Profession: composer

Coleman’s restlessly innovative approach to structure and harmonics, and penchant for unorthodox performance situations, has strongly influenced younger musicians in and beyond the field of jazz. Cherry, Higgins and Haden (a lifelong friend — Coleman saw collaboration and friendship as practically the same) joined him as early and key partners. Lewis, Bley, Bernstein and Thomson all supported his career. Dolphy, Hubbard, Redman, Jones, McLean and Sanders were among musicians who played with him; Ono, Smith, Reed and Burroughs were accomplices further afield. Ayler was a good friend, while Roach (Coleman said) punched him in the mouth.

Richards and Jagger first met at primary school. When Lennon and McCartney gave them a song (the Rolling Stones’ first single), they played it through together and started a friendly give-and-take relationship. The Stones’ first tour was headlined by the Everlys, Diddley and Little Richard (Richards liked the latter especially). Dixon, Waters, Wolf and Berry — all heroes — were met on their first visit to Chicago, Waters helping carry their amps. Richards much later organised Berry’s 60th birthday party, and played in his backing band. He played (among others) with Dylan, Waits, Hooker, Franklin, Shorter, Lewis and Nelson.

Hendrix, one of rock music’s most influential exponents, broke new ground in electric guitar playing. He learned his craft backing Cooke, Wilson, Curtis, Little Richard, and Ike and Tina Turner among other soul/rhythm and blues stars, and gigged with King. Among British admirers he telegrammed McCartney to fly out and play bass with himself and Davis (it didn’t happen), joined the Rolling Stones backstage on his birthday, and won a toss with Townshend to decide who would play last. He gave his friend Zappa a guitar he’d set alight, and told Smith (found sitting on his studio steps) he was also kind of shy.

Dussek has been described as an unjustly neglected composer, whose works anticipated later romantics (including Beethoven). As a young man, he met C. P. E. Bach (perhaps taking lessons from him). Haydn wrote from London to Dussek’s father, praising his son; he later lent Haydn his piano. Da Ponte rented Dussek and his father-in-law’s shop to store his 12,000 books, but found himself saddled with their debts. Dussek also met Cramer and Clementi in London, and gave some lessons to Onslow. Spohr (a friend originally met in Hamburg) and Goethe joined in Dussek and his Prussian patron’s spirited festivities.