TALENTED Jon Gomm plays music as if it is an extension of his soul and the guitar he strums, taps, bangs and manipulates to sound like a full backing band to his solo performance looks almost as if it is growing from his hip and is attached to his arm.
Such is the perfect blend of man and instrument that it results in a unique sound not heard anywhere in the main stream drag of pop and rock and it is hard to believe that Jon was not born to perform.
The singer-songwriter of music as varied as blues, rock, indie, bangra, and classical, could easily "make it" in the industry mainstream and, indeed, this local legend who first picked up a stringed instrument at the age of two, has been approached by the big record companies. But Gomm will not compromise on his art and such approaches have been flatly refused.
For him, music is about creativity and expression and giving joy to those who hear it. Producing factory farmed 'X Factor' type hits for money and fame simply does not appeal to a man who is every inch a creative artist.
He says: "I am very wary of the mainstream music industry. I have seen it chew up and spit out the dreams of so many talented musicians, whose music you will sadly never hear.
"I didn't want that to happen to me, I'd rather take my own path and have a sustained career as a musician, which is unlikely to lead to fame and riches, but that's not what's important to me. What's important to me is having creative freedom, and being accessible to my audience, so when I play a gig people feel more connected to me and I can communicate with them more easily with the music. All the doors are already open."
Indeed, when Gomm appears at a venue, the house is packed and audiences melt in rhythm to the music from the guitar which he strums, picks, hits to make a snare drum, bass and bongo sounds, re-tuning the strings to get bass sounds, and also using harmonics from the guitar for synthesizer effects.
He can begin by playing a gentle acoustic melody accompanying a soft ballad and then launch into hard rock with the same instrument which suddenly sounds as if it has been plugged into several volts to give the screaming and weeping effect of an electric guitar.
"One thing that has always surprised me is that normal people really love to see a virtuoso musician. Mainstream music simply doesn't offer this to them anymore. "It always has in the past from Mozart to Hendrix. Lots of people still appreciate seeing and hearing real skill with an instrument," he said.
"Major labels (those owned by large corporations), who are still responsible for most of the music you hear on the radio, are barely turning a profit these days.
"They are now turning to the ideas of independent artists like myself, trying to focus more on concerts and connecting with fans. It's only a matter of time before truly independent artists are on a level playing field with the mainstream."
Jon explains that not all independent musicians are so active or even aware of the industry, which is why there is still a huge unsigned sector.
"It is full of naive young bands paying out money to play 'industry showcase' gigs, still dreaming of a man in a suit with a fat cigar handing them a contract and a silver pen!
The 'X-Factor' plays on that dream more than any other aspect of the industry, but for me that's not about music, it's not even on my radar."
Certainly fans across Lincolnshire will be relieved not to lose him and have middle men in the industry charging them an arm and a leg to watch Gomm perform. Like his music, the relationship between Gomm and his fans is rather unique and special with deep and loyal bonds formed from fans who are delighted that he has just released a new album some six years after his last.
For such a popular musician, he often hosts independent gigs free in venues such as pubs in rural areas, theatres, arts centres and local festivals but he avoids the big chain playing venues and corporate festivals.
It is in such small venues as the Jolly Brewer Pub in Lincoln that he held one of three special launches of his new album 'Don't Panic' last month. The CD includes classic love songs like 'What's Left For You', which has the hauntingly beautiful voice of Natasha Koczy falling away like smooth velvet cloth as Jon's voice comes into the duet, and rock songs like 'Waterfall' which he said was purposefully raunchy so anyone seeing the picture of 'a guitar playing bloke' would recognise immediately from the sound this man is no James Blunt.
'Don't Panic' sold out on Amazon within five days! Gomm's first recod 'Hypertension' was sold for petrol money to get to gigs but did so well it sold 10,000 copies.
For information about Jon Gomm go to
www.jongomm.com
