Saturday, December 31, 2016

The Movies, Books, Theater, Concerts, CDs, Etc. I Saw/Read In 2016

Updated December 31, 2016


BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS
(Increasingly, I am sampling books, reading 10%, 20% even 40 or 50% before deciding to move on. The books below are only the ones I've read completely. That also explains what looks like generous grading -- more and more, if I sense a book is not going to be among my favorites, I stop reading. Too many books; too little time!)


1. A Friend Of Mr. Lincoln by Stephen Harrigan ** 1/2
2. Attaboy, Sam by Lois Lowry ** 1/2
3. Rodzina by Karen Cushman ***/
4. The Marvels by Brian Selznick *** 1/2
5. The First Congress by Fergus M. Bordewich ***
6. The Goblin's Puzzle by Andrew S. Chilton ** 1/2
7. Black Wings Has My Angel by Elliott Chaze ****
8. In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri ***/
9. The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan *** 1/2
10. Jane And The Waterloo Map by Stephanie Barron ***
11. My Father, The Pornographer by Chris Offutt *** 1/2
12. Savage Season (Hap and Leonard #1) by Joe R. Lansdale ***
13. Flight Of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon **
14. Mrs. Jeffries Dusts For Clues by Emily Brightwell ** 1/2
15. Mrs. Jeffries and the Ghost by Emily Brightwell ** 1/2
16. Biblical Literalism: A Gentile Heresy by Bishop John Shelby Spong ***
17. Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff *** 1/2
18. Tru and Nelle by G. Neri ** 1/2
19. The Violet Hour by Katie Roiphe ***/
20. Pericles by Shakespeare (sort of) **
21. The Summer Before The War by Helen Simonson *** 1/2
22. Evicted by Matthew Desmond ****
23. Journey To Munich: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear **
24. Young Once by Patrick Modiano ***/
25. The Great American Whatever by Tim Federle ** 1/2
26. The Devil In The Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson *** 1/2
27. The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins by Antonia Hodgson *** 1/2
28. The Midnight Assassin by Skip Hollandsworth ***
29. Switched On by John Elder Robinson ***
30. A Bandit's Tale by Deborah Hopkinson **/
31. The Murder Of Mary Russell by Laurie R. King *** 1/2
32. The Tale Of Shikanodo Book 1: Emperor Of The Eight Islands by Lian Hearn *** 1/2
33. The Tale Of Shikanodo Book 2: Autumn Princess, Dragon Child by Lian Hearn *** 1/2
34. The Translation Of Love by Lynne Kutsukaka ***
35. Waiting For Augusta by Jessica Lawson ** 1/2
36. The Bad-Ass Librarians Of Timbuktu by Josh Hammer ***
37. Draw The Line by Laurent Linn **
38. The Most Important Thing by Avi ***
39. Sunset Song by Lewis Gibbons ****
40. A Series Of Catastrophes And Miracles by Mary Elizabeth Williams ***/
41. Night Shift by Charlaine Harrius **1/2
42. Children of Earth And Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay *** 1/2
43. Court-Martial by Chris Bray ***
44. Grand Hotel by Vicki Baum (1929) *** 1/2
45. League Of Dragons by Naomi Novik (book 9 of Temeraire series) ***/
46. Charcoal Joe by Walter Mosley (Easy Rawlins series book 14) ***/
47. The Sellout by Paul Beatty (2015) *** 1/2
48. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead *** 1/2
49. Then And Now by Barbara Cook * 1/2
50. The Unknown Universe by Stuart Clark ***
51. Rocket Ship Galileo by Robert Heinlein *
52. Space Cadet by Robert Heinlein ** 1/2
53. Red Planet by Robert Heinlein **\
54. Bobby Kennedy by Larry Tye ***
55. Underground Airlines by Ben H. Winters ***
56. The Creepy Case Files Of Margo Maloo by Drew Weing ** 1/2
57. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne **
58. The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks ***
59. The Tale Of Shikanodo Book 3: Lord Of Darkwood by Lian Hearn ***
60. The Tale Of Shikanodo Book 4: The Tengu's Game Of Go by Lian Hearn ***
61. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner ***
62. Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson ***
63. The Gentleman by Forrest Leo *** /
64. Greenglass House by Kate Milford **
65. The Hidden Life Of Trees by Peter Hohlleben *** 1/2
