Underrated Performers

[Quiet Reflections]

Quiet reflections has a point about individual taste. But I do thnk there are performers who simply don't get the attetnion their talent warrants.
Jazz musicians like Evan Christopher - for me the best clarient player I ever heard. His concert in London earlier this year was woefully sparsely attended.
Dick Hyman - elderly jazz piano player who was musical director for most of Woody Allen's film. I've seen him a few times in NYC and he can play any piano style in music - beautfully and movingly. (His best known composition is Shadowlands which was recorded by k d laing.)

The Cuban jazz ensemble Irakere.

Anna Netrebko - Russian soprano. She doesn't do opop duets and the like so isn't noticed in the way that lesser voices are.

Most Middle Eastern music is little heard in the West. Wonderful performers like Fayuz - she has the voice of an angel - and the Iranian singers Mahsa & Marjan Vahdat. And the late great Yemenite/Israeli singer Ofra Haza.

Singer/songwriters. Steve Earle has been mentioned, Mary Gauthier and k d laing are both great gay singers but transcend that totally with brilliant songwriting. There is a great American blues singer working now that never ever seems to get reviewed. Shemakia Copeland - she has a mighty voice.

British folk singers - try The Unthanks (very original take on english folk) Show Of Hands which robertlouis introduced me to via this site and the Scottish Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis.

And one famous name who is really underated I think Dusty Springfield - the best white soul singer England ever produced.

I love Dusty Springfield. "Spooky" is one of my favorite songs. Im going to have to Google some of the other ones you mentioned.

[loveboof]

British folk singers - try The Unthanks

yeah they're great.

Check out Monsters of Folk (not English, but still good)

[Prospero]

Thanks for that loveboof.
Here is Shemakia Copeland.

[Prospero]

anna netrebko

http://video.sina.com.cn/v/b/58089710-2142811802.html

http://www.juzp.net/lpT836GCETs6H

[Quiet Reflections]

yeah they're great.

Check out Monsters of Folk (not English, but still good)

They are really good. seen them live once.

I really like these guys too. both great live

[Stavros]

I'd like to put in a good word for two film actors: 1) Peter Sarsgaard -he was in Boys Don't Cry and Jarhead, and I don't believe he has ever given a poor performance, he doesn't usually play the lead role, but is one of those actors who makes a film work by giving it depth. If I saw that he was in a new film, I would go and see it because of him; 2) Ann Heche is another underrated performer, she has matured as the years have gone on and was outstanding in the film Birth where she outplayed Nicole Kidman just by blinking. If I see she is in a film I am keen to see it.

Sarsgaard:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0765597/bio

Heche:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000162/bio

[Prospero]

You're right as Peter Sarsgaard. Jarhead was an underrated film in itself. Haven't seen An Heche. On the film front I have a probe with the notion of underrated. For me the best films almost always do little at the box office, but are sometimes given critical acclaim.

So what is the measure of underrated exactly?

[Scottish_Guy]

Sucioperro - one of fave bands but they are very unknown - very tight and the lad can sing!



Some might know the lead singer from Marmaduke duke

[Prospero]

Fairouz

[Stavros]

Underrated in film is a difficult one -its the question about 'supporting roles' where there are times when the supporting roles are doing better than the lead -Anne Heche being an example in the film Birth. I think some of the best films have that status precisely because the 'supporting roles' are played as well as the leads -for some reason I am thinking of Casablanca and The Big Sleep -two of Bogart's finest films, but there isn't a duff performance by any of the supports and that gives the films breadth and depth. So its about giving more limelight and recognition to 'supporting roles', because it is the performances of the leads that is rated higher than the supports when it comes to judging the film; and this may not be fair to the Heche's and Sarsgaards of this industry.