The Top 25 Kansas City Jazz Albums of the Past 25 Years

Despite enduring constant turbulence during the first 25 years of the new millennium, Kansas City’s jazz musicians never ceased creating timeless art. The following list highlights a fraction of the vital recordings released since 2000. The recency bias on display reflects Plastic Sax’s founding in 2007 as well as the uptick in the quantity and quality of releases in recent years. A corresponding non-jazz albums ranking is here.

1. Peter Schlamb- Tinks (2004)
2. Logan Richardson- Shift (2016)
3. Bobby Watson- Back Home in Kansas City (2022)
4. Hermon Mehari- Asmara (2022)
5. Bob Bowman- Songs for Sandra (2014)
6. Pat Metheny- Orchestrion (2010)
7. Ahmad Alaadeen- And the Beauty of It All (ASR 2007)
8. Karrin Allyson- Imagina: Songs of Brasil (2008)
9. Steve Cardenas- Panoramic (2002)
10. Mike Dillon- Inflorescence (2023)

11. Deborah Brown- Songbird (2003)
12. Adam Larson- With Love, From Kansas City (2022)
13. Myra Taylor- My Night to Dream (2001)
14. Matt Otto and Ensemble Ibérica- Ibérica (2017)
15. The People’s Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City- The People’s Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City (2010)
16. Kevin Mahogany- Pride & Joy (2002)
17. Micah Herman- The Ship, Vol. 1: The Studio Sessions (2011)
18. EMAS Quartet- EMS (2022)
19. Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle- Kings & Queens (2016)
20. Rod Fleeman Trio- Saturday Afternoon Live at Green Lady Lounge, Volume 3 (2024)

21. Alaturka- Tamam Abi (2010)
22. Betty Bryant- Lotta Livin' (2024)
23. Everette DeVan- For the Love of You (2014)
24. Gregory Hickman-Williams- Passages (2006)
25. Marcus Lewis Big Band- Brass and Boujee (2018)

Album Review: Kevin Mahogany- Gem Theater Live

While it’s almost certainly legitimate, Gem Theater Live possesses a few peculiarities associated with bootleg recordings. The sketchy album art and complete absence of publicity are among the traits making the July release of an undated recording by the late Kevin Mahogany  seem unauthorized. The music, however, is beyond reproach.

The Kansas City vocalist is joined by an elite band worthy of the late artist’s massive talent. Saxophonist Red Holloway, guitarist Phil Upchurch, pianist Norman Simmons, bassist Tyrone Clark and drummer Grady Tate enhance the blues-steeped set.

The concert probably transpired in the mid-1990s when Mahogany was beginning to be recognized internationally. The excellence of the performance and the emphasis on material not featured on his official releases makes Gem Theater Live an essential addition to Mahogany’s discography. In fact, the album is so intoxicating it should be illegal.

Now’s the Time: Gregory Porter

Gregory Porter performs at Muriel Kauffman Theatre on Sunday, September 10. KCUR's preview of the concert suggests Porter’s work evokes the late Kansas City vocalist Kevin Mahogany.