# 5 Greatest Non-classical Musicians (Read the First Post Please!)



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

You may choose up to 5 non-classical musicians you believe to be the "greatest" (however you wish to interpret that), unordered.

I suspect many members will want to select musical groups. Here is the deal:

*You may select musical groups. However, in order for your vote to be processed, you need to specify each of the members you are voting for in the group. It does NOT have to represent a full line-up.*

For instance, a valid selection might look like:

_The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr)_ is a valid selection, as is _The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)_. In either case you would have 4 more votes. Just writing _The Beatles_ will not only invalidate the selection, *it will invalidate your entire vote*. I hope I do not have to repeat this too many times. In the end, we are primarily going after a list of *individual musicians* (I will keep track of the most often mentioned groups as well but the main result is for individual musicians).


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

Antonio Carlos Jobim
The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr)
Stevie Wonder
Bob Dylan
Genesis (Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Phil Collins)


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## KevinJS (Sep 24, 2021)

Good idea. Here goes. 

1. Rick Wakeman. Although he played with Yes, he’s an accomplished all-round musician, so I have no trouble singling him out. 
2. Rush. Geddy Lee (bass/keyboard/vocals), Alex Lifeson (guitars), Neil Peart (percussion). Singling out Peart for his lyrics as well as his percussion. 
3. Jon Lord. Organist with Deep Purple and one of the pioneers of group and orchestra. 
4. Jordan Rudess, pianist/keyboards, with a hat tip to Dream Theater. 
5. Freddie Mercury. I think we had only seen a fraction of his capability when he died.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Alphabetical:

David Bowie
Kate Bush 
Peter Gabriel (Genesis and solo)
Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree, No-Man, Blackfield, solo)
Tori Amos


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## Jay (Jul 21, 2014)

Louis Armstrong 
Duke Ellington
Charlie Parker
John Coltrane
Jimi Hendrix


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

Miles Davis
John Coltrane
Ornette Coleman
Anthony Braxton
Wadada Leo Smith


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

Fela 
Tansen
Donga
James Brown
Vindsval


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## JTS (Sep 26, 2021)

Irving Berlin
George Gershwin
Paul Simon
Dolly Parton
Keith Green


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Louis Armstrong
Duke Ellington
Hank Williams
Bob Dylan
Robert Johnson


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## Forster (Apr 22, 2021)

The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr)
Radiohead (Thom Yorke, Johnny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway)
Robert Wyatt
Brian Eno
Genesis (Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks, Philip Collins)


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

In order of merit

1.Don Van Vliet

2. Can (Holger Czukay, Irmin Schmidt, Jaki Liebezeit, Michael Karoli, Damo Suzuki)

3. John Lennon

4. Jaco Pastorius

5. Frank Zappa


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

Red Terror said:


> I am limiting myself to the Rock genre, otherwise such a list would be nigh impossible.
> 
> 
> Frank Zappa
> ...


Please read the OP and modify, or these will not count.


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

Frank Zappa
Randy Rhoads
Vernon Reid
Ronni le Tekrø
Terje Rypdal
...the greatest guitarists influencing me in my youth.


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> Please read the OP and modify, or these will not count.


List amended.


Miles Davis
John Coltrane
Ornette Coleman
Anthony Braxton
Wadada Leo Smith


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## fbjim (Mar 8, 2021)

I'm keeping this with popular music - popular music and jazz are different enough that I don't really think they should be listed together, which is convenient because I don't have an affinity for jazz. 

Listed by historical import, which is my general "Greatness" criterion - 

Chuck Berry
- Rock had no inventor, very few genres can be pinned down to a single moment - but Berry (and Little Richard) come the closest.

James Brown -
His influence on black music (and, by extension, popular music) is incalculable. He brought the primacy of rhythm into the mainstream. 

Kraftwerk (Rafl Hutter and Florian Schneider, but really Kraftwerk are a group package) 
- I've once heard it stated that virtually all popular music today bears the influence of either James Brown or Kraftwerk. Reductive (electronic, like rock has no single father), but not entirely untrue. 

Brian Eno
- I don't know if Eno even needs any introduction here. The sheer amount of invention in his first few albums even before his pioneering work in ambient music is just humbling. 

