Keith Jarrett, without a doubt, he's the most intelligent musician that ever lived. Who else on the list can play classical equally as well as jazz? The man's a genius, but he's often moody...but then again reportedly so was Beethoven!
Assuming we are talking about people and not music, can we please back up a minute here and define "sophisticated"?
I may be wrong, I think a "sophisticated" person might be well traveled, liberally educated, stylish, well mannered, know something about food, architecture, music and literature in more than one culture, speak more than one language fluently etc.
Intelligence can take tests and write dissertations, but it takes sophistication to travel the world with grace and wisdom.
So off the top of my head, one could be a virtuoso musician and/or have a PhD in astrophysics, yet remain an uneducated and unsophisticated person.
Herbie Hancock strikes me as both "sophisticated" and "intelligent" while also being world class musician. Next on my list might be Mick Jagger.
I started to nominate Roger Waters, but his ego, politics and I am still a rock star schtick in the end knock him off my truly "sophisticated" list.
And if we are talking about music, I find it hard to think that any music could be truly sophisticated or intelligent, unless it was created by a truly intelligent and sophisticated person.
Otherwise it would not be sophisticated and intelligent, merely pretentious.
Good catch! I think Mick Jagger does qualify in this category.
Though I would not consider his on-stage act to be particularly sophisticated, my understanding is he is an astute business person and thereby quite intelligent and maybe even sophisticated in his ability to leverage his art!
Sting thinks he's smarter than he is, and I hate his music on his own. Which I don't understand, since he wrote all the songs for the Police, and I think those are sublime. Maybe the interaction with 2 other great musicians (yes, I agree Sting is a GREAT musician), led to those wonderful songs.
Anyway, I would take Stewart Copeland or Andy Sommers over sting in the sophistication and intelligence race.
Cwlondon: Very keen observation on Bono. I agree 100%. But I wouldn't put Sting in the same league. opinions, opinions, opinions....... Macdad: I LOVE IT!!!
so·phis·ti·cat·ed/səˈfistiˌkātid/Adjective 1. (of a machine, system, or technique) Developed to a high degree of complexity. 2. (of a person or their thoughts, reactions, and understanding) Aware of and able to interpret complex issues; subtle.
Hmmm. Thanks for the definition,CW. Seems to me he was both sophisticated in his understanding of complex feelings and issues, and bohemian in his lifestyle. Whether he was more of one attribute than the other can be debated. For me, his music is enough of an answer.
i would say that there are a lot of musicians who are highly intelligent but on paper i guess i would go with kris kristofferson (phi beta kappa, rhodes scholar, &c).
I can live with Duke Ellington and Monk but Bjork? In an unusual way, I could say that Steve Roach and Jorge Reyes especially when playing together( Suspended Memories, Vine,Bark&Spore ) are quite intelligent. Great ambient/tribal music.
Did I miss Mingus in there somewhere? Votes also for Metheny, Costello, and how about Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood (not film score Greenwood, since he's classical!)?
There are some accomplished works of art around that are sophisticated, even technically daunting but not necessarily enjoyable - subjectively of course.
In fact, sophistication sometimes is achieved with the compromise of melodic flow - the antidote of "Easy listening".
Those I found to be sophisticated, intelligent and enjoyable at the same time with *some* of their works:
Arvo Part Enrico Rava Sting Miles Davis Norman Winstone Patricia Barber Kenny Wheeler Quintet Charles Lloyd
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