This week’s birthdays
Hugely underrated because Paul Simon was the writer, but it’s Art who had the beautiful singing voice and the impeccable ear for vocal harmony.
Arguably the least talented musician on this list, but the only one who can with any credence be credited with single-handedly inventing a genre – country rock.
One of the greatest pianists on record, and arguably the greatest Debussy player ever – if judged on his 1930s recordings (especially the Preludes) rather than the 1950s stuff that gets played more because of its higher fidelity but seems more tired and jaded. The ‘30s material is incomparably fresher, with a gorgeous tone that sounds effortless and flows like mercury from note to note.
I rave about this guy every chance I get, don’t I? One of my favorite jazz saxophonists, and creator of a truly distinctive avant-garde style.
Yeah, her vocal mannerisms on her early albums sometimes come across like uncontrolled tics, and she hasn’t done anything great in almost two decades. But in between, she made some of my favorite albums of all time, especially Blue and Hejira.
Hugely underrated, especially as a songwriter. Pirates is absolutely brilliant and utterly heartbreaking.
The eccentric genius behind The Move and Electric Light Orchestra.
One of the living treasures of Chicago blues, a fine singer and superb harmonica player with a wonderful sense of humor – check out Champagne and Reefer (Fedora, 1999). He blows harp well enough that he filled that slot in Muddy Waters’s band during multiple tenures.
Jazz piano genius, architect of an original, quietly influential style. The consensus classic is Open, To Love (ECM, 1972), one of the greatest solo piano albums ever. He’s a fine player in any context, though; I’m also quite fond of the underrated Memoirs (Soul Note, 1990), a trio with Charlie Haden and Paul Motian.
Partridge is the mastermind of XTC and author of some of the most sweetly nostalgic songs of the past two decades.
And I would hate to leave out Allison for mere space reasons, so here’s to the wittiest lyricist on this list, composer of such classics as “Your Mind Is on Vacation (But Your Mouth is Working Overtime”) and a damn good singer and pianist as well.