Run-DMC (Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, Jason Mizell)
- Not sure what artists I should have put as the forefathers of hip-hop (arguably both James Brown and- remarkably- Kraftwerk might jointly quality) but I think DMC are the ones who brought it into the mainstream as a mature, LP-based genre, rather than the rawer, live-performance hip-hop.


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

In no particular order......

Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs, Steve Morse Band, Kansas, Deep Purple, Flying Colors)
George Duke (Zappa, jazz solo)
Patrick Moraz (Refugee, Yes, Moody Blues)
Roine Stolt (Flower Kings, Transatlantic, Kaipa, Kaipa Da Capo, Agents of Mercy)
Larry Carlton (countless studio sessions, Steely Dan, jazz solo, The Jazz Crusaders, Fourplay)


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Five is far too limiting but I'll try:

Duke Ellington
Thelonious Monk
Frank Zappa
Chick Corea
Wayne Shorter

If the list could be a little longer I'd include:

Louis Armstrong
Coltrane
Miles Davis
Ali Akbar Khan
Roland Kirk
Herbie Hancock
Allan Holdsworth
Ralph Towner
Pat Metheny
Carla Bley
Gary Burton
Egberto Gismonti
Robert Fripp
John McLaughlin


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

Keith Jarrett
Pat Metheny
Steely Dan (Fagen,Becker)
The Band (Robertson, Hudson, Helm, Danko, Manuel)
Television (Verlaine, Lloyd, Ficca, Smith)

But now realise who I have missed!!!!


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

> Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs)


Those initial six Dregs albums released from 1977-1982 are some of my most listened to records over the past 40 years. The compositions are brilliant and wonderful, and very challenging for musicians. Steve Morse wrote just about every note with the exception of one tune composed by bassist, Andy West. I've had the opportunity to hear Steve up close two times in small clubs and it was a great experience. One time Dregs member, and violin virtuoso Mark O'Connor said of Steve, "if he wasn't playing electric music (for the most part) he would most likely be a world famous classical guitarist."


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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

Bob Dylan
John Martyn
Joni Mitchell
Florence Welsh
Ry Cooder


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

Today in no order.

Frank Zappa
Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet)
Joni Mitchell
Robert Fripp
Jack Bruce

Plus many others who depending on the day and my mood would have been listed.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Malx said:


> Today in no order.
> 
> Frank Zappa
> Captain Beefheart (Don van Vliet)
> ...


Good reminder re Jack Bruce. Give Don a big 'V' though


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

HenryPenfold said:


> Good reminder re Jack Bruce. Give Don a big 'V' though


Oops - well spotted H.


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

starthrower said:


> Those initial six Dregs albums released from 1977-1982 are some of my most listened to records over the past 40 years. The compositions are brilliant and wonderful, and very challenging for musicians. Steve Morse wrote just about every note with the exception of one tune composed by bassist, Andy West. I've had the opportunity to hear Steve up close two times in small clubs and it was a great experience. One time Dregs member, and violin virtuoso Mark O'Connor said of Steve, "if he wasn't playing electric music (for the most part) he would most likely be a world famous classical guitarist."


At one time he did play kind of a cross between classical, and solo bluegrass guitar. When he toured with Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucia.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

progmatist said:


> At one time he did play kind of a cross between classical, and solo bluegrass guitar. When he toured with Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucia.


I haven't heard any bluegrass for Morse. But for years he composed at least one classical piece for each Dregs, and Steve Morse band album. And he would open the first half of his solo concerts playing classical guitar.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

I could have chosen five great artists in each genre, Jazz; Blues; Folk; Rock; Pop; etc.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Django Reinhardt
Duke Ellington
Miles Davis
Paco de Lucia
Jimmy Page


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

SanAntone said:


> I could have chosen five great artists in each genre, Jazz; Blues; Folk; Rock; Pop; etc.


Yeah, but some folks here are set on the number 5.


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

Sorry, but I will have to break the rules, and list 5 from each of the _other_ genres of music (besides classical) I love.

I find it near impossible to narrow it down any further.

