The Top Fifty Performances of 2022

Original image of Blackstarkids by There Stands the Glass.

I’ve gone out to hear live music 123 times in 2022. I’m not done yet- I plan to hit a couple gigs this evening. Even without attending a single festival, I’ve taken in more than 225 performances this year. And yes, wise guys, I’ve been the oldest person in the room at a third of the shows listed below. You can’t blame a person for trying to make up for lost time. Unless indicated otherwise, the events took place in the Kansas City area.

1. Nduduzo Makhathini at the Blue Room

Review.

2. Joyce DiDonato at the Folly Theater

Review.

3. Little Joe y La Famalia at the Guadalupe Center

Review.

4. Logan Richardson + Blues People at the Ship

Review.

5. Blackstarkids at recordBar

Review.

6. Angela Winbush, Men at Large and Levelle at Juneteenth KC

Review.

7. Godspeed You! Black Emperor at the Roseland Theater (Portland)

Review.

8. Samantha Ege at the Folly Theater

Review.

9. Sparks at the Crystal Ballroom (Portland)

Review.

10. Flatland Cavalry at the Truman

Review.

11. Daniil Trifonov at the Folly Theater

Review.

12. Lucibela at Old Church Concert Hall (Portland)

Review.

13. Show Me the Body, Soul Glo, Wifi Gawd, Ebony Tusks and Piss Kinks at recordBar

Review.

14. FKJ and Ohma at the Midland theater

Review.

15. Livia Nestrovski and Henrique Eisenmann at the 1900 Building

Review.

16. Salvation Choir at Theis Park

Review.

17. Algara, P.S.Y.W.A.R. and New Obsessions at Farewell

Review.

18. Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Isata Kanneh-Mason at the Folly Theater

Instagram photo.

19. Animal Collective and Spirit of the Beehive at the Truman

Review.

20. Adam Larson, Clark Sommers and Dana Hall at Westport Coffee House

Review.

21. Porridge Radio and Blondshell at Doug Fir Lounge (Portland)

Instagram clip.

22. Black Crack Revue at Westport Coffee House

Review.

23. High Pulp at recordBar

Review.

24. Escuela Grind at Farewell

Review.

25. Phillip Greenlief, Midwestern and the Extemporaneous Music and Arts Society at Bushranger Records

Review.

26. Steve Cardenas, Forest Stewart and Brian Steever at recordBar

Review.

27. Terence Blanchard with Turtle Island Quartet at Atkins Auditorium

Review.

28. Arnold Young and the RoughTet at the Ship

Instagram clip.

29. Marin Alsop and Orchestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo at Helzberg Hall

Review.

30. John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett at the Uptown Theater

Review.

31. Bob Bowman and Peter Schlamb at Second Presbyterian Church

Review.

32. Mspaint at Nightjar

Instagram clip.

33. Babehoven at Farewell KC

Instagram clip.

34. UMKC’s Conservatory’s “Cosi Fan Tutte” at White Recital Hall

Instagram photo.

35. Live Skull and Still Ill at recordBar

Review.

36. Crystal Gayle at Ameristar Casino

Review.

37. Evan Verploegh and Ben Baker at World Culture

Review.

38. Keefe Jackson, Jakob Heinemann and Adam Shead at Black Dolphin

Instagram photo.

39. Cuong Vu and Ted Poor at Jack London Revue (Portland)

Review.

40. Ozomatli at KC Live

Instagram clip.

41. Gorillaz and EarthGang at the Moda Center (Portland)

Review.

42. Escher String Quartet at Polsky Theatre

Review.

43. Damien Sneed at the Folly Theater

Review.

44. John Waite at Ranch Mart Shopping Center

Instagram clip.

45. William Baker Singers at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral

Review.

46. Raven Chacon at Agnes Arts

Review.

47. Rod Fleeman at Green Lady Lounge

48. Ducks Ltd. at the Green House

Instagram clip.

49. Billy Cobham at Dolores Winningstad Theatre (Portland)

Review.

50. Roger Waters at the T-Mobile Center

Review.

Concert Review: The Summer Singers of Kansas City & Orchestra’s “Elijah” at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral

Original image by There Stands the Glass.

I came into possession of a 95-year-old book titled A History of Music last week.  The author derides Felix Mendelssohn’s “unhappy predilection for the expression of superficial sentiment.”  Even though I too have yet to warm up to the composer, I didn't hesitate to pay $25 to hear Mendelssohn’s 1846 oratorio "Elijah"  at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral on Sunday, August 14.

The choir of about 100 overseen by conductor William Baker delivered the massive jolt I anticipated.  The multitude of vocalists was accompanied by a twenty-piece orchestra and fronted by professional soloists including soprano Victoria Botero.   Approximately 450 people endured unforgiving wooden pews to take in the 140-minute endeavor.

