Diario → Monochromatic Rainbows (and other awkward truths)

I pride myself on having diverse interests, musically, so I was dismayed to review my Top 50 Artists recently and discover the over-abundance of white dudes that populate it. Granted, I've been giving heavy rotation to my good friends, Emlyn Ellis Addison (Lucky) and One to Hold the Lightbulb (Cursin' the One I Love), but I really expected to see a much wider variety reflected in my choices.

So, admitting that "shuffle" has betrayed me, I decided to emphasize and celebrate the standout representatives of my Top 50: those that defy the pattern of anglos with guitars, and bring a little something different to the table. If you haven't sampled their wares, I strongly urge you to do so.

In order of their appearance on my current chart:

5. Los Lobos - Their most acclaimed album was Kiko, but my personal favorite is the collection of traditional Mexican folk songs they recorded after the success of the La Bamba soundtrack, La Pistola y El Corazon. It clocks in a barely over half an hour, but every track is a masterpiece.
-La Guacamaya
-Dream In Blue
-Good Morning Aztlan

11. Indigo Girls - Whether working with a back-up band or just as a duet, these two "Girls" pack their writing with wry observation, pointed political lessons, and some of the most emotionally raw lyrics you've ever heard. Set against their intricate guitar work and their gorgeous vocals, these are some of the most beloved songs in my life.
-Closer To Fine
-Get Out The Map
-Galileo

13. Tori Amos - Over the years, she has become the epitome of the space cadet mother goddess. Her most effective work was done on her first two albums, Little Earthquakes and Under the Pink, but she still manages to bring back the magic with a wide range of "Strange Little Girls" (as she calls her songs).
-Crucify
-Cornflake Girl
-A Sorta Fairytale

14. Dream Theater - Alright, this one may be a slight stretch; yes, they are MOSTLY white boys from New York with guitars (keyboards and drums)... but John Myung, bass player extraordinaire, has enough Korean in him to make me feel comfortable including them here. Face it, skills like theirs deserve to be in any Top 50; and how many bass players to you think would be capable of keeping up with the insane time shifts, frenetic 16th- and 32nd-note runs, and overall mayhem of the average DT track?
-Home
-Erotomania
-Stream Of Consciousness

21. System of a Down - The first time I heard these Armenian metal heads, I laughed out loud. Their crazy shifts between speed metal and ethnic folk, their falsetto interjections, and their obvious political bent are all tied together with solid song structures, stunning vocal harmonies, and an unabashed sense of fun. Not everyone's cup of tea, but damn it can be fun to listen to.
-Toxicity
-Hypnotize
-Vicinity Of Obscenity (Terra cotta pie, hey!)

26. The Pogues - Alright, this makes three bands in a row that are almost in the "white guys with guitars" category. But wait! The Pogues are Irish - and not "pretty boy band Irish" (like U2 or Westlife) or "cute little happy Celts" (like the admittedly awesome Chieftains). These are the guys raised during the Troubles, and born out of punk. When Elvis Costello sang the line "one more widow, one less white nigger" in Oliver's Army, Shane Macgowan is the guy he was talking about. And whether they are going for rollicking fun or intense beauty, it's amazing how well they deliver.
-Misty Morning, Albert Bridge
-Young Ned Of The Hill
-Thousands Are Sailing

27. Dada - I remember when these guys had a hit in the early 1990's with Dizz Knee Land, and what a great batch of songs they put on that first album, Puzzle. But then, people quietly started passing the word: they're gay. And while no one really said anything bad about them, after that people just seemed to ignore them (people I knew, at least). Well, I stuck with them despite this "revelation", and I have been joyfully rewarded with a string of ever-improving pop gems.
-Dim
-Sick In Santorini
-A Friend of Pat Robertson

33. Lenny Kravitz - Alright; at last, a true "minority": a Black man with a guitar. Lenny has really defied my expectations over the years, giving us an early masterpiece in Mama Said, and later kicking down doors with "Are You Gonna Go My Way". While he hasn't really expanded the genre since then, he has been consistently turning out solid rock his way, thus keeping some sense of what rock should be in a vast field of blandness that has typified the 2000's.
-We Want Peace
-Stop Draggin' Around
-American Woman

