Antonio Sánchez at Helzberg Hall
My Instagram snapshot.

7. Deftones, Idles and the Barbarians of California at T-Mobile Center
My review.

8. Henry Scamurra, Isaiah Petrie, Spencer Reeve and Jade Harvey at the Prairie Village Jazz Festival
My Instagram clip.

9. Nathaniel Gumbs at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
My Instagram clip.

10. Rex Hobart and the Honky Tonk Standards at SarKoPar Trails Park
My Instagram clip.



The previous monthly recap is here.

The Top Kansas City Albums and EPs of 2025 (so far)

The 25 Best Kansas City Albums of 2025 (so far)

1. Carl Allen- Tippin'
Plastic Sax review.

2. Stik Figa- A Small Fortune
The riches of maturity.

3. Hermon Mehari and Tony Tixier- Soul Song
Plastic Sax review.

4. Sandbox Percussion- Cerrone: Don’t Look Down
Elevated.

5. Samantha Fish- Paper Doll
Tougher than nails.

6. Idle Heirs- Life is Violence
Brutal beat downs.

7. Vinny Golia, Dan Clucas, Kevin Cheli and Seth Andrew Davis- Orchid
Plastic Sax review.

8. Kansas City Chorale- The Mirage Calls
Oasis.

9. TheBabeGabe- Honeypop
Toothsome.

10. The Freedom Affair- The Freedom Affair
Righteous.


11. Jake Wesley Rogers- In the Key of Love
Maximalist pop.

12. Nathan Granner- Gordon Getty: Goodbye, Mr. Chips
An opera based on James Hilton’s novel.

13. Jackie Myers- What About the Butterfly
Plastic Sax review.

14. Rich the Factor- 2K10th Street
Fresh takes.

15. Bob James and Dave Koz- Just Us
Plastic Sax review.

16. All Night Trio- Yeah Sun
Plastic Sax review.

17. Henry Scamurra- Urban Forum
Plastic Sax review.

18. Adam Larson- Push to Exit
Locked in.

19. Wire Town- Riffin’ on Grand
Plastic Sax review.

20. Eddie Moore- What Makes Us
Made men.

21. Xion Sound Waves- In This Celestial Life
New Age gospel.

22. Hot Club KC- Dream Dancing
Plastic Sax review.

23. Season to Risk- 1-800-MELTDOWN
Psychotic reactions.

24. Michael McClintock- Here and There
Plastic Sax review.

25. Brody Buster- Redemption
Confessions.


The Ten Best Kansas City EPs of 2025 (so far)

1. RMW and Maadcxmmander- Pretty Boy Swag
Crank that.

2. Greg LaFollette- Liturgical Songs, Volume One
Holy, holy, holy.

3. Rich the Factor- Snow Money
Grab a shovel.

4. Flora From Kansas- Homesick
Teen spirit.

5. Claire Adams- Passenger Seat
A trip to Laurel Canyon.

6. The Almighty Trouble Brothers- A History of Poor Decisions
Flirtin’ with disaster.

7. Reality’s Demise- Demo
Corrosive thrash.

8. Rich the Factor- Make America Grit Again
Poll numbers.

9. Jass- April Showers
Refreshing.

10. Jean & The Eclairs- the a.m. EP
Good morning.


The year-end tabulation for 2024 is here.