Plastic Sax's Favorite Albums and Performances of 2015

Favorite Albums by Locally Based Musicians
1. Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle- Live In Kansas City (Plastic Sax review)
2. Matt Kane & the Kansas City Generations Sextet- Acknowledgement (Plastic Sax review)
3. Dominique Sanders- A True Story Based On… (Plastic Sax review)
4. Matt Villinger- All Night (Plastic Sax review)
5. Mike Metheny- Twelve For the Road (Plastic Sax review)
6. Julian Vaughn- Limitless (Plastic Sax review)
7. Paul Shinn Trio- Easy Now (Plastic Sax review)
8. Michael Pagan, Bob Bowman and Brian Steever- The Ottawa Sessions (Plastic Sax review)
9. Ron Carlson- Kind Folk (Plastic Sax review)
10. OJT- New Standards for the Green Lady (Plastic Sax review)

Favorite Albums by Musicians From Elsewhere
1. Rudresh Mahanthappa- Bird Calls (Plastic Sax review)
2. Marc Cary- Rhodes Ahead, Vol. 2
3. Matthew Shipp Trio- The Conduct of Jazz
4. Charles Gayle Trio- Christ Everlasting
5. Donny McCaslin- Fast Future
6. Charlie Hunter Trio- Let the Bells Ring On
7. Myra Melford- Snowy Egret
8. Kamasi Washington- The Epic
9. John Scofield- Past Present
10. Orrin Evans- The Evolution of Oneself

Favorite Performances by Locally Based Musicians
1. Bobby Watson Quartet- Folly Theater (Plastic Sax review)
2. Peter Schlamb’s Electric Tinks- RecordBar
3. Lauren Krum with the Project H- Westport CoffeeHouse (Plastic Sax review)
4. Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle- Take Five Coffee + Bar (Plastic Sax review)
5. Jorge Arana Trio- Riot Room patio
6. James Isaac Quartet- Take Five Coffee + Bar (Plastic Sax review)
7. Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7- Green Lady Lounge
8. Jeff Harshbarger Quartet- RecordBar
9. Dojo- Green Lady Lounge (Plastic Sax review)
10. Shades of Jade- Coda (Plastic Sax review)

Favorite Performances by Musicians From Elsewhere
1. Mark Dresser, Myra Melford and Matt Wilson- Take Five Coffee + Bar (Plastic Sax review)
2. Avishai Cohen, Tal Mashiach and Nasheet Waits- Take Five Coffee + Bar (Plastic Sax review)
3. Diana Krall- Midland theater
4. Bill Frisell- White Theatre
5. Max Raabe & Palast Orchester- Helzberg Hall
6. Conrad Herwig’s Latin Jazz All-Stars- 18th & Vine Jazz and Blues Festival (Plastic Sax review)
7. Hot Sardines- Folly Theater
8. John Blevins and Drew Williams- Westport Coffeehouse (Plastic Sax review)
9. Trio Red- Blue Room (Plastic Sax review)
10. Earl Klugh- Folly Theater

Similar year-end listings were published at Plastic Sax in 2014 (albums and performances), 2013 (albums and performances), 2012, 2011 and 2010.

(Original image of Shades of Jade by Plastic Sax.)