Rico Rodriguez

The father of ska and reggae trombone; member of the Specials -- via the Guardian. AKA Emmanuel Rodriguez, Rico, Reco, El Reco. His discography is insane; he made hundreds of recordings, starting in NINETEEN FIFTY EIGHT. His sound is unmistakeable, a model: throbbing and warm, but married to a crisp and bouncy tempo. Like any other master, when he swings it feels just right, like it was meant to be. Try his masterwork, 1977's "Man from Wareika."

Helen Pomerance Johnson

A founder of the youth hostel movement in America -- via the Chicago Tribune.

Boudjemaa El Ankis

Performer of chaabi music -- via Huffington Post Maghreb. AKA Mohammed Boudjemaa.

Paul Quinn

Actor and director -- via Variety.

Manos Nathan

Artist --via Radio New Zealand.

Vivian Eng

Dancer on many Broadway  productions -- via the New York Post.

Tessa Ransford

Poet, editor, translator, and archivist -- via the Herald (Scotland).

Simo Salminen

Comic actor -- via mtv.fi. Also former Clown Water-Jump Champion of Finland.

Bouteldja Belkacem

Songwriter, lyricist, singer, and composer -- via Le Figaro. A champion of modern rai music.

George Cleve

Conductor -- via the San Jose Mercury News.

Ken Barnes

Music producer, writer, broadcaster, film historian, filmmaker, and songwriter -- via the Telegraph.

Denise Marshall

Activist against violence towards women and children -- via the Guardian.

Michael Rayner

Baritone noted for his Gilbert and Sullivan roles -- via the Telegraph.

Totty Ames

Actress and singer -- via legacy.com. AKA Estelle Totty, Winifred Cope.

Endre Fejes

Writer -- via szinhaz.hu.

Owen "Boomer" Castleman

Songwriter, guitarist, and singer; inventor of the Palm Pedal -- via the Fort Worth Weekly. Wrot some good songs, including "What Am I Doin' Hanging Around?", "Judy Mae," "Boy from the Country," and "Fort Worth, I Love You."

Dean Jones

Actor and singer -- via Deadline. Irrevocably thought of as the epitome of the Disney live-action comedy hero. In films that included "That Darn Cat!", "Blackbeard's Ghost," "The Ugly Dachsund," "The Love Bug" and its sequels, and other such hilarity. He could do a lot; he opened the orginal production of "Company" as the central character of Bobby, a role he excelled at.

Joy Beverley

Singer; one of the three Beverley sisters -- via the BBC. AKA Joycelyn V. Chinery. She and sisters Babs and Teddie sang with Glenn Miller, had their own TV show in England, and cracked top 10 in America.

Sue Delany

Long-time San Diego radio host -- via NBC San Diego. Classic old-school DJ.

Mighty Joe Longa

Keyboardist -- via the San Diego Union Tribune. AKA Joseph M. Lunga.

Blondell Cummings

Dancer and choreographer -- via the New York Times.

Cipe Lincovsky

Actress -- via El Intransigente.

Dan Iordachescu

Baritone -- via Slipped Disc.

Natalia Strelchenko

Pianist -- via Slipped Disc. AKA Natalia Strell.

M.M. Kalburgi

Writer -- via The Hindu.

Mikhail Svetin

Actor -- via bulvar.com.ua. AKA Michail Solomonovitch Goltsmann,

Jean Louvet

Playwright -- via Le Soir.

Joshua Park

Actor and director -- via Broadway World.

James L. Flanagan

Acoustic researcher -- via the New York Times.

Gary Keys

Filmmaker -- via the New York Times.

P.J. Kavanagh

Poet -- via the Telegraph.

Noah Davis

Painter and founder of the Underground Museum -- via Artnews.

Wes Craven

Film director, writer, producer, and actor; a master of horror; creator of the "Nightmare  on Elm Street" and "Scream" franchises -- via the Hollywood Reporter. A genius of the horror genre, Craven created some of the most shocking and unforgettable films in recent American history, starting with the graphically violent, transgressive, and nihilistic "Last House on the Left" in 1971(meant in part as an homage to Bergman's "The Virgin Spring"). Besides, his lucrative franchises, he explored more taboos with lesser-regarded films such as "The Hills Have Eyes," "The Serpent and the Rainbow," and "The People Under the Stairs."

Kyle Jean-Baptiste

Actor -- via Broadway World.

Pascal Chaumiel

Director -- via Le Huffington Post.

Alastair Michie

Painter and sculptor -- via the Independent.

Paulo Machava

Murdered journalist -- via AP.

Luo Lan

Radio host and essayist -- via Focus Taiwan. AKA Chin Pei-fen.

Peter Kern

Actor, director, screenwriter, and producer -- via the A.V. Club.

Julian Pastor

Actor, director, and screenwriter -- via TV Notas.

Nikolaus Lehnhoff

Opera director -- via Expatica.

T.C. Williams

Emmy-winning makeup artist -- via the Hollywood Reporter.

Pamela Brandt

Bassist, band leader, food critic, and travel writer -- via the Miami Herald.

Oliver Sacks

Neurologist and author -- via the New York Times. Sacks was a profoundly gifted writer, who could convey information and truth concerning subjects that normally defy description. Issues of mental function, perception, cognition, inheirited traits, twins, music and the brain, memory -- all these topics were illuminated with a clear and engaging style. He humanizes these medical topics by telling us abut them through stories about the people changed or challenged by them.

I find it odd that the obit should mention some objections to his writing as exploiting his patients. I think he bent over backwards to respect them and convey their experience to us -- one of the most difficult and important tasks a writer can do. Just goes to show you can't please everyone -- nor should you try.