66. Slow Days, Fast Company by Eve Babitz (1977) *** 1/2
67. Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs **
68. Hero Of The Empire by Candice Millar ***
69. The Secret Horses Of Briar Hill by Megan Shepherd ** 1/2
70. IQ by Joe Ide *** 1/2
71. My Life In France by Julia Child with Alex Prud'homme *** 1/2
72. The French Chef In America by Alex Prud'homme ** 1/2
73. Four Futures: Visions Of The World After Capitalism by Peter Frase ***
74. The Face-faker's Game by Chandler J. Birch ** 1/2
75. Countdown To Pearl Harbor by Steve Twomey ***
76. Teddy and Co. by Cynthia Voigt ** 1/2
77. America's Bank by Roger Lowenstein ***
78. Play It Loud by Brad Tolinski and Alan Di Perna ***
79. Orphans Of The Carnival by Carol Birch ***
80. My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier ** 1/2
81. Writing To Save A Life: The Louis Till File by John Edgar Wideman ***/
82. "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins (short story) *** 1/2
83. Naming Thy Name: Cross Talk in Shakespeare's Sonnets by Elaine Scarry ***
84. Anything Could Happen by Will Walton **
85. The Whole Town's Talking by Fannie Flagg **
86. Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet by Ta-nehisi Coates and illos by Brian Stelfreeze ** 1/2
87. Valerian and Laureline: The Empire Of A Thousand Planets by JC Mezieres and P. Christin **
88. Dog Man Unleashed by Dav Pilkey ***
89. News Prints by Ru Xu **
90. Bryant And May: Strange Tides by Christopher Fowler ***
91. Economism by James Kwak ** 1/2
92. The Lost City Of The Monkey Gods by Douglas Preston ** 1/2
93. The Bear And The Nightingale by Katherine Arden *** 1/2
94. Why Time Flies by Alan Burdick ***
95. Tow-Truck Pluck by Annie M.G. Schmidt (1971) ***
96. Falling Ill by CK Williams ***/
97. The Abominable Mr. Seabrook by Joe Ollmann *** 1/2
98. How America Lost Its Secrets by Edward Jay Epstein ** 1/2






CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS (A strong emphasis on the ones I like, so don't think I love everything I listen to -- I just don't bother really listening to the ones I don't )

1. David Bowie -- Blackstar *** 1/2
2. Panic At The Disco -- Death Of A Bachelor *** 1/2
3. James Hunter -- Hold On! *** 1/2 /
4. Dori Freeman -- Dori Freeman ***/
5. Michael Cerveris -- Piety ** 1/2
6. M. Ward -- More Rain ** 1/2
7. The Cactus Blossoms -- You're Dreaming ** 1/2
8. Willie Nelson -- Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin ***\
9. M. Ward -- More Rain ** 1/2
10. Mavis Staples -- Livin' On A High Note ** 1/2
11. Frank Turner -- Mittens EP ***
12. Dusty Springfield -- Faithful (1971) ***/
13. Loretta Lynn -- Full Circle ***
14. The Cars -- The Cars (1978) *** 1/2
15. The Cars -- Candy-O (1979) ***
16. The Cars -- Shake It Up (1981) ** 1/2
17. The Cars -- Heartbeat City (1984) ***\
18. Carly Simon -- Carly Simon (1971) **
19. The Last Shadow Puppets -- Everything You've Come To Expect ***
20. Todd Rundgren -- Runt (1970) *** 1/2
21. Charles Bradley -- Changes **
22. Todd Rundgren -- Runt: The Ballad Of Todd Rundgren (1971) *** 1/2
23. Margo Price -- Midwest Farmer's Daughter ***
24. The Coral -- Distance Inbetween ***
25. Austin Plaine -- Austin Plaine ** 1/2
26. Teddy Thompson and Kelly Jones -- Little Windows *** 1/2
27. Todd Rundgren -- Something/Anything? (1972) *** 1/2
28. Pet Shop Boys -- Super *** 1/2
29. Peter Wolf -- A Cure For Loneliness ***
30. Ben Watt -- Fever Dream ** 1/2
31. Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor's Guide To Earth *** 1/2
32. Chris McGregor -- African Sound ***/
33. Matthew Barber -- The Family Album ** 1/2
34. Todd Rundgren -- A Wizard, A True Star (1973) *** 1/2
35. Cheap Trick -- Bang, Zoom, Crazy...hello ** 1/2
36. The Jayhawks -- Paging Mr. Proust ***\
37. PigPen -- Whole Sun ***\
38. Brennen Leigh -- Sings Lefty Frizzell ***/
39. The Posies -- Solid States ***
40. Mary Chapin Carpenter -- The Things That We Are Made Of ** 1/2
41. The Lumineers -- Cleopatra ***/
42. Martina McBride -- Reckless **
43. Marlon Williams -- Marlon Williams **
44. BB King -- Live In Cook County Jail (1971) *** 1/2