The scale conveyed the magnitude of the incredible saga of the Biblical prophet.  Yet the church’s high ceiling, stone walls and hard floor nullified concerns about “superficial sentiment.”  The swirling sonic soup often resembled the psychedelia of last month’s Animal Collective concert.  Were it not for the libretto in the program, one might have thought the choir was praising Baal.

July 2022 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

(Screenshot of the trailer for Grand Théâtre de Genève’s 2022 production of Turandot by There Stands the Glass.)

Top Ten Albums (released July 1-25)

1. Moor Mother- Jazz Codes

My review.

2. Anna Butterss- Activities

Illicit.

3. Steve Cardenas, Ben Allison and Ted Nash- Healing Power: The Music of Carla Bley

My review.

4. Kirk Knuffke Trio- Gravity Without Airs

Afloat with Michael Bisio and Matthew Shipp.

5. Kali Malone- Living Torch

Simmering drones.

6. ZZ Top- Raw

Live at Gruene Hall in 2019.

7. Flo Milli- You Still Here, Ho?

I’ve been here for years.

8. Katalyst- Jazz Is Dead 013

Clean slate.

9. Plínio Fernandes- Saudade

My review.

10. Ty Segall- Hello, Hi

Swinging sixties.

Top Ten Songs (Released July 1-25)

1. Charles Stepney- "That's the Way of the World"

My childhood was based on a lie.

2. Jimetta Rose & The Voices of Creation- "How Good It Is"

Blessings.

3. Emmanuel Jal with Nyayiena William and Elizabeth Nyajuok- "Ebul"

“A little bit of courage, a little bit of knowledge.”

4. DJ Premier with Remy Ma and Rapsody- "Remy Rap"

Def.

5. Cardi B with Kanye West and Lil Durk- "Hot Sh*t"

Supa dupa fly.

6. Megan Thee Stallion featuring Future- "Pressurelicious"

Pressed to get it.

7. Ciara featuring Coast Contra- "Jump"

Set this thing off right.

8. Fred Again- "Jungle"

Wild.

9. Dochii- "B*tch I'm Nice"

Fact.

10. Lil Uzi Vert- "Issa Hit"

Yeah, it is.

Top Ten Performances (July 1-24)

1. The Salvation Choir at Theis Park

My review.

2. Show Me the Body with Soul Glo, Wifi Gawd, Ebony Tusks and Piss Kinks at recordBar

My review.

3. Phillip Greenlief with Midwestern and the Extemporaneous Music and Arts Society at Bushranger Records

My review.

4. Animal Collective with Spirit of the Beehive at the Truman

My review.

5. Alex Cunningham, Seth Davis, Damon Smith, Evan Verplough and Weasel Walter at Charlotte Street Foundation

My Instagram clip.

6. The Dave Scott Quartet and Arnold Young’s RoughTet at Westport Coffee House

My review.

7. Lyle Lovett and Chris Isaak at Starlight Theatre

My Instagram snapshot.

8. Lester “Duck” Warner and Eclipse Trio at the Blue Room

My Instagram clip.

9. Dylan Pyles at Manor Records

My Instagram photo.

10. Midwest Chamber Ensemble at Prairie Baptist Church

Baroque in the afternoon.

Last month’s survey is here.

Concert Review: Animal Collective at The Truman

Original image by There Stands the Glass.

I’d been listening to Animal Collective all wrong.  I spent 20 years discounting Animal Collective as a flighty jam band.  Only during the pandemic-induced lockdown did I come to realize the group isn’t merely a more fashionable version of Phish.

The confluence of my deep dive into opera, a dalliance with dark drones and frequent exposure to free jazz improvisations compelled me to reevaluate Animal Collective’s inventive psychedelia.  A concert at the Truman on Thursday, July 21, validated my newfound appreciation.

Less dependent on constrictive conventions such as tidy songs with ingratiating melodies, I’m finally willing to capitulate to the absolute sound rendered by one of the most influential bands of the new millennium.  Yet receptivity is not to be confused with the absence of critical acuity.

Not everything about the band’s two-hour performance pleased me on Thursday.  While it’s a compelling instrument, I could have done with a lot less of the voice of Avey Tare (a.k.a. David Portnoy).  Almost all of the more than 600 people who purchased $35 tickets went nuts during an interpretation of the manic underground hit “The Purple Bottle,” but I remain indifferent to Animal Collective’s rave-ups.

The best bits of the concert in support of the delightful new album Time Skiffs were the sublime instrumental passages that alluded to early music as well as to contemporary classical innovations.  Animal Collective is the rare set of rock musicians who are best in their most musically adventurous moments.

The excellent sound field reproduced the subtleties of the band’s performance in exquisite detail.  The lighting was equally remarkable.  Appearing cheap and tawdry before the lights went down, the stage set was wondrously transformed into a glorious array of colorful 1970s-style graphics.

Much as I initially underestimated the prospect for compelling visuals, I’d misjudged Animal Collective since 2000.  Even so, I don’t feel too badly about missing out.  I sense that the best- whether in a continuation of the band or in its members’ solo endeavors- is yet to come.