John Roger Stephens, better known as John Legend, is one of those rare, multitalented artists: his voice has a dizzying range, he writes magnificent songs for himself and others, and he is a fabulous pianist. Two years ago at the North Sea Jazz Festival, Legend gave a spectacular show in which he also performed briefly with hip hop group The Roots. Legend recorded the album Wake Up with that group in 2010. For that album Legend turned back to the tradition of socially critical singers like Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye, but the music is nonetheless firmly rooted in the present. Wake Up signaled a new direction for Legend, who had mainly been known for his love songs since his debut album Get Lifted (2004). Legend’s 2014 hit All Of Me broke sales records worldwide. This year, Legend and rapper Common won an Academy Award for their song Glory from the soundtrack of the movie Selma.