45. Radiohead -- A Moon Shaped Pool *** 1/2/
46. Bob Dylan -- Fallen Angels *** 1/2
47. Ben E. King -- Complete Atco Atlantic Singles ***
48. Etta James -- Tears of Joy: Modern and Kent Singles **
49. Mud Crutch -- Mud Crutch 2 *** 1/2
50. Nicholas Krgovich -- The Hills ***/
51. Nicholas Krgovich - On Cahuenga (2015) ***/
52. Foy Vance -- The Wild Swan ***
53. Eric Clapton -- I Still Do **
54. Karl Blau -- Introducing Karl Blau... **
55. Various Artists -- The Golden Age Of American Popular Music: More Country Hits ***
56. Status Quo -- If You Can't Stand The Heat (1975) ***
57. Ariana Grande -- Dangerous Woman **
58. Drake -- Views **
59. Various Artists -- Jon Savage's 1966: The Year The Decade Exploded ***
60. The Monkees -- Good Times! *** 1/2
61. Paul Simon -- Stranger To Stranger ***
62. The Spinners - The Spinners (1973) *** 1/2
63. Rev. Gary Davis -- Harlem Street Singer (1960) ***/
64. Flume -- Skin **
65. ABC -- The Lexicon Of Love II ***
66. King Creosote + Michael Johnston -- When I Was A Thief *** 1/2
67. Beth Orton -- Kidsticks ** 1/2
68. The Highwaymen -- The Very Best Of The Highwaymen **
69. William Bell -- This Is Where I Live **
70. Neil Diamond -- All-Time Greatest Hits *** 1/2
71. Various Artists -- Dub Specialist: Studio One Dub FireSpecial ** 1/2
72. The Rolling Stones -- Totally Stripped ** 1/2
73. Car Seat Headrest -- Teens of Denial *** 1/2
74. Rob Baird -- Wrong Side Of The River **
75. Damien Jurado and Daniel Hart -- Tumbledown Soundtrack **
76. Brett Dennen -- Por Favor **
77. Jackie Moore -- The Complete Atlantic Recordings ** 1/2
78. Brad Mehldau -- Blues And Ballads ***
79. Mrs. Magician -- Bermuda **1/2
80. Sandy Denny -- I've Always Kept A Unicorn ***\ (pacing of set, not individual songs)
81. Weezer -- Weezer (White Album) ***/
82. Duncan Sheik -- Legerdemain ***/
83. Whitney -- Life Upon The Lake **
84. Yes -- Fragile (1971) *
85. Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes featuring Teddy Pendergrass -- To Be True (1975) *** 1/2
86. Erykah Badu -- But You Caint Use My Phone **
87. Malcolm Middleton -- Summer Of '13 **
88. The Struts -- Everybody Wants Some *** 1/2
89. Robbie Fulks -- Upland Stories **
90. Carol Sloane -- Sophisticated Lady (1970) **
91. The Animals -- The Animals ***\
92. Cowboy Junkies -- At The End Of Paths Taken CD1 ***
93. The Cactus Blossoms -- You're Dreaming ** 1/2
94. They Might Be Giants -- Why? ***
95. Tom Paxton -- Ramblin' Boy (1964) **
96. Wynonna And The Big Noise -- Wynonna And The Big Noise ** 1/2
97. Peter Hollens -- Misty Mountains: Songs Inspired by The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings ***
98. Miles Davis -- Sorceror (1967) ***
99. Lucky Peterson -- Long Nights *** 1/2
100. Paul McCartney -- Pure McCartney ***
101. Avett Brothers -- True Sadness **
102. Beyonce -- Lemonade **
103. case/lang/viers -- case/lang/viers ***
104. Calypso Rose -- Far From Home ***/
105. Brandy Clark -- Big Day In A Small Town **
106. Tom Odell -- Wrong Crowd **
107. Max Jury -- Max Jury **
108. Neil Young -- Earth *
109. Colvin And Earle -- Colvin And Earle **
110. T.O.L.D. -- Witches **
111. Laura Mvula -- The Dreaming Room ** 1/2/
112. PJ Harvey -- The Hope Six Demolition Project ***/
113. Gallagher And Lyle -- Gallagher and Lyle ((1972) ***
114. Moby Grape -- Now I Know High (comp) ***/
115. Status Quo -- On The Level (1975) ***/
116. Brian Eno -- The Ship ***/
117. Marissa Nadler -- Strangers **
118. Kendrick Lamar -- untitled, unmastered ***
119. Jake Bugg -- On My One **
120. Ria Mae -- Ria Mae **
121. Allen Toussaint -- American Tune ***
122. Deerhoof -- The Magic ** 1/2
123. Nick Jonas -- Last Year Was Complicated **
124. Fitzgerald and the Tantrums -- Fitzgerald and the Tantrums **
125. The Explorers Club -- Together ***\
126. Esperanza Spalding -- Emily's D-evolution ** 1/2
127. Dion -- New York Is My Home **
128. Corinne Bailey Rae -- The Heart Speaks ** 1/2
129. Charlie Puth -- Nine Track Mind ***
130. Santana -- Santana IV **
131. Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee -- At Sugar Hill (1961) ***
