Best Musicians

[Moff Chumley]

This is a two part thread: Favorite musician, then Musician who you think plays the instrument best. For example: Neil Peart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Peart) is the best drummer, but I prefer Bill Bruford's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Brufford) music. Take note: any singer/musician is either/or for the purpose of this thread. Example: Greg Lake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Lake) is my nomination for best singer, but not bassist. So, without further ado:

Favorite Guitarist: John Petrucci (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Petrucci)
Best Guitarist: Jimi Hendrix (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/jimi_Hendrix) (Duh)
Favorite Bassist: Stanley Clarke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Clarke)
Best Bassist: (A hard one) Charlie Mingus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie Mingus)
Favorite Keyboardist: Rick Wakeman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Wakeman)
Best Keyboardist: Why, Rick Wakeman (http://home.maine.rr.com/abajoran/img2/abrick8a.jpg), of course!
Favorite Drummer: Bill Brufford (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Brufford)
Best Drummer: Neil Peart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Peart)
Favorite Male Singer: Greg Lake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Lake)
Best Male & Female Singers: Don't care (http://images2.wikia.com/uncyclopedia/images/b/b9/Nobody_cares.mp3)
Favorite Female Singer: Rose Stone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Stone)
Favorite Multi-Instrumentalist: Geddy Lee (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geddy_Lee)
Best Multi-Instrumentalist: Sly Stone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sly_Stone)
Linky

[13_CBS]

Well, to me, "best" is quite relative, so here's a list of my favorite musicians:

Fav string quartet: Turtle Island, followed closely by the Yangs.
Fav male violinist: Gil Shaham for the regular classical stuff, Itzak Perlman for movie pieces.
Fav female violinist: Hilary Hahn. Good lord she can play her (relatively) sub-par violin.
Fav cellist: Good ol' Yo Yo Ma, followed closely by that cellist from Turtle Island (I forget his name)
Fav guitarist: Pierre Bensusan.

[ZombieRockStar]

Yo Yo Ma...I mean, he's good, but he has absolutely nothing on the legendary Pablo Casals. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhcjeZ3o5us) I love him...and he popularized my favourite pieces from the entire Baroque era; the Bach Suites.

Speaking of Bach, this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7ZMDeIazE8) features a pretty good violist, Nobuko Imai (during those parts when you can hear her). Not sure what I think of the violinist there. *shrug*

(Psst. What's the range of a viola?)
About 20 meters if you've got a good arm.

Going back to popular music, the problem is that there's just way too freaking many musicians. But whatever. I'm a sucker for lists like these, but I'm gonna cut out "best" entirely, if you don't mind.

Favourite male singer: Jeff Buckley. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noQH6lyu0sA)

Favourite female singer: Marianne Faithful. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N_rNz2oAGA) (Warning, naughty words)

Favourite guitarist: Oh god...can't decide...Ira Kaplan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuIVOrE3F_U), I guess.

Favourite bassist: Really couldn't say. John Deacon could really get it going once in a while, though.

Favourite drummer: See above. I think Mitch Mitchell is probably underrated as a drummer, though. Keeping up with Hendrix is a feat in itself.

(Psst. How many drummers does it take to change a lightbulb?)
Three. One to change it and two to argue whether John Bohnam or Neil Peart would've done it better.

[Arameus]

I think the best bassist has got to be Chris Squire. A quick listen to Roundabout can confirm that, although of course he's done more impressive stuff. But my favorite bassist has to be the impeccable Roger Waters. In addition to being a very competent bassist, he was the singer, songwriter, and band king of Pink Floyd through their best years. Syd may have gotten the ball rolling, but Roger Waters made them the greatest band of all time.

Oh, and a quick nod to Eric Johnson as greatest guitarist of all time. Steve Vai may be the more popular choice, but I think Vai and Yngwie Malmsteen put together aren't even half as good.

