Plastic Sax’s Favorite Albums of 2025

The Top Ten Albums of 2025 by Kansas City Artists
1. Carl Allen- Tippin’
Plastic Sax review.

2. Brittany Davis- Black Thunder
Plastic Sax review.

3. Hermon Mehari and Tony Tixier- Soul Song
Plastic Sax review.

4. Pete Fucinaro- Little Window
Plastic Sax review.

5. Henry Scamurra- Urban Forum
Plastic Sax review.

6. Seth Andrew Davis and Krista Kopper- Popular Mechanics
Plastic Sax review.

7. Drew Williams- Demons Hate Fresh Air
Review forthcoming.

8. Jackie Myers- What About the Butterfly
Plastic Sax review.

9. Gerald Spaits- Sunday Night Live at Green Lady Lounge
Plastic Sax review.

10. Eddie Moore- What Makes Us
Plastic Sax review.

The Top Ten Albums of 2025 by Artists from Elsewhere
1. Linda May Han Oh- Strange Heavens

2. Sylvie Courvoisier and Mary Halvorson- Bone Bells

3. Gerald Clayton- Ones & Twos

4. Charles Lloyd- Figure in Blue

5. Patricia Brennan- Of the Near and Far

6. Vijay Iyer and Leo Wadada Smith- Defiant Life

7. Anouar Brahem- After the Last Sky

8. Ches Smith- Clone Row

9. Trio of Bloom- Trio of Bloom

10. Camila Nebbia, Marilyn Crispell and Lesley Mok- A Reflection Distorts Over Water

Last year’s listings are here.

Gig Review: Nick Hmeljak, Henry Scamurra, Isaiah Petrie, Jordan Faught and Jaylen Ward at Westport Coffee House

Kansas City’s jazz community is besieged. Prominent long-standing institutions are flailing. Intercine support groups scuffle for public and charitable funding. Most of the core audience has died of old age and has been replaced by a few dozen anomalous enthusiasts.

Yet the single most important component- indeed, the only thing that truly matters- remains strong. Wave after wave of outstanding homegrown jazz musicians have enriched Kansas City bandstands for decades. Five locally based young men upheld that distinguished tradition at Westport Coffee House on Sunday, July 6.

Trumpeter Nick Hmeljak, saxophonist Henry Scamurra, vibraphonist Isaiah Petrie, bassist Jordan Faught and drummer Jaylen Ward played energetic hard bop with vigorous integrity. Hmeljak explained that the evening was dedicated to debuting all-new original compositions by members of the sextet.

The strong material was bolstered by masterful playing. The quintet is fully capable of impressing a global audience at Smalls in New York City. Instead, ten people- all but a couple were fellow jazz musicians- paid $10 to take in the first hour-long set.

Album Review: Henry Scamurra- Urban Forum

Diverse’s 2009 debut album is a significant landmark in Kansas City jazz history. In addition to heralding the arrival of a vital new youth movement, the self-titled album was the first major statement by Hermon Mehari, the trumpeter who has since achieved international acclaim.

It’s entirely appropriate that Mehari contributes to two tracks on Henry Scamurra’s first album Urban Forum. The new recording announces a fresh round of auspicious young Kansas City based jazz musicians.

The outstanding saxophonist Scamurra is joined by vibraphonist Isaiah Petrie, bassist Spencer Reeve and drummer Jade Harvey on eight selections that connect to Kansas City jazz tradition by way of the recent innovations of Mehari, Logan Richardson and Peter Schlamb.

“Top of My Head” is among the new tracks that may become Kansas City standards. Based on the artistic promise displayed on Urban Forum, the album is likely to become at least as momentous as the arrival of Diverse.