132. Branford Marsalis w Kurt Elling -- Upward Spiral ** 1/2 (but "I'm A Fool To Want You"!)
133. Stewart Lindsay -- Spitballin' **
134. Gallagher and Lyle -- Seeds (1973) ** 1/2
135. Psychic Temple -- Plays Music For Airports *** 1/2
136. Margot Glaspy -- Emotions and Math ***/
137. Various Artists -- Bluesin' By The Bayou ** 1/2
138. James Blake -- The Colour In Anything **
139. Jane Siberry -- Ulysses' Purse *** 1/2
140. Wynton Marsalis -- The Abyssinian Mass ** 1/2
141. Joe Ely -- Panhandle Rambler ** 1/2
142. Sarah Vaughan -- Live At Rosy's (1978) ** 1/2
143. Rod McKuen -- A Boy Named Charlie Brown * 1/2
144. JD Souther -- John David Souther (1972) ***
145. Judy Collins -- Colors Of The Day: Best Of (1972) ** 1/2
146. John Martyn -- Sapphire (1984) * 1/2
147. Nicki Minaj -- Lady Penolope **
148. John Doe -- The Westerner ***
149. Jethro Tull -- Aqualung (1971) ***
150. Hurry -- Guided Meditation **
151. Gregory Porter -- Take Me To The Alley **
152. Graham Nash -- This Guided Path **
153. Eva Cassidy -- Songbird ** 1/2
154. Edward Sharp -- Persona **
155. The Westies -- Six On The Out ** 1/2
156. Wolfmother -- Victorious **
157. Various Artists -- Wayfarin' Strangers ** 1/2
158. Fetty Wap -- Fetty Wap (2015) ***
159. Tweed Funk -- Come Together * 1/2
160. William Tyler -- Modern Country ***
161. Underworld -- Barbara, Barbara, We Face A Shining Future ***
162. Spring King -- Tell Me If You Like To **
163. Phil Collins -- ...But Seriously (1989) **
164. Peter, Bjorn and John -- Breaking Point **
165.  Chance The Rapper -- Coloring Book *** 1/2
166. Maxwell -- blackSUMMERnights *** 1/2
167. Maren Morris -- Hero ** 1/2
168. Leon Russell -- Leon Russell (1970) *** 1/2
169. Jake and Amanda Palmer -- You Got Me Singing ***/
170. The Earls Of Leicester - Rattle and Roar ** 1/2
171. Nice As F*** -- Nice As F*** **
172. The Beach Boys -- Today! (1965) ***/
173. Kris Kristofferson -- The Cedar Creek Sessions ** 1/2
174. The Doobie Brothers -- The Platinum Collection (2007) ***
175. John Lee Hooker -- John Lee Hooker (1962) ***
176. Jesse Winchester -- Learn To Love It (1974) ***
177. Stevie Ray Latham -- Modern Attitudes (Dylan should sue!) **
178. Aaron Neville -- Apache * 1/2
179. Erin Rae -- Soon Enough ** 1/2
180. Steven Tyler -- We're All Somebody Somewhere **
181. Various Artists - Remembering Mountains: Unheard Songs by Karen Dalton **
182. Jacob Collier -- In My Room ** 1/2
183. Sara Watkins -- Young in All The Wrong Ways ** 1/2
184. Cole Risner -- Better Man **
185. Moon Brothers -- These Stars **
186. Rebecca Hosking -- Safe Haven **
187. Roosevelt -- Roosevelt **
188. Irene Kelley -- These Hills **
189. Nao -- For All We Know **
190. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez -- Corazones **
191. Angel Olsen -- My Woman ** 1/2
192. Houston Pearson and Ron Carter -- Chemistry ***/
193. Jamie Isaac -- Couch Baby ***
194. Lawrence Arabia -- Absolute Truth **
195. Built To Spill -- There's Nothing Wrong With Love (1994) ** 1/2
196. Kanye West -- The Life Of Pablo *** 1/2
197. Ryley Walker -- Golden Sings That Have Sung ***
