November 2022 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the trailer of Dutch National Opera’s production of Steef de Jong’s “Operetta Land” by There Stands the Glass.

Top Ten Albums of November

1. Hermon Mehari- Asmara

My review.

2. Sault- (God)

Universal gospel.

3. Tyshawn Sorey- The Off-Off Broadway Guide to Synergism

With Greg Osby, Aaron Diehl and Russell Hall.

4. Sault- 11

Exalted soul.

5. SleazyWorld Go- Where the Shooters Be

The new king of Kansas City.

6. Charles Lloyd- Trios: Trios: Sacred Thread

With Julian Lage and Zakir Hussain.

7. Sault- Earth

Global grooving.

8. Sault- Today & Tomorrow

Holistic psych-rock.

9. Julie Campiche Quartet- You Matter

The Swiss harpist’s post-Logan Richardson improvisations.

10. Nicholas Payton- The Couch Sessions

With Buster Williams and Lenny White.

Top Ten Songs of November

1. Drake and 21 Savage- “Major Distribution”

Middlemen.

2. SpotemGottem- "Block Got Hot"

Tunechi 2.0.

3. Tiwa Savage and Asake- "Loaded"

Rich.

4. E-40- "In the Air Where It's Fair"

Flying high.

5. Brockhampton- “Big P—y”

The unseemly implosion of the boy band is disheartening.

6. Okay Kaya- “Jazzercise”

Workout.

7. Randy Houser- “Out and Down”

Neon tears.

8. Gorillaz- "Baby Queen"

Aging princess.

9. Young Dolph- "Get Away"

“Hell right here on earth.”

10. Nas- "Once a Man, Twice a Child"

The wisdom of elders.

Top Ten Performances of November

1. Mspaint at Nightjar

My Instagram clip.

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

My Instagram photo.

3. Crystal Gayle at Ameristar Casino

My review.

4. Rod Fleeman at Green Lady Lounge

The guitarist is Plastic Sax's 2021 Person of the Year.

5. Damien Snead’s “Our Song, Our Story: The New Generation of Black Voices” at the Folly Theater

My review.

6. UMKC Conservatory’s production of Jules Massenet’s Chérubin at White Recital Hall

My Instagram photo.

7. Harmony Zhu at the Folly Theater

My review.

8. Ulysses Quartet at Keystone United Methodist Church

My Instagram photo.

9. Aryana Nemati at the Blue Room

My Instagram clip.

10. Jazz Disciples at the Blue Room

My Instagram photo.

Last month’s survey is here.

Concert Review: Crystal Gayle at Ameristar Casino

Original image by There Stands the Glass.

Crystal Gayle’s hair is one of the seven wonders of country music.  An audience of about 1,000 marveled at its splendor at Ameristar Casino on Saturday, November 12.  The vocalist joked that a precondition of becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry was an obligation to sweep the stage with her ankle-length mane after shows.

Backed by a sextet of Nashville cats and her sister Peggy Sue Wells, Gayle’s 75-minute performance featured such a paltry portion of her countrypolitan hits from the 1970s and 1980s that the setlist made my brown eyes blue.  She favored showcasing her crack band, covering standards and indulging in cornpone humor.

The regrettable format allowed Peggy Sue to steal the show.  In addition to singing “Don’t Come Home a Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind),” the classic song she co-wrote with big sister Loretta Lynn, Peggy Sue told the evening’s bawdiest jokes.  Unlike the demure Crystal, the salty Peggy Sue loves the spotlight.

The passing of time has given me a new appreciation of Gayle. Forty years ago I derided her for being more closely aligned with Karen Carpenter than with her revered big sister. But I still prefer Gayle’s collaboration with Tom Waits to her hits. Yet the gentle sway of songs including “Ready for the Times to Get Better” melted my cold, cold heart at a Kansas City casino last night.