July 2023 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the trailer for Bayerische Staatsorchester’s production of George Frideric Handel’s Semele by There Stands the Glass.

Top Ten Albums of July (as of July 25)

1. Anohni and the Johnsons- My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross

Sacral.

2. Zoh Amba, Chris Corsano and Bill Orcutt- The Flower School

Superlative skronk.

3. Hilary Hahn- Eugène Ysaÿe: Six Sonatas for Solo Violin

Sublime scraping.

4. African Head Charge- A Trip to Bolgatanga

Positive vibration.

5. Immy Owusu- LO-LIFE!

Goofball Afrobeat.

6. Mahalia- IRL

Back to life, back to reality.

7. Shapednoise- Absurd Matter

Dank discord.

8. Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band- Kings Highway

Scenic.

9. Black Milk- Everybody Good?

It remains to be seen.

10. Charif Megarbane- Marzipan

Lebanese lounge.

Top Ten Songs of July (as of July 25)

1. Joshua Redman with Gabrielle Cavassa- “Chicago Blues”

All things go.

2. Jamila Woods- "Tiny Garden"

Watered and weeded.

3. Robert Glasper featuring SiR and Alex Isley- "Back to Love"

Slow jam.

4. claire rousay- "Sigh In My Ear"

I hear a symphony.

5. Ryan Castro and Peso Pluma- "Quema"

Fiery.

6. Aluna featuring Tchami and Kareen Lomax- "Running Blind"

Rhythm is gonna get you.

7. JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown- "Guess What B*tch, We Back H*e!"

Knock knock.

8. PJ Harvey- "Seem an I"

Might a you.

9. Colter Wall- "Honky Tonk Nighthawk"

Swinging doors.

10. That Mexican OT featuring Lefty sm- "Barrio"

Still tippin’.

Top Performances of July (as of July 25)

1. The Smile and Robert Stillman at the Midland Theater

My review.

2. The Salvation Choir at Theis Park

My Instagram clip.

3. Henrique Eisenmann and Eugene Friesen at the 1900 Building

My review.

4. Rob Magill with Marshall Trammell, Alber with Alex Mallett, and Krista Kopper, Aaron Osborne and Evan Verplough at Farewell

My review.

5. Final Gasp, Persona and New Obsessions at Howdy

My Instagram clips are here, here and here.

6. Eli Wallace with Ben Baker, Seth Andrew Davis, Aaron Osborne and Evan Verploegh at Stray Cat Film Center

My Instagram clip.

7. The American Legion Band of Greater Kansas City at American Legion Post 370

My Instagram snapshot.

8. Mike Horan and Scott Tichenor at the Market at Meadowbrook

My Instagram snapshot.

9. Natalie Prauser and Marty Bush at Mike Kelly’s Westsider

My Instagram clip.

10. Lee Walter Redding at Volker Park

My Instagram clip.

The previous monthly survey is here.

February 2022 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of Abbey Lincoln in the trailer of Nothing But a Man by There Stands the Glass.

Top Ten Albums (Released in February)

1. Joyce DiDonato- Eden

Serpent repellent.

2. The Kahil El'Zabar Quartet- A Time for Healing

My review.

3. Binker and Moses- Feeding the Machine

England swings.

4. Sofía Reyes- Mal de Amores

A Mexican mélange of Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande.

5. Big K.R.I.T.- Digital Roses Don't Die

The graying of the Dirty South.

6. Del McCoury- Almost Proud

My related essay.

7. Gidon Kremer- Weinberg: Sonatas for Violin Solo

Eastern European angst.

8. The Adam Larson Trio- With Love, From Chicago

My album and concert reviews.

9. Rokia Koné- Bamanan

Metropolitan Malian music.

10. Bad Boy Chiller Crew- Disrespectful

Cretin hop.

Top Ten Songs (Released in February)

1. Jana Rush featuring DJ Paypal- ​​“Lonely”

Ornette Coleman gets the Chicago footwork treatment.

2. Claire Rousay and More Eaze- “floor Pt. 2”

Android dreams of electric sheep.

3. Rosalía- “Saoko”

Transformation.

4. Cécile McLorin Salvant- "Until"

Time stands still.

5. Pusha T- “Diet Coke”

“That’s a joke, right?”

6. $not and A$AP Rocky- “Doja”

Wildcatting.

7. Maren Morris- “Background Music”

Nashville existentialism.

8. Robert Glasper featuring Yebba- "Over"

My favorite Black Radio III track.

9. Willie Nelson- “I’ll Love You Till the Day I Die”

Backatcha, Willie.

10. Lívia Nestrovski and Henrique Eisenmann- "Sete Estrelas"

My concert review.

Top Ten Movies, Television Broadcasts and Streaming Programming (viewed for the first time in February, in lieu of a full resumption of live music)

1. Jeen-yuhs (2022)

My notes.

2. Donda Experience Performance (2022)

“Do I look happy to you?”

3. Nothing but a Man (1964)

Ivan Dixon and Abbey Lincoln star in an excruciating study.

4. Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles

Hypnotic.

5. Cathie Wood interview on CNBC

A robust defense of poor performance.

6. Houston at Wichita State

Bruising double-overtime men’s basketball thriller.

7. Puccini's Madama Butterfly

Timeless heartbreak at Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia.

8. Rosita (1923)

Mary Pickford as a Spanish street singer.

10. Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show (2022)

Forgot about Dre.

Last month’s survey is here.