Jazz:

*Allan Holdsworth
John Coltrane
Anthony Braxton
John McLaughlin
Miles Davis*

Prog:

*Gentle Giant* (Derek Schulman, Ray Schulman, Kerry Minnear, Gary Green)
*Robert Fripp*
*YES* (Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Bill Bruford, Chris Squire, Steve Howe)
*Frank Zappa*
*Magma* (Christan Vander, Stella Vander, Janik Top, Yochiko Seffer, Bernard Paganoti, Emmanuel Borghi, James McGaw, Isabelle Feullebois, Laura Guarrato)

If I don't cheat, and do just 5, it would have to be these. But this is almost random. And if I were to make this decision in an hour, it may be different:

Allan Holdsworth
John Coltrane
Robert Fripp
Magma
Frank Zappa

Others that could have been on my list:

Keith Jarrett, Chic Corea, Jaco Pastorius, Annie Haslam (vocalist with Renaissance), Area (Demetrio Stratos, Patrick Djivas, Patrizio Faraseli), Ralph Towner.


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

Atilla
Count Grishnak 
Dead
Euronymous
Necrobutcher


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

Sufjan Stevens
The Beatles (Paul McCartney, George Harrison)
Kero Kero Bonito (Sarah Midori Perry, Gus Lobban, Jamie Bulled)
Bruce Springsteen
Joanna Newsom


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## eljr (Aug 8, 2015)

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> Bob Dylan


Musician?


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## eljr (Aug 8, 2015)

Jorma Kaukonen
Ginger Baker
Esperanza Spalding 
David Grohl
Eddie Vedder


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## 89Koechel (Nov 25, 2017)

Jazz tenor saxophonist - Lester Young, called the "Prez" by Billie Holiday. Charlie Christian, the short-lived jazz guitarist (or Tal Farlow, or Django Reinhardt, also on guitar). Art Tatum, on jazz piano (or Earl Hines or Teddy Wilson). Finally, the guitar of a man at the "crossroads" - Robt. Johnson, bluesman (or Blind Willie McTell or Mississippi John Hurt). That's all, for now!


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## alvaro (Sep 21, 2021)

Smokey Robinson
The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr)
Brian Wilson
Stevie Wonder
Freddie Mercury


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## Forster (Apr 22, 2021)

starthrower said:


> Yeah, but some folks here are set on the number 5.


Well, the standard reply to that is, pick another number, make your own poll


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Forster said:


> Well, the standard reply to that is, pick another number, make your own poll


There's enough people doing it already. I'm not really concerned with who's the greatest? But sometimes I like to throw some names out there in the hopes that maybe someone will take notice and discover some different music.


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## Metairie Road (Apr 30, 2014)

I'm totally unqualified to be a judge of the 'best' of anything (except perhaps Chinese all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants within a fifty mile radius of where I live. In that regard I consider myself an authority).

Anyway, here's my opinion for what it's worth.

Jimi Hendrix
Ravi Shankar
Richard Thompson
Ella Fitzgerald (vocal musicianship. Listen to the Ella and Friends CD, If you aint hummin' and swayin' to this music - go get buried, you're dead.)
Chuck Berry (the real king of Rock and Roll, not that white guy from Mississippi).

Ask me tomorrow and I'll probably have a different list.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

In alphabetical order:

Duke Ellington
Jimi Hendrix
Miles Davis
Robert Fripp
Roger Waters


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

starthrower said:


> I haven't heard any bluegrass for Morse. But for years he composed at least one classical piece for each Dregs, and Steve Morse band album. And he would open the first half of his solo concerts playing classical guitar.


What differentiates the blue grass "style" from typical classical is the use of a flat pick, rather than finger picking. What Steve played on that tour was primarily with a flat pick. And as always, he'd occasionally "palm" the pick to play with his fingers.



Simon Moon said:


> Sorry, but I will have to break the rules, and list 5 from each of the _other_ genres of music (besides classical) I love.
> 
> I find it near impossible to narrow it down any further.
> 
> ...


It's worth mentioning Holdsworth flirted with prog when he joined Jobson, Wetton and Bruford in UK.


