April 2021 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the trailer for King of Jazz by There Stands the Glass.

Top Ten Albums (released in April, excluding April 30 titles)

1. Damon Locks and Black Monument Ensemble- Now

Another urgent missive from Chicago.

2. Dopolarians- The Bond

My review.

3. Brockhampton- Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine 

The worst album by the world’s best boy band.

4. Max Richter- Voices 2

My review.

5. John Pizzarelli- Better Days Ahead: Solo Guitar Takes on Pat Metheny

My review.

6. Bryce Dessner and the Australian String Quartet- Impermanence/Disintegration

Street hassle.

7. Toumani Diabaté and the London Symphony Orchestra- Kôrôlén

Stunning 2008 concert.

8. Arooj Aftab- Vulture Prince

Secular adhan.

9. Florian Arbenz, Hermon Mehari and Nelson Veras-  Conversation #1: Condensed

My review.

10. Field Music- Flat White Moon

My review.

Top Ten Songs (released in April, excluding April 30 titles)

1. Cupcakke- "Mosh Pit"

Watch your step.

2. Georgia Anne Muldrow- "Unforgettable"

That’s what she is.

3. Trineice Robinson and Cyrus Chestnut- "Come Sunday"

Blessed balm.

4. Cello Octet Amsterdam- "8"

Circular strings.

5. Bree Runway- “Hot Hot”

Sizzling.

6. Tierra Whack- "Link"

Connected.

7. Rubén Blades and the Roberto Delgado Orchestra- "Paula C."

Swing-infused salsa.

8. Sons of Kemet with Kojey Radical- “Hustle”

Show you something.

9. Sonder featuring Jorja Smith- “Nobody But You”

Quiet storm.

10. Bill MacKay and Nathan Bowles- "Truth"

Gimme some.

Top Ten Movies (viewed for the first time in April, in lieu of live music)

1. Journal d'un curé de campagne/Diary of a Country Priest (1951)

Tristesse existentielle.

2. Captain Salvation (1927)

Gospel ship.

3. Agnes of God (1985)

Montréal miracle denied.

4. Bianco, rosso e…/Red, White and... (1972)

Sophia Loren plays an emancipated nun.

5. Imitation of Life (1959)

Annie isn’t okay.

6. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

Que sera, sera.

7. Foreign Correspondent (1940)

Let’s go to war!

8. King of Jazz (1930)

My review.

9. Castle in the Air (1952)

Cheerio.

10. Honeysuckle Rose (1980)

Righteous music. Wretched movie.

March’s recap and links to previous monthly surveys are here.

Album Review: Dopolarians- The Bond

Original image by There Stands the Glass.

The extended quarantine, along with the savage relentlessness of time, enhances my appreciation of past experiences.  While it didn’t seem significant 20 years ago, I’m immensely gratified I had the foresight to catch a set led by the esteemed saxophonist Kidd Jordan at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2001.  And joining an audience of a few dozen for a set by the Brian Blade Fellowship during the Kansas City Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2017 now seems like an impossibly glorious dream.

Jordan, 85, didn’t participate in the recording of The Bond, the new album led by his band Dopolarians.  And following the passing of the eminent drummer Alvin Fielder, Jr. in 2019, Blade joined saxophonist Chad Fowler, trumpeter Marc Franklin, pianist Christopher Parker, bassist William Parker and vocalist Kelley Hurt for the deeply spiritual free jazz date.

Blade and Parker are renowned masters, but their lesser known band mates in the latest version of Dopolarians are worthy collaborators.  Unlike similar recordings in which free-form vocalizing is a distracting hindrance, Hurt’s contributions enhance the sacrosanct tone.  The six culturally cognizant musicians strive for- and repeatedly attain- spiritual epiphanies.  There’s almost no chance Dopolarians will ever make an appearance in Kansas City, but I’m confident the stars will align to provide me with another unforgettable experience in a more hospitable environment.

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I catch up with three Mike Dillon albums at Plastic Sax.