paulburke
You are certainly entitled to your opinion. Music appreciation is obviously a very personal phenomenon.
Personally I do not find Barber or Krall boring. I find them true artists. Jones, however, is starting to seem like a one-act performer to me although I still enjoy her work somewhat. And yes, thank goodness, there are many other wonderful female performers to tantalize our senses.
Given all of the attention each of subject artists are receiving it will be interesting to follow them and see if they fall prey to the "commercial big-buck music business art killers" (dumb phrase, I know). Or, will they remain artists. Or, will they survive the commercial music-biz pressures and stay true to their art but still burn out talent wise. I really hope they all succeed and continue making real art available for our listening pleasure.
It's a hard, hard business.
We can all name some of the true artists who have survived the BIG music business. Both Van Morrison and Joni Mitchell come to mind for me as I write this. I find performers like Morrison and Mitchell not only artists but heros.
My wife and particularly I listen to a lot of music every day. I have been in the music business (admittedly some time ago)and I worked 16 years in Manhattan advertising businesses, spending mucho time in recording studios with artists. I have approx 5000 lps/cd/tapes in my collection including many wonderful female artists. (Yea for me ... the point is I am speaking my opinion from what may be a decent reference point.)
Still, it all comes down to personal taste.
