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Pick Six: Praise for Quincy Jones, Rich Mattson, Fergie, Willie Walker, David Bowie

Pick Six is a half-dozen cool things in music, from two points of view.

February 24, 2018 at 7:04AM

Fergie performs the national anthem before the NBA All-Star basketball game Feb. 18 in Los Angeles. (Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Dennis Pernu of Minneapolis:

1 Quincy Jones interview, vulture.com. I love cranks, and he comes off as the greatest of all time in this freewheelin' interview. Had me chuckling and scratching my head incredulously.

2 Rich Mattson and the Northstars, Sparta, Minn. He and Germaine Gemberling are the Bold North's Johnny and June.

3 Your own kid playing music. Hearing my 10-year-old play Europe's "The Final Countdown" on a kazoo at 6:22 a.m. was a reminder that I once was a child. It also erased my previous musical memories for several hours.

Contribute: popmusic@startribune.com.

Jon Bream of the Star Tribune:

1 Celebrating David Bowie, Pantages. The musicians were alums from his bands, but the singers had no connection. This delightful concert did Bowie justice.

2 Fergie, "The Star-Spangled Banner," NBA All-Star Game. I admire her courage and inventiveness, but she was probably too outdated to pull this off.

3 Willie Walker, "A Change Is Gonna Come," Crooners. In front of maybe only 30 people, this Twin Cities soul man sang his heart out on this timely showstopping anthem.