Savants are extremely interesting. My father-in-law was the superintendent at one of the oldest mental institutions in the country (here in Lexington).
There were several musical savants there, who could play everything they ever heard, but still wet themselves. One, who sounded fantastic, never spoke at all.
Although they weren't quite so severe, in later years, I knew two other musicians who were in the diagnosed savant category. Both could play my big fat "A**" off the bandstand, but had to be driven to work and would lose their instruments all the time. One, who was doing Nashville studio work at 12,
almost starved to death. His famous uncle died suddenly. No-one came to get my friend from his room and he just stayed there for days.
Russ
I have a cousin that is autistic so have first hand experience with the incredible technical music ability people with autism often possess. As much as I'm amazed and impressed with that, one thing immediately evident though, is the seemingly dettached performance and the absence of musical expression and emotion in the playing.
because I feel the same about my cousin, as he's always the one to first acknowledge and greet me at our large family gatherings, and him as well perhaps the most expressive fan of my music when I perform at family get togethers. He's 32 and able to name just about every pop song ever on the Billboard Charts and it's release year + stats, going back to the 1940's. Amazing! 
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