Plastic Sax’s Favorite Albums of 2024

The Top Ten Albums of 2024 by Kansas City Artists
1. Betty Bryant- Lotta Livin’
Plastic Sax review.
2. Logan Richardson- The Science of Superstition
Plastic Sax review.
3. Charles McPherson- Reverence
Plastic Sax review.
4. Ben Allison, Steve Cardenas and Ted Nash- Tell the Birds I Said Hello: The Music of Herbie Nichols
Plastic Sax review.
5. Matt Otto, Xose Miguélez and Abe Rábade- The Landscape Listens
Plastic Sax review.
6. Rod Fleeman Trio- Saturday Afternoon Live at Green Lady Lounge, Volume 3
Plastic Sax review.
7. Pat Metheny- MoonDial
Plastic Sax review.
8. Karrin Allyson- A Kiss for Brazil
Plastic Sax review.
9. Michael Pagán- Paganova
Plastic Sax review.
10. Narrative Quintet- Trust Fund Tinder Goblins Howling at the Moon
Plastic Sax review.

The Top Ten Albums of 2024 by Artists from Elsewhere
1. Sunny Five- Candid
2. Nduduzo Makhathini- uNomkhubulwane
3. Fred Hersch- Silent, Listening
4. أحمد (Ahmed)- Wood Blues
5. Nala Sinephro- Endlessness
6. Tord Gustavsen Trio- Seeing
7. Andrew Cyrille, Kit Downes and Bill Frisell- Breaking the Shell
8. Peter Evans- Extra
9. Samara Joy- Portrait
10. The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis- The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis

Album Review: Charles McPherson- Reverence

A few devoted Kansas City jazz fans made the 150-mile trek to Joplin to witness Charles McPherson’s homecoming concert in February. The elite Charlie Parker acolyte has stayed the course since his birth in the southwest corner of Missouri in 1939. Featuring trumpeter Terell Stafford, pianist Jeb Patton, bassist David Wong and drummer Billy Drummond, McPherson’s new live album Reverence is certain to delight Bird purists. Pushed by his all-star band on the tribute to the late pianist Barry Harris, the octogenarian brings the wit of wisdom of the ages to bear on Reverence. His ornithology is inescapable, but the imprint of the years McPherson spent with Charles Mingus is also evident. The vigor of McPherson’s inspiring playing is more than worthy of a cross-state road trip.