198. Minister Marion Hall -- When God Speaks **
199. Paul Lamb -- After Hours: The Country Blues Sessions ** 1/2
200. Various Artists -- Let the Good Times Roll: 40 Jumping R and B Classics ***
201. Various Artists -- Nigeria Freedom Sounds: Popular Music and the Birth... ** 1/2
202. Various Artists -- You Make My Heart Sing: 50 Of The Greatest Love Songs Ever *** 1/2
203. Big Maybelle -- The Complete King, Okeh and Savoy Singles ***
204. Lori McKenna -- The Bird And The Rifle ** 1/2
205. Lady Lamb The Beekeeper -- After (2015) *** 1/2
206. Anohni -- Hopelessness ***
207. Pinegrove -- Cardinal **
208. Chairlift -- Moth **
209. Bosco Rogers -- Post Exotic **
210. Dolly Parton -- Pure and Simple ** 1/2
211. Benny Goodman -- At Carnegie Hall 1938 ****
212. Frank Ocean - Blond(e) **
213. John Paul White -- Beulah **
214. The Stray Birds -- Magic Fire **
215. Boys Forever -- Boys Forever **
216. Jellyfish -- Spilt Milk (1993) ***/
217. Jellyfish -- Bellybutton (1992) *** 1/2
218. Lisa Hannigan -- At Swim ** 1/2
219. Stephen Simmons -- A World Without End **
220. Elvis Presley -- Way Down In The Jungle ** 1/2
221. Anna Tivel -- Heroes Waking Up **
222. Teenage Fanclub -- Here ** 1/2 (but "Steady State" great)
223. The Chris Robinson Brotherhood -- Anyway You Love ** 1/2
224. Various Artists -- Very Best Of Folk Songs ** 1/2
225. Shirley Davis -- Black Rose **
226. The Shelters -- The Shelters ** 1/2
227. Don Williams -- One Good Well **
228. Britney Spears -- Glory * 1/2
229. Violent Femmes -- We Can Do Anything ***
230. B.J. Barham -- Rockingham ** 1/2
231. Rolando Bruno -- Bailazo ** 1/2
232. Shawn James -- On The Shoulders Of Giants **
233. Nina Simone -- In Concert (1964) *** 1/2
234. John McCutcheon -- Joe Hill's Last Will **
235. Jonah Tolchin -- Thousand Mile Night **
236. Sara Gazarek -- Dream In The Blue **
237. Blues Pills -- Lady In Gold * 1/2
238. Rich Robinson -- Flux **
239. Various Artists -- Wilko Johnson Presents The First Time I Met The Blues ** 1/2
240. Various Artists -- Mojo Presents Jamaican Explosion ** 1/2
241. Lynrd Skynrd -- Old Time Greats ***
242. Various Artists -- Aloha Got Soul 1979-1985 ***
243. Butch Walker -- Stay Gold ***
244. Peter Broderick -- Partners **
245. Cleo Laine -- All Of Me **
246. The O'Connor Band w Mark O'Connor -- Coming Home ** 1/2
247. The Way Down Wanderers -- The Way Down Wanderers **
248. Chet Baker -- The James Dean Story ** (but vocals "Let Me Be Loved" good)
249. Okkervil River -- Away **
250. St. Paul and the Broken Bones -- Sea Of Noise **
251. Nat King Cole -- Destination Moon ** 1/2
252. Petula Clark -- From Now On ***/
253. Willie Nelson -- For The Good Times: A Tribute To Ray Price ** 1/2
254. Milt Jackson and John Coltrane -- Bags and Trane ***
255. Catherine Russell -- Harlem On My Mind ** 1/2
256. Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris -- Trio: The Complete Collection *** 1/2
257. The Ramones -- The Ramones Mono 40th Anniversary ****
258. Dawes -- We All Gonna Die **
259. Jason Aldean -- They Don't Know * 1/2
260. Ultimate Painting -- Dusk **
261. Meat Loaf -- Braver Than We Are *
