Seven Grammy-Winning Artists Worth a Listen

Sunday night’s Grammy Awards were a triumph of spectacle over substance, and even the spectacle – Cee-Lo Green’s feathered suit and Lady Gaga’s egg – seemed rather dull. When a 63-year-old Mick Jagger can come out with no fancy show, set or outfit and rock the house, you can assume that some of the show’s young artist may want to consider simplification as the new “hot thing.”

But amidst the yawns, there were a few artists who appeared on the Grammy Award telecast that should get more props. These are folks or albums that fly under the radar for some reason, but truly deserve the space in your iPod. Here’s a list of those performers.

JOHN LEGEND AND THE ROOTS

John Legend and the Roots won three Grammys for their 2010 soulful collaborative CD, “Wake Up!” But who knew? They won them all off-camera in pre-telecast. Sigh. If you haven’t heard this CD, you’re missing out on a great musical homage to the folks who made soul what it is – or was. The title track is of course, the old Teddy Pendergrass chestnut, lovingly remade by Legend, The Roots and Melanie Fiona. If The Roots being involved is throwing you off, think again. The Roots are a hip-hop band, to be sure, but it’s the band part you should be focusing on. Buy this CD.

ESPERANZA SPALDING

The collective gasp of shock that came from the room when Esperanza Spalding won her first Grammy was palpable, but she is – without a doubt – one of the most deserving Best New Artist recipients in years. And amazingly enough, she was the first jazz artist to cop the award in the 53 years that Grammys have been awarded. This is a woman who can play the acoustic bass, the electric bass and sing in three languages. Really, who does that? Esperanza Spalding, that’s who. She can also cross jazz genres and is currently working on an album that will combine jazz and hip-hop elements to make her music more accessible to the uninformed masses. No less than Q-Tip is producing. While you’re waiting on that, check out 2008’s “Esperanza” or “Chamber Music Society,” her LP from last year.

FANTASIA

Sure, you know who she is. The “American Idol” winner who weathered her fair share of controversy in the last year picked up her first Grammy for the song “Bittersweet,” from her latest CD, “Back to Me.” Despite a sold-out tour and a few R&B hits, even the Grammy producers failed to show her “respect” by excluding her from the show’s opener, a Aretha Franklin tribute (And let’s face it, Martina McBride might be great in her country genre, but she wasn’t up to an Aretha song.).

Fantasia has made three great solo CDs, but for some reason, she’s lost the mainstream audience that could propel her to greater fame. And even her R&B audience seems lacking in appreciation. Her self-titled debut in 2006 and last year’s “Back to Me,” are pure R&B. Take a listen.

RAPHAEL SAADIQ

The New York Times may have dismissed him as Mick Jagger’s “guitarist,” but sharp-eyed fans know Raphael Saadiq when they see him. Saadiq did play with Jagger in his history-making Grammy debut – in fact, that was Saddiq’s band AND background singers behind Jagger – but of course, he’s a well-known artist in his own right. His 2002 CD, “Instant Vintage,” had the right title, despite his odd choice to wear a kind of kimono-like garment on the cover. It’s a brilliant piece of work by the man who created Tony Toni Tone and Lucy Pearl. His third solo …..

….. CD, “The Way I See It,” was contemporary retro, and he’s got a new CD “Stone Rollin,” that hits stores on May 10th. Don’t be the last to get it.

LADY GAGA

Her performance of “Born This Way” on the Grammys was, well, anti-climactic given the outrageousness of some of her earlier TV performances. And “Born This Way” will sound like déjà vu to anyone who’s heard Madonna’s “Express Yourself.” But in fact, the album for which Lady Gaga was awarded is her smash-selling second CD, “The Fame Monster,” which is actually exceptionally good. From “Telephone” to “Bad Romance,” Ms. Gaga does a sharp contemporary turn on dance music, and she can actually sing and play piano. Her outfits may be weird and her antics controversial, but there’s a solid artist beneath. If you need some workout songs or just want to party through a long commute, “The Fame Monster” is for you.

CHRISTINA AGUILERA

Yes, you saw a white girl serve up every other singer on that stage, including Yolanda Adams and Jennifer Hudson, with her passionate rendering of Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way” during the show’s opening tribute to the Queen of Soul. And it wasn’t the first time chick has showed out on the Grammy stage. Did you miss her rendition of “It’s a Man’s World” during a James Brown tribute some years back? In our estimation, this ain’t even blue-eyed soul; it’s soul, pure and simple. Mark our words: If she stuck strictly to R&B, Aguilera would be the truest successor to Teena Marie there is. While we wait on her to decide to do a complete soul CD, there are two things you can do: Check out her best CDs, “Stripped” (2002) or “Back to Basics” (2006), or get a copy of her remake of Donny Hathaway’s “A Song For You” off the Herbie Hancock’s 2005 compilation CD, “Possibiliites.” You can thank us later.

NORAH JONES

It was quick, but there was a moment during the Grammys when this pretty woman came out with Keith Urban and John Mayer and sang her own version of Dolly Parton’s plaintive 70’s hit, “Jolene.” For the 70s babies who remember the song, in which a woman begs Jolene to leave her man alone, it was a memorable moment. That pretty woman is Grammy winner and jazz artist Norah Jones, who once picked up five Grammies in 2003 for her debut CD, “Come Away With Me.” Her latest CD, last year’s “Featuring Norah Jones,” is a compilation of her best duets, including ones with Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Q-Tip, Outkast, Talib Kweli and others. If you don’t know her, you should.

JOHN LEGEND AND THE ROOTS

ESPERANZA SPALDING

FANTASIA

RAPHAEL SAADIQ