Best Concerts of 2010: James Ketterer of Tern Rounders/Arch Stanton Quartet

James Ketterer – drummer with alt-country band Tern Rounders and jazz combo the Arch Stanton Quartet – says, “Here is a listing of the shows I liked the best in 2010 (maybe not the best of the whole year, but the ones that I saw and liked):

1. KJ Denhert at The Linda, Albany (at the Keys for Kids benefit concert): Her blend of urban folk and jazz is world class.
2. Matt Maguire Quartet at the Orchard Tavern, Albany: Straight ahead jazz, tasty pizza, cold beer – all outside in the backyard of one of Albany’s old-time establishments. What’s not to like?
3. Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival at Riverfront Park, Albany: Another excellent lineup, with highlights including local 518 group Troika and superstars Ravi Coltrane and John Scofield.
4. Keith Pray’s Big Soul Ensemble CD release show at Tess’ Lark Tavern, Albany: So many people showed up they had to play two sets.
5. Bill McCann’s 25th anniversary of “The Saturday Morning Edition of Jazz” radio show on WCDB: Every Saturday morning for the last two and a half decades Bill has been playing great jazz on 90.9 FM and supporting the local jazz scene.
6. Charlie Watts Riots at the Albany Tulip Festival in Washington Park: Much better show than OK-Go. Next year, they should be on the main stage.
7. Sensemaya at the Albany Latin Fest: Top-notch musicianship that also inspires people to dance.
8. The Variety Circus at Proctors for Art Night Schenectady: A standing-room-only crowd for ballet, burlesque, modern dance, music, fashion show, a DJ and some audience participation. Mitch Messmore was brilliant as the ringmaster and producer (Full Disclosure: I played on the program with Tern Rounders but enjoyed being an audience member for the other acts).
9. Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble, Woodstock: If you haven’t been to one of these shows, go get a ticket now. Pricey, but well worth every penny.
10. Empire State Youth Orchestra Percussion Ensembles at the College of Saint Rose’s Massry Center, Albany: Richard Albagli is a national treasure as a percussionist and educator. Along with his co-conductors John Antonio and Genoveffa Vitale they had the student percussionists played challenging and compelling music far above their age levels. The full house was in awe all night.

Got a Best of 2010 list that you’d like to contribute? Best concerts of the year? Best local music moments of the year? Best whatever? Please send it along to [email protected]

THE 2010 LIST OF LISTS:
Best Songs of the Year: Altered Zones
Best Concerts of the Year: Fred Rudofsky
Best New Webcomics of the Year: Wired
Best Concerts of the Year: Nippertown’s Greg Haymes
Best Art Exhibitions of the Year: The Daily Gazette’s Karen Bjornland
Best Concerts of the Year: The Daily Gazette
Best Albums of the Year: Nippertown’s Matt Mac Haffie
Best Concerts of the Year That I Missed: Nippertown’s Greg Haymes
Best Local CDs of 2010: The Daily Gazette’s Brian McElhiney
Most Disappointing Concerts of 2010: Nippertown’s Greg Haymes

Best Albums of the Year: Justin Mikulka
Best Capital Region Theater of the Year: Nippertown’s Greg Haymes
Best Entertainers Who Moonlight as Artists of the Year: Art:21
Best Albums of the Year: Spin Magazine
Most Disappointing Capital Region Concert Cancellations of the Year: Nippertown’s Greg Haymes
Best Television Commercials of the Year: TV Squad
Best Feature Films of the Year: Roger Ebert
Best Albums of the Year: Brian Patneaude
Best TV Character Deaths of the Year: Entertainment Weekly
Best Viral Videos of the Year: Videogum
Best Albums & Best Selling Albums of the Year: Billboard
Best Concerts of the Year: Nippertown’s J Hunter
Best Country Albums: The Boot
Best Albums of the Year: WEXT’s Chris Wienk
Best TV Music Moments of the Year: Treble
Best Book Covers of the Year: The L Magazine
Best Folk Albums of the Year: About.com Guide
Best Albums of the Year: We Are Not a Rock Band
Best Movies of the Year: Christian Science Monitor
Best Television Shows of the Year: Channel Surfing
Best Concerts of the Year: Nippertown’s Andrzej Pilarczyk
Best Music Videos of the Year: IFC
Best Books of the Year: The New York Times Book Review
Best Live Acts of the Year: Paste Magazine
Best Poetry Books of the Year: Dan Chiasson of The New Yorker
Best Albums of the Year: Andy Maroney
Best Movie Titles of the Year That Sounded Like Porn, But, Alas, Were Not Porn: Movieline
Best DVDs of the Year: Rolling Stone
Best Albums of the Year: NME
Best Fiction of the Year: Salon
Best Jazz Albums of the Year: A Blog Supreme
Best Albums of the Year: Tim Livingston
Best Albums of the Year: Filter Magazine
Best Albums of the Year: Mojo Magazine