262. Jack White -- Acoustic Recordings 1998-2016 *** 1/2
263. Fantasia -- The Definition Of... **
264. James Vincent McMurrow -- We Move ***
265. Wilco -- Schmilco ***\
266. The Rifles -- Big Life **
267. Seth Lakeman -- Ballads Of The Broken Few **
268. Led Zeppelin -- The BBC Sessions *** 1/2
269. Charlie Puth -- Nine Track Mind ***/
270. Various Artists -- Music Of Tanzania **
271. Green Day -- Revolution Radio *** 1/2
272. Conor Oberst -- Ruminations ***/
273. Bill Charlap -- Notes From New York ** 1/2
274. Ian Hunter -- Fingers Crossed ***
275. Regina Spektor -- Remember Us To Life *** 1/2
276. Lady Gaga -- Joanne ** 1/2\
277. Leonard Cohen -- You Want It Darker *** 1/2
278. The Beat feauring Ranking Roger -- Bounce ** 1/2
279. Arthur Alexander -- You Better Move On ** 1/2
280. CeDell Davis -- Even The Devil Gets The Blues ***
281. Common -- Black America Again ***/
282. Nashville Voices -- Christmas In The Country *
283. Straight No Chaser -- I'll Have Another...Christmas Album **
284. Lightnin' Hopkins -- Thinkin' And Worryin': The Aladdin Singles 1947-1952 ****
285. Jim James -- Eternally Even ** 1/2
286. She And Him -- Christmas Party ***
287. Madness -- Can't Touch Us Now ***/
288. Tricia Yearwood -- Christmas **
289. Garth Brooks and Tricia Yearwood -- Christmas Together * 1/2
290. Pavo Pavo -- Young Narrator In The Breakers **
291. Matt Pond PA -- Winter Lives **
292. Sting -- 57th And 9th ***
293. Chris Robinson Brotherhood -- If You Lived Here, You Would Be Home By Now ** 1/2
294. Kings Of Leon -- Walls ** 1/2
295. Robbie Williams -- The Heavy Entertainment Show ** 1/2
296. Seth James -- A Million Miles Of Love **
297. Stevie Nicks -- The Wild Heart (1983) **
298. Eleanore Mills -- This Is Eleanore Mills! **
299. Chris Staples -- Golden Age ** 1/2
300. Hayes Carl -- Lovers and Leavers ** 1/2
301. Dwight Yoakum -- Swimming Pools, Movie Stars *** 1/2
302. Alicia Keys -- Here ** 1/2
303. Doyle Bramhall II -- Rich Man ** 1/2
304. De La Soul -- And The Anonymous Nobody ***
305. Davy Knowles -- Three Miles From Avalon ** 1/2
306. David Bromberg -- The Blues, The Whole Blues and Nothing But The Blues ** 1/2
307. David Bowie -- Lazarus EP *** 1/2
308. Crowded House -- Woodface (1991) *** 1/2
309. Youssou N'dour -- Africa Rekk ** 1/2
310. Steve Mason -- Meet The Humans ** 1/2
311. Suzanne Vega -- Lover, Beloved: Songs From An Evening With Carson McCullers ***
312. Michael Buble -- Nobody But Me ** 1/2
313. Leslie Odom, Jr. -- Simply Christmas ***
314. Asleep At The Wheel -- Lone Star Christmas * 1/2
315. Rumer -- The Look Of Love ***/
316. Mahalia Jackson -- Moving Up A Little Higher *** 1/2
317. Pretenders -- Alone ***
318. Iggy Pop -- Post Pop Depression ** 1/2
319. Nat and Alex Wolff -- Public Places ** 1/2
320. Michelle David -- The Gospel Sessions ***/
321. John Legend -- Darkness and Light ***
322. Julia Jacklin -- Don't Let The Kids Win ***/
323. Aaron Lee Tasjan -- Silver Tears ***
324. A Tribe Called Quest -- We've Got It From Here...Thank You 4 Your Service *** 1/2
325. Bonobo -- Migration **
326. Benjamin Dean Wilson -- Small Talk **
