The Top Kansas City Albums and EPs of 2024 (so far)

The Top Twenty Kansas City Albums of 2024 (so far)

1. Willi Carlisle- Critterland
Feral folk.

2. Betty Bryant- Lotta Livin'
Plastic Sax review.

3. Behzod Abduraimov- Shadows of My Ancestors
Prokofiev, Ravel and Saidaminova.

4. Charles McPherson- Reverence
Plastic Sax review.

5. Waxahatchee- Tigers Blood
KC.

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

7. Logan Richardson- Sacred Garden
Plastic Sax review.

8. Danielle Nicole- The Love You Bleed
KCUR's audio feature.

9. Karrin Allyson- A Kiss for Brazil
Plastic Sax review.

10. The Kansas City Symphony- Brahms: Reimagined Orchestrations
Virgil Thomson’s arrangements.

11. WireTown- Kansas City
Plastic Sax review.

12. Scott Dean Taylor and Seth Andrew Davis- Infidels
Plastic Sax review.

13. Jennifer Knapp- Kansas 25
Reworking of 1998 milestone.

14. Alber- Lento
Electro-jazz.

15. The Hearers- elevators come undone
Grandaddy-esque.

16. Brian Scarborough- We Need the Wind
Plastic Sax review.

17. Jeff Shirley- Contigo
Plastic Sax review.

18. Michael Davidson and Ellen Sommer- Skybreak
Trombone and piano.

19. Christopher Burnett- Originals
Plastic Sax review.

20. Doubledrag- Alone With Everyone
Shoegaze.

The Top Ten Kansas City EPs of 2024 (so far)

1. Midwestern- Reflections
There Stands the Glass review.

2. Burning Bush Demo 2024
Exodus.

3. Drew Williams- Wobble
Plastic Sax review.

4. Rich the Factor- Souped Up Sofa
KC’s the town.

5. Eddie Moore- Aperture: Solo Piano Works
Plastic Sax review.

6. Nate Hofer- Decommissioned
Ambient steel guitar.

7. Rich the Factor- Souped Up Sofa 2
Midwest tygoon.

7. Little Miss Dynamite- Grow Up
Firecracker folk.

9. Scott Hrabko & The Rabbits- Other Cats, Other Bags: Vol. 2
Louche troubadour.

10. The Fun Guy- From the Attic to the Underground 
Garage rock.

Festival Review: Boulevardia 2023

Original image by There Stands the Glass.

I recently suggested in a piece for KCUR that Boulevardia is “Kansas City’s biggest multigenre music festival.”  Music, not beer, is my priority, and much of Boulevardia’s programming isn’t to my taste.

Yet I found plenty to enjoy at Boulevard Brewing Company’s two-day festival.  The sound, lighting and layout were superlative.  Thoughtful details like free yard games and a small army of volunteers produced a cheerful atmosphere.

The scheduling on five stages forced difficult choices- I missed another chance to see Post Sex Nachos- but I’m very pleased with my experience.  I caught at least 15 minutes of more than two dozen sets. Here’s a ranking of my ten* favorite performances.

1. Cimafunk

Nonplussed by Cimafunk’s recordings, I harbored low expectations for the band. What a stunning surprise!  Every member of the Afro-Cuban artist’s electrifying ensemble possessed as much charisma as their leader.  Cimafunk is the best show band I’ve encountered this millennium.

2. Steddy P

I’ve known the man who raps as Steddy P for 15 years.  Just as our relationship has had its ups and downs, his set at Boulevardia was a study in extremes.  The creative entertainer overcame sound issues to win over everyone present.

3. Big Freedia

Nice for what!  My face still hurts from broadly smiling throughout Big Freedia’s over-the-top spectacle.

4. The Salvation Choir

The Salvation Choir, my favorite band in Kansas City, were relatively subdued.

5. Peter Schlamb’s Electric Tinks

Peter Shlamb, arguably Kansas City’s most exciting musician, was joined by saxophonist Matt Otto, keyboardist Matt Villinger and drummer Ryan J. Lee. 

6. The Beths

The Beths were the festival’s primary draw for many of my friends and associates.  The New Zealand band’s straightforward indie-rock isn’t my thing, but the quartet’s endearingly goofy banter won me over.

7. Kat King

The fizzy indie-pop of Kansas City’s Kat King is radio-ready.

8. The Kansas City Latin Jazz Orchestra

Pablo Sanhueza’s Kansas City Latin Jazz Orchestra thrived in direct sunlight.

9. Katy Guillen & The Drive

Katy Guillen & The Drive’s roots-rock exemplifies the Boulevardia aesthetic.

10. Grand Marquis

I’ve been taking Kansas City’s Grand Marquis for granted. The longstanding bar band plays hearty jump blues with heaping helpings of Dixieland and vintage soul on the side.

*Where’s Jason Isbell?  Isbell is the equal of John Mellencamp, Bob Seger and Bruce Springsteen in their primes. Yet unwilling to tear myself away from Cimafunk’s set, I didn’t secure a spot at the front for Friday’s headliner.  Even after pushing my way into the middle of the throng, I couldn’t escape the intolerable bellowing of people flush with ignorant oil.  Frustrated, I headed home thirty minutes into Isbell’s set.