There is no real easy way to describe this entity that is Jonah Matranga. He is not, how you say…following the rules of the music world. You can’t position him with your singer songwriters or your indie rock bands. While there are plenty of artists and bands that wear the label of “uncharacterized” like a badge of honor, Jonah just is. He’s focused purely on following his vision of living the rock-life without compromise of his art. But what may seem as the average solo artist is really something completely different.

You see, after reading a short interview with Elvis Costello in Spin magazine, I began to respect Mr. Costello and Bob Dylan a bit more than I already had. These men had built an empire from the ground up. They sacrificed and bleed to do what they love to do; play music. These guys could have quit a long time ago and no one would have questioned it. Rock retirement is a curse for these men. So in response they constantly tour and make records whenever they can. Mr. Costello recently put out his and has his own show on the Sundance Channel while Mr. Dylan has the Theme Time Radio Hour on XM Radio, which is on its 3rd season. It’s like what Mr. Costello said in the interview, “…it used to be the thing that made the motor go round. Now I sort of just make a record and let it go.” These men were meant to play music for a living and they clearly understand that responsibility.

This brings me back to Jonah Matranga. While what he is doing is still “making the motor go round,” he plays and creates like a man that was meant to do what he does. It flows naturally and it has affected audiences and listeners for years and will do so in the years to come. Jonah may be nowhere near the caliber of Elvis Costello or Bobby Dylan. But despite his lack of fame and fortune, he’s still been able to keep that artistic spirit alive. Whether it’s through his sliding scale yard sale, his unique personal recordings, playing in front of a live audience at a club or someone’s living room, or through his own collection of 27 records; Jonah has achieved his own musical identity. And that is something that every music artist (or artist in general) strives to achieve.

You can catch Jonah Matranga with Kevin Seconds and Christopher Fairman at the Cafe Du Nord in San Francisco tomorrow at 9pm. Buy tickets here. Also he’ll be performing at a benefit show at the Great American Music Hall for Music In Schools Today with BlackMahal and The Minks on Wednesday. More on that here.

Jonah Matranga -  Sweet Child O’ Mine (Guns and Roses Cover)

Jonah Matranga – Over You Again

Jonah Matranga – Get It Right

Jonah Matranga – True Love

For a sloppy and sweet thank you from Jonah. Click here.

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