I’m looking forward to returning to Mark Manning’s Wednesday MidDay Medley program on community radio station KKFI on Wednesday, November 27. Preparing to share music on the year-end best-of show compelled me to complete the following annual exercise. The agonizing process invariably means snubbing a few friends and elevating the art of talented antagonists in Kansas City’s various music communities. The songs I’ll feature on Wednesday MidDay Medley were selected partly for concise track lengths, clean edits and in deference to the predilections of my fellow guests.
The Top 25 Kansas City Albums of 2024
1. Blackstarkids- Saturn Dayz /Heaven on Urf
High concept.
2. Betty Bryant- Lotta Livin’
Plastic Sax review.
3. Willi Carlisle- Critterland
Feral folk.
4. SleazyWorld Go- More Than a Shooter
Shots fired.
5. Logan Richardson- The Science of Superstition
Plastic Sax review.
6. Charles McPherson- Reverence
Plastic Sax review.
7. Behzod Abduraimov- Shadows of My Ancestors
Prokofiev, Ravel and Saidaminova.
8. Danielle Nicole- The Love You Bleed
Medic!
9. Ben Allison, Steve Cardenas and Ted Nash- Tell the Birds I Said Hello: The Music of Herbie Nichols
Plastic Sax review.
11. Matt Otto, Xose Miguélez and Abe Rábade- The Landscape Listens
Plastic Sax review.
12. Waxahatchee- Tigers Blood
Comfort food.
13. Rod Fleeman- Saturday Afternoon Live at Green Lady Lounge, Volume 3
Plastic Sax review.
14. Pat Metheny- MoonDial
Plastic Sax review.
15. Loidis- One Day
Electro-propulsion.
16. Scott Dean Taylor and Seth Andrew Davis- Infidels
Plastic Sax review.
17. Lyric Opera of Kansas City, The Kansas City Symphony and The Lyric Opera of Kansas City Chorus- Moravec: The Shining
Redrum.
18. Sandbox Percussion- Bloom
Banging on cans.
19. Narrative Quartet featuring Adam Larson- Trust Fund Tinder Goblins Howling at the Moon
Plastic Sax review.
20. Karrin Allyson- A Kiss for Brazil
Plastic Sax review.
21. Joey Cool- Roller Coaster
Tech mime.
22. Michael Pagán- Paganova
Plastic Sax review.
23. Zachary Barthelman and Evan Verploegh- Sound/Color
Plastic Sax review.
24. Stan Kessler- Two’s Company
Plastic Sax review.
25. Alber- Born at Sea
Plastic Sax review.
The Top Ten Kansas City EPs of 2024
1. Peter Schlamb- Pliable Consciousness
Plastic Sax review.
2. Krystle Warren & The Academy- Extended Play
There Stands the Glass review.
3. Boldy James and Conductor Williams- Across the Tracks
Crazy train.
4. Midwestern- Reflections
There Stands the Glass review.
5. Conductor Williams- Conductor We Have a Problem, Pt. 3
Off the rails.
6. Burning Bush- Demo 2024
Flames of fire.
7. Jorge Arana Trio- Merciélago
Dark shadows.
8. Drew Williams- Wobble
Plastic Sax review.
9. Rich the Factor- Souped Up Sofa
KC’s the town.
10. Treanne- 20/20
Focused.
The Top Five Kansas City Reissues of 2024
1. Charlie Parker- Bird in Kansas City
Plastic Sax review.
2. Coalesce- Live at BBC’s Maida Vale Studios
Furious 2009 session.
3. The Get Up Kids- Something to Write Home About: 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Red letter days.
4. Jennifer Knapp- Kansas 25
A fresh rendering of the 1998 CCM classic.
5. Kevin Mahogany- Gem Theater Live
Plastic Sax review.
Last year’s list is here.