very good writing, information and sense of why you like him so much - thanks MD!

One of the reasons I think blues (and, to a greater extent, jazz) has disappeared somewhat from the public consciousness is that it's become so fundamentalist. There just isn't permission for artists to step outside the perimeter and try something new, especially if what you try is the least bit "pop." Instead it's all about name-checking the right influences when you're interviewed and just generally making sure nobody pushes the music past SRV's death at the very latest. I quit listening to jazz, for the most part, once I got tired of hearing about John Coltrane all the time and how nobody will ever surpass his genius. Then why is anybody still playing saxophone, if it's been done to perfection?

So I don't doubt that blues fans are not happy with Jonny Lang right now. It's their own loss, though. I like what I'm hearing from him these days.

mark, i don't know that that's really true of jazz. there's tons of stuff out their that can challeng listeners in a variety of ways.

the problem of course is that the music is on a bunch of relatively obscure labels...and isn't stocked in most stores.

exampes: Thirsty Ear, HatHut, CIMP.

Lang sounds more like Stevie Wonder than Stevie Ray Vaughan.

And I say to that, good! We don't need any more players copping SRV's sound. Find something new to do, people - there's a wealth of blues history to dig into and steal from. I'd much rather hear the next Muddy Waters than another SRV clone. And if Lang moves out of "true" blues to find his own voice, more power to him.

I'm going to have to check this out - I love his voice and his playing, and I'm intrigued to see him pushing himself out of the limited realm of blues.

Tom, the feed at the Lang website is better than most. Click on News, then the link that says 'here.' You'll get a photo of the latest CD that says 'click to open.' Do. Several of the songs from Long Time Coming will play in a loop -- entire songs.

I checked it out, MD, and it does indeed sound very good. I think I actually prefer hearing him take a very heartfelt stab at soul like he is here - it's a very natural transition for him. I'm looking forward to October when it comes out.

Mark: That's probably true. It's just depressing to think that Downbeat and Jazziz have become as reactionary as Rolling Stone.

Still, I guess it was inevitable, once you could get a college degree in jazz, that historicity would replace innovation as the standard by which artists are judged. There should be more to determining a person's artistry than their ability to quote from Trane's "My Favorite Things" solo.

yep, ya gotta seek out publicaton such as "Cadence" or maybe email lists like the Zorn list.

(or just read my jazz reviews....;-) )