327. Various Artists -- Doin' It In Lagos: Boogie, Pop and Disco in 1980s Nigeria **
328. Lakuta -- Brothers and Sisters **
329. Nick Cave -- Skeleton Tree ***
330. Nico Muhly and Teitur -- Confessions **
331. Richard Barone -- Sorrows and Promises: Greenwich Village in the 1960s ** 1/2
332. Shirley Horn -- Live At The 4 Queens (poorly recorded) ** 1/2
333. Stan Ridgway and Pietra Wexstun -- Priestess Of The Promised Land **
334. Miranda Lambert -- The Weight Of These Wings *** 1/2
335. Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau -- Nearness *** 1/2
336. Bill Charlap -- Notes From New York **
337. Barry Gibb -- In The Now ** 1/2
338. Billy Bragg and Joe Henry -- Shine A Light ***
339. Hannah Williams -- Late Nights and Heartbreak **
340. J Cole -- 4 Your Eyez Only ** 1/2
341. Jimmy "Duck" Holmes -- It Is What It Is **
342. Joe Lovano -- Classic! Live At Newport *** 1/2
343. Johann Johannsson -- Arrival *** (but *** 1/2 in film)
344. John Prine -- For Better, Or Worse ** 1/2
345. Kenny Barron -- Book Of Intuition *** 1/2
346. My Girl The River -- This Ain't No Fairytale ** 1/2
347. Solange -- A Seat At The Table *** 1/2





MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES 

(Not TV movies, of course, but movies and TV -- and TV movies if it comes to that. Mostly I only list TV shows when I've tackled an entire season at once or reappraising an entire series after it's over This doesn't really capture my ongoing watching of current TV.)

1. Deadpool ** 1/2
2. The Witch ** 1/2
3. Everybody Wants Some!! *** 1/2
4. Purple Rain ** 1/2 for movie but **** for concert sections
5. The Jungle Book (2016) **
6. Zootopia *** 1/2
7. Sea Scouts (1939 Disney short w Donald Duck, plus Huey, Lewey and Dewey) *
8. The Hidden Island (1960 Japanese film, almost silent, faux docu) ***
9. Hail, Caesar! *** (Alden Ehrenreich, Scarlett Johansson)
10. The Lobster *** 1/2
11. Love And Friendship ***/
12. The Secret Life Of Pets ** 1/2
13. Star Trek: Beyond ** 1/2
14. Pièges (1939 at Moma) ** 1/2
15. Jason Bourne **
16. Florence Foster Jenkins **
17. Hell Or High Water *** 1/2
18. Moonlight *** 1/2
19. Toni Erdmann ***/
20. The Edge Of Seventeen **
21. The Arrival ** 1/2 (botches the ending)
22. Manchester By The Sea *** 1/2
23. The Housekeeper's Daughter (1939) * 1/2
24. Midnight Shadow (1939) no stars
25. Stand Up And Fight (1939) **
26. Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them ** 1/2
27. Kubo And The Two Strings ***
28. The Nice Guys ***/
29. Moana ** 1/2
30. 20th Century Women ***
31. Cameraperson ** 1/2
32. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story ** 1/2
33. Seth's Dominion (2014) ** 1/2
34. The Nine (docu at Moma, unreleased) **
35. I. Daniel Blake ** 1/2
36. La La Land * 1/2
37. Nocturnal Animals  no stars
38. Midnight Special ** 1/2
39. Neon Bull ***
40. Aferim! *** 1/2
41. Allied (great birth scene) *
42. The Fits *** 1/2
43. Green Room *** 1/2
44. Little Men (but terrific Michael Barbieri) **
45. American Honey *** 1/2






THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS
(The names after the shows are the people who joined me at the performance.)

