Joe Jackson. Although he's know as kind of a New Wave kind of guy, he's classically trained at London's Academy of Music where he went on scholarship.
His catalog is pretty vast covering everything from light punk to Jazz, to Big Band to 4 part Symphonies.
If you see him live, he'll often drift in and out of well known classical pieces interjecting them with some of his hits in a really clever manner. The guy really loves all kinds of music and is well versed in many genres.
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
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!)?
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.
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).
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.
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.
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!!!
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.
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