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

starthrower said:


> Those initial six Dregs albums released from 1977-1982 are some of my most listened to records over the past 40 years. The compositions are brilliant and wonderful, and very challenging for musicians. Steve Morse wrote just about every note with the exception of one tune composed by bassist, Andy West. I've had the opportunity to hear Steve up close two times in small clubs and it was a great experience. One time Dregs member, and violin virtuoso Mark O'Connor said of Steve, "if he wasn't playing electric music (for the most part) he would most likely be a world famous classical guitarist."


What do you think of Morse's new band, Flying Colors?


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

Paul McCartney
Chris Squire
Keith Emerson
Ian Anderson
Brian May


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## Forster (Apr 22, 2021)

progmatist said:


> It's worth mentioning Holdsworth flirted with prog when he joined Jobson, Wetton and Bruford in UK.


Reading Holdsworth's entry in Wikipedia, it seems he flirted with quite a bit! I saw UK in 1978 and ruined my ears, standing too close to the speaker stack, but they were fantastic. I saw Bruford again in 1980 on a bill with Brand X (no Collins of course), and then Holdsworth in 2008 with Wackerman. Funny how often Holdsworth is noted as fallig out with people - producers, labels, fellow musicians. It's no wonder he flirted with so many but rarely married!


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Red Terror said:


> What do you think of Morse's new band, Flying Colors?


 Not really my cuppa tea. A little too commercial sounding. I haven't followed Steve Morse for years. I was a big fan of the Dregs, and his first five solo albums. After that it started sounding a bit stale. At this point I'll put on a Dregs album a couple times a year for old time's sake. I love the sound of that quintet and the compositions Steve wrote for the band.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

As far as Holdsworth "flirting with prog" is concerned, he was the most advanced and creative guitarist I've had the pleasure of listening to throughout the years. He was restless and wasn't the type of musician who wanted to be locked in to a band format with an established style. As great as his playing is on all those side projects, for me his own music is what I've listened to the most. He pursued his own vision playing his compositions with his selected sidemen. But ultimately his personal problems with his excessive drinking brought on his demise. He didn't release any new music for the last 17 years of his life.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Forster said:


> Reading Holdsworth's entry in Wikipedia, it seems he flirted with quite a bit! I saw UK in 1978 and ruined my ears, standing too close to the speaker stack, but they were fantastic. I saw Bruford again in 1980 on a bill with Brand X (no Collins of course), and then Holdsworth in 2008 with Wackerman. Funny how often Holdsworth is noted as fallig out with people - producers, labels, fellow musicians. It's no wonder he flirted with so many but rarely married!


I saw UK in 78 too. In London. Awesome gig! Shame they were short-lived. Sabbath, Purple, Zeppelin and Nugent had already ruined my hearing!!

Also saw AH a few times solo, plus a gig with Level 42 at the Hammersmith Odeon


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

> I saw UK in 78 too. In London. Awesome gig! Shame they were short-lived.


Henry, I saw a reunion trio gig at NEARfest 2012. Jobson's keyboard rig was the loudest thing I've ever heard. And John Wetton sounded good. It's a shame he got sick a few years later.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

starthrower said:


> Henry, I saw a reunion trio gig at NEARfest 2012. Jobson's keyboard rig was the loudest thing I've ever heard. And John Wetton sounded good. It's a shame he got sick a few years later.


Long time after!

Who was on drums?


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

HenryPenfold said:


> Long time after!
> 
> Who was on drums?


Unfortunately, I don't remember. But it wasn't a big name like Bozzio or Minnemann. I tried looking it up but I haven't found anything. Bozzio was playing with them on 2012 dates but the NEARfest show was a last minute fill in for another band that cancelled.


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

pianozach said:


> Paul McCartney
> Chris Squire
> Keith Emerson
> Ian Anderson
> Brian May


*Paul McCartney* (composition, vocals, bass guitar, guitar, keys)
*Chris Squire* (bass guitar, arrangements, vocals)
*Keith Emerson* (keyboards, composition, arrangements and adaptations)
*Ian Anderson* (acoustic guitar, flute, vocals, composition)
*Brian May* (guitar, composition)

So many musicians that have to be left off a list this short.

