Oldest Performer You've Seen Who Was Still Excellent

The Chuck Berry bad concert thread prompted this. I've seen a number of elder statesmen, including Berry, who were just not very good. A couple were terrible and embarrassing. Was wondering who you've seen who still has it. And I don't mean "for their age" ... I mean can still do what they've always done and do it well.

I saw Pharoah Sanders not that long ago ... a man in his mid-70s ... and he absolutely killed it. He played for more than an hour and a half and was even better than he was when I saw him in the 1970s. When he did a 20+ minute version of "My Favorite Things" I noticed he had the entire audience captivated. It was one of the most beautiful and soulful performances I've ever seen. Was so happy I was lucky enough to have attended this transcendent concert.

 

Mose Allison toured into his mid eighties, playing brilliantly and putting on a great show.

 

Mick Jagger

 

Les Paul in his eighties

 

Jimmy Cobb (b. 1929) & Sonny Rollins (b. 1930)

 

Tony Bennett
Dizzy Gillespie

 

I saw Rodriguez and Brian Wilson, summer 2015, both very good-excellent (of course Brian had help on the high notes). Rodriguez' solo acoustic set was spot on perfect and Brian, with his band and singers, rocked the house.

 

Leonard Cohen

 

Marshall Allen, born 1924.

 

Charles Lloyd- last year (b. 1938)

 

Will Gaines - Jazz Hoofer

 

Johnny Mathis

 

Johnny Mathis.
Roy Haynes (b. 1925)

 

New Orleans trumpeter Lionel Ferbos was 102 when I saw him in town. Top that!

 

Compay Segundo, 95 (1907-2003). He was part of the Buena Vista Social Club project directed by Ry Cooder.

 

Tom Jones five years ago at age 70.

 

I saw Mac Arnold, former bass player for Muddy Waters and a featured performer on the Sanford & Son theme song, for those not familiar. I saw him last year at 73 years old and the year before as well. He puts on a great show and his band (Plate Full O'Blues) is comprised of some very talented young guys. Highly recommended!

Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’ Blues »

 

Buddy Guy

 

Frank Sinatra
Mose Allison
Papa John Creach

 

I saw Andre Williams performing on his 77th birthday - doing a great powerful badass show!

EDIT:
this was recorded on the next day:

 

Dave Brubeck at the Disney Concert Hall in around 2008. He must have been in his late 80s at the time.

 

Don Henley, last year in at Chicago Theater - not quite as old as others mentioned above. He was 68. He started off a bit tentatively, sounding a bit gruff doing songs from his new album and at first I thought I'd have to scale down my expectations to "good for his age" levels. It was still a perfectly good performance until he got to the middle where he did a really terrible job on one of his 80s hits. Wobbly pitchy singing, croaky tone...I thought "well so much for that".

And then like a lightswitch, from the next song onwards he was singing like he was 30 years old again. He did a really good unlikely cover of Tears For Fears' Everybody Wants to Rule the World - a very faithful rendition with the band playing the original's arrangement, except with Henley's distinct vocal style. Anyway I walked away being very impressed at his performance. (He did not perform any Eagles songs!)

 

Randy Weston (b. 1926), some 10 years ago, guess he was 80+ years old at the time.

 

Diamanda Galas this past spring in NYC, she must be pushing 70 and she was spectacular.

Fripp with King Crimson.

Segovia in his mid-80s was amazing.