1. Employee Of The Year (Under The Radar at Public) *** [Noam}
2. Germinal (Under The Radar At Public) *** 1/2 [Noam]
3. Fiddler On The Roof 2015 Broadway revival with Danny Burstein ** 1/2 [Cohen]
4. Skeleton Crew *** [Noam]
5. Noises Off (2016 Broadway revival) ** but *** if you've never seen it before [Zoe]
6. The Pearl Fishers at Met w Diana Damrau, Mariusz Kwiecien and esp Matthew Polenzani ***/ [Garrett]
7. The Grand Paradise (Third Rail immersive theater) *** [Cohen]
8. Our Mother's Brief Affair (Linda Lavin) * 1/2 [Noam]
9. Something Rotten *** [TJ]
10 Sense And Sensibility (Bedlam revival) *** 1/2 [Frima]
11. Broadway and The Bard * 1/2 [Noam]
12. Prodigal Son ** [Zoe]
13. A Bronx Tale: The Musical ** [Noam]
14. Buried Child (2016 revival w Ed Harris) ** [Noam]
15. Nice Fish *** [solo]
16. Broadway By The Year: The 1930s at Town Hall *** [TJ]
17. Hughie ** [Noam}
18. Pericles (w Christian Camargo) * 1/2 [Noam]
19. Straight ** 1/2 [Luis]
20. Eclipsed *** [Noam]
21. Red Speedo *** [Noam]
22. The Royale ** 1/2 [Noam]
23. Angel Reapers (Signature piece ** 1/2 [Cohen, Zoe, Noam]
24. Boy **** [Cohen]
25. The Robber Bridegroom *** [TJ]
26. Hold On To Me, Darling *** [Noam]
27. Blackbird ** 1/2 [Noam]
28. Disaster! * [TJ]
29. The Effect ** 1/2 [Cohen]
30. Dry Powder ** 1/2 [Zoe]
31. Head Of Passes ** 1/2 [Noam]
32. Broadway By The Year: The 1950s *** 1/2 [TJ]
33. Familiar *** 1/2 [solo]
34. The Crucible (w Ben Whishaw) [Noam] ***
35. Bright Star [ **
36. She Loves Me (w Laura Benanti) ***
37. Antlia Pneumatica [Noam] ** 1/2
38. RSC at BAM: Richard II (w David Tennant) [solo]  ** 1/2
39. RSC at BAM: Henry IV Part I and II (w Antony Sher) [solo] ***
40. RSC at BAM Henry V (w Alex Hassell) [solo] ** 1/2
41. Nathan The Wise [Noam] ** 1/2
42. The Father [Noam] **
43. American Psycho [Garrett] **
44. Waitress [Noam] ** 1/2
45. Fully Committed [Cohen] ** 1/2
46. Long Day’s Journey Into Night [Noam] ***
47. A Streetcar Named Desire [solo] ***
48. Tuck Everlasting [Cohen]**
49. War (Cohen) **
50. Paramour (Franny) * 1/2
51. Hadestown (at NYTW w Noam and Frima) *** 1/2
52. Shuffle Along (solo) *** 1/2/
53. Cats (on Broadway, 2016 revival w Noam) **
54. The Encounter (Complicite on Broadway w Luis) **
55. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (at Two River Theater w Noam and Zoe) ***
56. Oh, Hello (w Dave Cohen) ** 1/2
57. Heisenberg (remounting on Broadway w Luis) ** 1/2
58. The Dudleys (solo) ** 1/2
59. Holiday Inn (w Luis) * 1/2
60. Tristan Und Isolde (at Met w Nina Stemme and Stuart Skelton, Simon Rattle conducting -- w Stephen Garrett) **
61. Duat via Soho Rep (early preview, but Jacques Colimon a find -- w Noam) ** 1/2
62. A Life (w David Hyde Pierce -- w Luis) ** 1/2
63. Love Love Love (w Amy Ryan-- w Noam) ** 1/2
64. The Radicalization Of Rolfe (FringeFest NYC -- w TJ) ** 1/2
65. Sweat (Public Theater -- w Noam) * 1/2
66. The Death of The Last Black Man In The Whole Entire World aka The Negro Book Of The Dead *** (Signature w Noam and Zoe and Cohen) 
67. Falsettos ** (Bway revival -- w Zoe)
68. Dead Poets Society ** 1/2 (CSC w Noam) 
69. Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 *** (but ** 1/2 if you’ve seen it before -- w Luis)
70. Sweet Charity (w Sutton Foster -- w TJ) **
71. Mouse: The Persistence Of An Unlikely Thought (St. Ann's Warehouse w Noam and Zoe and Heather) *** 1/2
72. Wicked (on Bway 11-9-2016 -- w Cohen) ** 1/2
73. Master Harold and the Boys (Signature w Noam and Zoe and Cohen) **
74. Dear Evan Hansen ***
75. The Illusionists: Turn Of The Century **
76. The Bodyguard **
77. The Wolves *** 
78. The Band’s Visit *** 1/2
79. In Transit *
80. Salome (at Met) ** (dreadful sets, stand-in for lead)
81. L'amour de loin (at Met) (magnificent sets!) *** 1/2


Updated December 31, 2016