Steve Morse
Ella Fitzgerald
Jimmy Page
Jimi Hendrix 
Prince 
Karen Carpenter (yeah, great voice AND an excellent drummer)
Stevie Wonder 
Ray Cooper (percussionist)
Les Paul

Also, there's the "sidekicks" in the bands associated with my Top 5:

George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo Starr
Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, Bill Bruford
Carl Palmer
Martin Barre
Freddie Mercury

And so many Big Band and Jazz superstars: Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, John Coltrane


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## Doublestring (Sep 3, 2014)

Non-classical is incredibly broad. That includes jazz and world music.

Astor Piazzolla
Billie Holiday
Björk
Duke Ellington
Paco de Lucía


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

Andrew Hill
Wayne Shorter
Duke Ellington
Herbie Nichols
John Coltrane

that's just my taste and obviously everybody is leaving out tons of extremely talented and influential musicians. But it's a game.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

Bwv 1080 said:


> Atilla
> Count Grishnak
> Dead
> Euronymous
> Necrobutcher


Have you seen Lords of Chaos?


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

norman bates said:


> Have you seen Lords of Chaos?


No, any good? Saw the documentary Until the Light Takes Us


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

Ahmad Ali Khan
Zakir Husain
Kala Ramnath
L Subramaniam
Harisiprad Chaurasia

Not a complete list, but one I sort of could remember the spelling, too lazy to google


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

Mingiedi Mawangu 
Francis Bebey
Tony Allen
Ali Farka Toure
Hamza al din


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## eljr (Aug 8, 2015)

Bwv 1080 said:


> Ahmad Ali Khan
> Zakir Husain
> Kala Ramnath
> L Subramaniam
> ...


Hussain, Hariprasad


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

Bwv 1080:

You have made multiple votes, some of which include selections which are not entirely clear even with the help of Google. I'm going to count your first one unless you'd like to specify otherwise:

Fela (Kuti)
Tansen 
Donga (Ernesto Maria Joaquin dos Santos)
James Brown
Vindsval (from metal band Blut Aus Nord)


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

Bwv 1080 said:


> No, any good? Saw the documentary Until the Light Takes Us


not really, but it's kind of funny how it shows those guys, especially Burzum and Euronymous. Like very dumb kids basically


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> Bwv 1080:
> 
> You have made multiple votes, some of which include selections which are not entirely clear even with the help of Google. I'm going to count your first one unless you'd like to specify otherwise:
> 
> ...


 Every one I listed is a great and famous musician, shame on you if you don't know them

And I could care less about some meaningless contest where people vote, so pick whichever you want

Here is another five:

Gilberto Gil
Milton Nascimento 
Vinicius de Morales
Baden Powell
Jorge Ben Jor


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

Bwv 1080 said:


> Every one I listed is a great and famous musician, shame on you if you don't know them
> 
> And I could care less about some meaningless contest where people vote, so pick whichever you want
> 
> ...


Bruh .............


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

Actually I'll respond to this inane drivel, since I'm a little annoyed by it.

First off, I clearly specified what this thread was about in the OP, and you making multiple lists without providing context renders your vote ambiguous. I was just trying to clarify your vote and some of the names you were using to an audience who might not be familiar with them.

Second, and more importantly, I take issue with the statement "shame on you if you don't know them". So you're not trying to contribute to the list, and you're not trying to help people discover new music. What's the point of just randomly listing off names then? For what it's worth, I know very well many of the musicians you listed (including all of the Brazilians). I do not know others, such as the Indian names, as I do not listen traditional Hindustani music that often. Shaming a 22 year old for not recognizing names (often aliases) of musicians who are "famous" (I'm skeptical) across different (and probably niche) cultural traditions is just ridiculous. Sounds like someone's a bit insecure.

Ever heard of Lil Tecca? Migos? Tyler the Creator? A Boogie wit Da Hoodie? Well if not shame on you; they're orders of magnitude more famous than Tansen or Vindsval.

Your vote will not count, for what it's worth.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Bwv 1080 said:


> Every one I listed is a great and famous musician, shame on you if you don't know them
> 
> And I could care less about some meaningless contest where people vote, so pick whichever you want
> 
> ...


But Vinicius was much more a poet and lyricist than a musician properly, or at least that's what I've heard. Wouldn't Tom Jobim or João Gilberto be more natural choices for great brazilian non-classical musicians to cite? They're the main names behind Bossa Nova, I think.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

Xisten267 said:


> But Vinicius was much more a poet and lyricist than a musician properly, or at least that's what I've heard. Wouldn't Tom Jobim or João Gilberto be more natural choices for great brazilian non-classical musicians to cite? They're the main names behind Bossa Nova, I think.


