Probyn Gregory is a musician who is so prolific, even his AMG discography (at http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=MISS70305141553&sql=R321425#APPEAR ) misses out quite a considerable number of his appearances. He is also probably the single best multi-instrumentalist I've ever seen.
In my opinion, the best three albums of 2002 were Brian Wilson Presents Pet Sounds Live, Mind If We Make Love To You by the Wondermints and The Naked Dutch Painter by Stew. Gregory appears on the first two, and is credited as 'Probyn Gregory: Does not appear on this album' on the third. He also appeared last year on great albums by The Negro Problem and The Mello Cads.
Gregory is part of the LA powerpop scene that generated the Wondermints, Baby Lemonade and The Negro Problem. He is a full member of TNP, as well as playing on almost all the solo albums by Negro Problem singer Stew. He has also played on solo albums by members of Baby Lemonade, and has been an 'auxiliary member' of the 'Mints for several years.
He is also a member of the Brian Wilson band, the Mello Cads and Cosmo Topper, and has in the past also sat in with Arthur Lee's current lineup of Love, toured with The Eels and subbed for fellow Brian Wilson band member Jeff Foskett in Andrew Gold's Byrds tribute band Byrds Of A Feather.
In a typical Brian Wilson show, Gregory will play guitar, keyboards, French Horn, trumpet, tannerin (a theremin emulator) and sing backing vocals. For Wilson's upcoming Smile tour he will also be playing clarinet and cello.
Despite his virtuosity, Gregory isn't even a full time musician, having a day job as (I believe) an accountant.
He is also the most gregarious musician I've ever met (although I've only met him once) - after a show he will tend to talk to fans for hours before heading off to a bar with them to continue the discussion. He obviously has a true passion for the music he plays, and a real knowledge of it.
This node has probably come out as slightly hagiographic, but I have tremendous admiration for a musician who consistently works on great music (nothing I've heard him play on is less than stellar) while never being in the foreground - he isn't a songwriter or frontman, and has only taken one lead vocal (on Don't Go Breaking My Heart from Wonderful World Of The Wondermints) . Someone as talented as he is but who chooses to stay in the background and merely give their all making others' music as good as it can be is rare indeed at the moment.