43. William Shatner - What the hell? It's Captain Kirk! And isn't he notorious for making the god-awful cover of Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds in the 60's? Why is he so high up? Not to mention on a list of "diverse" artists? Well, for one thing, how many 70-year-olds do you have in your collection? And not lounge singers doing lame metal covers (ahem, Paul Anka or Pat Boone, anyone?)... an "old guy" collaborating with Ben Folds, dueting with Brad Paisley and Henry Rollins, and turning out one of the most hilarious AND deeply touching sets in recent memory!
-Common People
-I Can't Get Behind That
-What Have You Done

48. Gipsy Kings - These guys are simply amazing; yes, a group of guys with guitars, BUT this is the music you can hear spilling out of cars and bars from Barcelona to Buenos Aires. They're the real thing, playing rhumba, flamenco, and more. And there are only two songs I've heard them attempt in English: I've Got No Strings and Hotel California!
-Los Peces en el Rio
-Volare
-Bamboleo

50. Ofra Haza - Her voice was unmatched, and she blazed a trail as a pop diva in gender-conscious Israel. She sang about peace and tolerance, incorporating traditional songs into club beats and made it okay to break out of the norms of the late 1980's. Her best work was her Kirya album, which featured production by Don Was and one track narrated by Iggy Pop.
-Wish Me Luck
-Daw Da Hiya
-Take 7/8

Beyond the first 50, I have a lot more going for me; perhaps some of these worthy names will drift up my list as my scrobbling matures:

53 Los Lonely Boys - taking the pop essence of Los Lobos and the commercial appeal of Santana, Heaven and Crazy Dream exemplify their sound.

55 B.B. King - possibly the most widely beloved blues man, I love his classics (The Thrill Is Gone, How Blue Can You Get?) and his more recent offerings (Shake It Up And Go).

55 Charles Mingus - a more recent discovery for me, I love Better Git It In Your Soul and Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.

59 k.d. lang - Her Invincible Summer got us through a gloomy stretch in England, and her version of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah is divine.

63 Bobby McFerrin - known for Don't Worry, Be Happy, there is a lot more to this genius. Check out Medicine Music, some of his brilliant Beatles' covers, or just enjoy the Simple Pleasures.

64 Miles Davis - another jazz great who is new to me; love his Airegin, Move, and My Funny Valentine.

67 Buckwheat Zydeco - I can't believe he's not higher up on the list (he will be next week); Funky Filly, Route 66, or anything off his Trouble album. This music will make you happy!

67 Herbie Hancock - giving new meaning to longevity and relevance; explore Sextant and check out the Possibilities.

67 Jimi Hendrix - No one can really claim to understand rock without Jimi; just try Fire, Crosstown Traffic, All Along the Watchtower.

74 Prince - even a callused cynic like me has a favorite Prince track; Sexy M.F., The Most Beautiful Girl in the World, or (yes, I'm going to say it) Batdance are three of mine.

82 Ladysmith Black Mambazo - dignity, grace, and unbelievable 10-part harmonies; the Grammy winning Shaka Zulu was their most famous work, and endures as a classic; Rain Rain Beautiful Rain, Homeless (featured on Paul Simon's Graceland album), and Hello, My Baby should pull you right in.

87 UB40 - maybe they aren't "pure Reggae", but they do lay down a tasty groove. Covering Every Breath You Take or doing a Labour of Love (Labour of Love II is my personal favorite), they turn it out. C'est La Vie!

87 Ani DiFranco - Give me anything off of Knuckle Down; Ani is querolous, defiant, and awesomely poetic throughout. She simply rocks.

Honorable Mentions:

Paul Simon - my entry point into African music, his Rhythm of the Saints is still at the top of my all-time favorites list after all these years (18 and counting!)

Peter Gabriel - the man who has done so much for what is called "World Music", he has borrowed much from other traditions and cultures, and has labored to give back as richly as he got. His Passion (soundtrack to the film "The Last Temptation of Christ") gave me my first true taste of the beauty of Middle Eastern music.