What's wrong with their music Al? They are all different, no? Most or many of them have some sense of this contry's tradition. Is that your complaint?

Why do you only want people who play your music? It isn't even yours - not criticising your performances, which are masterly, but it's purely American in its origin. Why do you want this country's music to be imported? Why do you object to THIS country's music being infused with new ideas (some better than others, but that's how music grows and evolves).

We HAVE to get together and see what our opposed ideologies can create! Might it be as successful as Davy Graham's theory that Irish traditional music drew from the orient? I'm afraid you'll have to do the technically competent bits. Or should we go down the pub and forget it?

We are rightly concerned at the diminution of the gene pool in animals, in plants. Surely we should be concerned to preserve the gene pool in music too, and to continue to find applications for the old ways.

We do it in herbal medicine. There are modern applications for curare. We do it in literature - we still study Shakespeare (I hate Shakespeare but that's not the point).

Student is right, as far as he goes. His work can be judged when it appears. Since you don't know who he is you cannot criticise his music - yet.

Oh - and as far as God's gift goes: -

(1) You already know about law grads from Nottingham University, too!

(2) "Gift" is german for "poison".