He doesn't know what he's talking about. Just on an ego trip.

He wouldn't list Jobim cuz everyone knows who he is. Gotta choose slightly more obscure people to appear cultured!

Vinicius was a musician (singer) however - albeit second to a lyricist, listen to this:


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## Forster (Apr 22, 2021)

starthrower said:


> Unfortunately, I don't remember. But it wasn't a big name like Bozzio or Minnemann. I tried looking it up but I haven't found anything. Bozzio was playing with them on 2012 dates but the NEARfest show was a last minute fill in for another band that cancelled.


Possibly Gary Husband?

http://jethrotull.com/the-attic/past-band-members-and-guests/eddie-jobson/



> In early 2012, Jobson confirmed that he re-formed the U.K. trio lineup-Jobson, John Wetton, and Terry Bozzio - for a one-off world tour, which took place from May-June 2012, with the trio playing dates in North America and Japan and Alex Machacek (guitar) and Gary Husband (drums) substituting for Bozzio in the band lineup during the European dates and a final added show in which the band played at NEARFest Apocalypse in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania as the Sunday headliner.





HenryPenfold said:


> I saw UK in 78 too. In London.


I was at Southampton Uni (for the gig, not as a student).


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

My top 11 (non-classical) Brazilian musicians (couldn't cut one out for 10):

1. Jobim (no contest... Not only a great songwriter, but an amazing & underrated singer and guitarist)
2. Djavan
3. Joao Gilberto (not a songwriter, but makes up for it by being a wonderful performer)

And then in no particular order:
Marcos Valle
Caetano Vaeloso
Tim Maia
Gal Costa
Baden Powell
Fatima Guedes
Elis Regina
Toquinho / Vinicius de Moraes


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

*Paco de Lucia* should definitely be on such a list.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

Yes he should be but not my style. The above was a list of personal favorites (note the obvious bias towards bossa and MPB), maybe not all the "greatest" included.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Re: U.K. NEARfest, it wasn't Gary Husband.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Brahms, do like Milton Nascimento? I've been a fan of many of his songs for a number of years.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

starthrower said:


> Brahms, do like Milton Nascimento? I've been a fan of many of his songs for a number of years.


Honestly a bit of a blind (deaf?) spot for me. I know the name but not the music (or not off the top of my head). Checking him out right now and it sounds very promising. I'll get back to you.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> Vinicius was a musician (singer) however - albeit second to a lyricist, listen to this:


Thanks for sharing. I'm hearing now and am enjoying it.

Did Vinicius also compose? I set for myself the idea that the greatest non-classical musicians should also be amazing composers, and this criterium made me not choose important names of music such as Elvis or Michael Jackson in my list.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

Xisten267 said:


> Thanks for sharing. I'm hearing now and am enjoying it.
> 
> Did Vinicius also compose? I set for myself the idea that the greatest non-classical musicians should also be amazing composers, and this criterium made me not choose important names of music such as Elvis or Michael Jackson in my list.


Apparently yes (I did not know this until now). For instance on "Canção do Amor Demais" - which many consider to be the first bossa album (check it out if you haven't already), Vinicius is the sole songwriter for tracks 2 (Serenata do Adeus) and 9 (Medo de Amar). Apparently he also had 9 wives ...


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> Honestly a bit of a blind (deaf?) spot for me. I know the name but not the music (or not off the top of my head). Checking him out right now and it sounds very promising. I'll get back to you.


Give a listen to Clube Da Esquina. It's a beautiful album. Also, Altimo Trem, and Courage.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

A favorite Milton melody which features his superb whistling. Some nice guitars on this as well.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Bridges is another favorite.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

starthrower said:


> Brahms, do like Milton Nascimento? I've been a fan of many of his songs for a number of years.


Yes, I do like his music. A lot, in fact.


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## Open Lane (Nov 11, 2015)

Allan Holdsworth
Shawn Lane
Chick Corea
John McLaughlin
Miles Davis


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

The voting will close on Halloween.