[ForzaFiori]

Best Bassist has to be Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers

[Jack Squat]

Best Bassist has to be Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers

I'd argue that Billy Sheehan (http://youtube.com/watch?v=D_5EDyD9D1Q) is the best. second piece of evidence is he's able to play it with a drill (http://youtube.com/watch?v=kkZ33KFpaPI) (about 2:20)

I'll nominate Eric Clapton (http://youtube.com/watch?v=mJqgxjUy7lc) as best guitarist and Eddie Van Halen (http://youtube.com/watch?v=z_lwocmL9dQ) for favorite, just because he can pull off an 11 minute solo.

[Jorkens]

Hmmmm, I like the question - I'm interested in the idea of comparing 'favorite' with 'best' - who's willing to admit that their favorite player isn't neccessarily the best?

I haven't got time to think about it properly at the moment... I'll come back with some intelligent comments later...

Erm, while I'm here, my favorite bass playing is Jaco Pastorius on Hejira by Joni Mitchell - even though it's a long way from being the most technically impressive, I just love the way that it works with the rest of the music. I'll admit that Pastorius does more impressive stuff on other records, and other players do more impressive stuff on other records, but it's Hejira (and Coyote in partcular) that makes me think "I wish I could do that".

[ForzaFiori]

I'd argue that Billy Sheehan (http://youtube.com/watch?v=D_5EDyD9D1Q) is the best. second piece of evidence is he's able to play it with a drill (http://youtube.com/watch?v=kkZ33KFpaPI) (about 2:20)

I'll nominate Eric Clapton (http://youtube.com/watch?v=mJqgxjUy7lc) as best guitarist and Eddie Van Halen (http://youtube.com/watch?v=z_lwocmL9dQ) for favorite, just because he can pull off an 11 minute solo.

that drill thing really didn't seem like much. It was almost all fretwork on one string. all you had to do was hold the drill to the string.

[Midnighter1021]

best Drummer: Travis Barker (Box Car Racer, Blink 182, +44)
Fav Drummer: Steve O32 ( SUM 41)
best bassist: Stefan Lessard, ( DMB)
Fav Bassist: Pheonix (Linkin Park)
best guitarist: Kyle Gass (Tenacious D)
Fav Guitarist: Rob from Linkin Park
male singer: Tony Bennet
Female Singer: Aimee Winehouse
multi instrument: Mike Shinoda and Dave Matthews

[Jack Squat]

that drill thing really didn't seem like much. It was almost all fretwork on one string. all you had to do was hold the drill to the string.

I guess it's more the concept of it that puts me in awe...I know I'd never have thought of it.

[FdL]

I didn't see the video, but I'm guessing a very similar effect can be achieved with an e-bow. Which doesn't destroy the strings :p

[Jack Squat]

actually, he's got a wierd brush tip thingy on the end of the drill so it doesn't destroy the strings.

[Nomrom]

Favorite singer: Roy Khan (http://youtube.com/watch?v=ps00OWnAVCI) (Kamelot)(amv alert, watch at your own risk)
Favorite guitarist: Yngwie Malmsteen (http://youtube.com/watch?v=iPtLcfkrPIE&mode=related&search=)
Favorite bassist: Victor Wooten (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dWb-aCWR8U)
Favorite drummer: Neil Peart (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV_90V4OeTQ) (Rush)
Favorite Keyboardist: Jens Johansson (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgn77ItQOgw&mode=related&search=) (Malmsteen's Rising Force, Stratovarius)

[zeratul]

Favourite guitarist - No favourite for this one.
Favourite vocalist - Kurt Cobain
favourite bassist - Krist Novasellic
favourite drummer - Taylor Hawkins or Brian Rosenworcel

[Amotis]

I'll list my current fav's right now. They change, like all things.

Fav Pianist: Mitsuko Uchida. Dear God, her rendition of Schoenberg's Piano Concerto op.42 is perfect. She was one of the many who converted me into really really liking atonalism.

Fav Cellist: Maurice Gendron. Easily one of my favorite musicians of all time. Fully in control of his instrument with enough close eyed passion to pass around all his interpretations.

Fav Classical Guitarist: Ana Vidovic. Such fluid emotion. Who said the instrument was dead?