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## Simon23 (Dec 8, 2020)

John Lennon
Bob Dylan
Bill Evans
Neil Young
Bruce Springsteen


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

Nobody could make a Top 20? Well okay then, _Top 5_ it is.

I have no idea. I know it's not The Beatles, Paul Simon, Frank Zappa or Freddie Mercury lol. Seriously. But idk, maybe these are ok:

Elton John
Jimi Hendrix
Yes (Chris Squire, Ian Anderson)
Jimmy Page
Marvin Gaye


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> The voting will close on Halloween.


I didn't know we were voting...


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

Ethereality said:


> Nobody could make a Top 20? Well okay then, _Top 5_ it is.
> 
> I have no idea. I know it's not The Beatles, Paul Simon, Frank Zappa or Freddie Mercury lol. Seriously. But idk, maybe these are ok:
> 
> ...


That's amusing. Ian Anderson was the front man for Jethro Tull. Jon Anderson sang lead vocals for most of Yes' albums.

Yes and Jethro Tull are a couple of my all time favorite bands.

Elton John, Jimmy Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page's band) were also phenomenal.



pianozach said:


> Paul McCartney
> Chris Squire
> Keith Emerson
> Ian Anderson
> Brian May


Paul McCartney (The Beatles)
Chris Squire (Yes)
Keith Emerson (The Nice, Emerson, Lake & Palmer)
Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull)
Brian May (Queen)


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

Oops! Good one! I started this project years ago of rating thousands of pop/rock songs with some objectivity, and not because I ever liked them. I was quite meticulous and specific in my ratings, but never spent much time looking over the lives and details. So that's probably where I made that error. You can delete Ian Anderson from my list since he's not in Yes!

The three greatest songs that eventually stuck out to me are:

Tier 1
Ray Vaughan's recomposition of Hendrix's _Little Wing_

Tier 2
Elton John's _Tiny Dancer_
Vanity Fair's _Hitchin a Ride_ (which has some great executional fails! but compositionally is solid as ever. The last quarter all comes together. Same with Little Wing, it takes some time to get there but it's legendary.)

So overall, someone like Marvin Gaye with as amazing of vocals as Elton John, I'm not even sure if the former wrote much of his music. I just never cared enough about pop to look into it. I'm only going by the output, as well as his work with Terrell, terrific stuff for just pop. I'm avoiding jazz since I stopped listening to jazz when I was young, and I listen to pop just for scientific hobby.


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## philoctetes (Jun 15, 2017)

Ali Akbar Khan
Ornette Coleman
Howard Levy
Jon Hassell
Bob Marley

PS: sorry late to the party


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

Atahualpa Yupanqui
Paco de lucia
Ali Akbar Khan
Shiv Kumar Sharma
Miles Davis


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

Stephane Grappelli
Paul Desmond
Dusty Springfield
George Shearing
Dave Brubeck

Not exactly obscure or trendy. But, y'know, c'est moi.


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## Sumantra (Feb 1, 2018)

Ravindranath Tagore
Bob Dylan
Ennio Morricone
Leonard Cohen
S. D. Burman


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## KevinJS (Sep 24, 2021)

Kjetil Heggelund said:


> I didn't know we were voting...


Yup. Apparently, Rush are the greatest group in the galaxy, but I already knew that. Oh, hang on. The thread didn't bear out that claim.

Thanks for the heads up on Gåte. Til Nord was a great listen. Still waiting for Svevn to arrive. Hopefully won't be long. I don't speak a word of Norwegian, but I found the music very refreshing.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

Time's up. I'll tally the votes


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

starthrower said:


> Bridges is another favorite.


I just love that progression at the beginning. A -> D# m7 -> E7/D. Great voice leading


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

Mais porque as letras em Português são sempre tão comoventes?

The English translations versions never quite do them justice. I've honestly been inspired to learn the language just because of the music, and BJJ.


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## regenmusic (Oct 23, 2014)

going to delete this post.....it was funny to me because I couldn't come up with any five, I could maybe do top 30...but don't mean to disrespect the thread.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Miles Davis
Sun Ra (before he got really weird)
John MacLaughlin
Arthur Lee
Kerry Minnear


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