There are just some artists who are better experienced live than on CD. Alan Morphew, winner of the 2005 All Access Magazine Best Songwriter Award and 2006 L.A. Music Awards Nominee for Best Male Singer/Songwriter of the Year, is one of them.

One really appreciates his craft up close and personal in its more raw, intimate form. Perhaps it’s his powerful, clear voice that evokes passion, sensitivity, eloquence and a sense of purpose and intent.

Backing himself simply on acoustic guitar, Morphew performed eight songs in a 45-minute set. The first three were the strongest: "Who Knows,” "Johnny Lucky," and "Daniel Lincoln." After that, the set kind of lagged a bit and one’s attention began to drift periodically. A sameness crept in: Some of the material sounded very similar to the songs that followed. The lyrical contents and themes, though, were very different in each song and somewhat differentiated the numbers. Maybe having a full band would have shifted the dynamics more and added different textures and tones to the arrangements.

A little in-between song banter and commentary would have added some variety to a set performed straight through with a break, although Morphew himself admitted he doesn't work the crowd and likes to let the songs speak for themselves. He says he’d rather keep the focus on the music and his voice, which Morphew considers his strongest points.

Nonetheless, the Midwest, small-town Iowan managed to stir and touch hearts and souls with beautifully-crafted material focusing on topics such as traveling in "Who Knows," protest in "Bustin’ Out,” the plight of the working-class man "Daniel Lincoln," and self examination in "Time." The poignant, introspective "Time" sounded like the type of song Jim Croce could have recorded if he had lived.

In the tradition of the best singer/songwriters of the ‘70s like Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens, Morphew puts the focus of the song and its message front and center—not letting artifice and showy theatrics get in the way of the material. His voice is very strong but it never overpowered the songs or diminished their effectiveness.

Performing at 8 p.m. on a Monday night, not the greatest timeslot or day of the week, Morphew sang before a small but developing crowd who were attentive and polite, clapping after each song.

Morphew has been performing for many years. At 16, his band often toured the Midwest. After high school, Morphew moved to Los Angeles where he fronted two bands, each selling CDs internationally. He also performed live in Germany after recording lead and backing vocals with the German band Hall of Fame.

Although Morphew has played in bands since he was kid, performing solo acoustic has never been a focus until the last year-and-a-half. Performing solo he described as a real growing experience, making the transition from fronting his own band to performing self-accomplished songs, and it has been like starting all over again. In the next couple of months, he will be playing some live shows with a band but still keep the intimate, acoustic vibe as well as continue doing the solo acoustic shows.

In 2005, Morphew released the CD (EP) “Alan Morphew” and toured eight states. In a couple of months, he will be putting out a new 10-song CD with successful producer James "Jimbo" Barton, who also mixed his first CD. And later this year, will be touring extensively.

Morphew says his goal for this year is to double the number of states that he hit last year. In August and September, Morphew plans on touring the Midwest, and in October, he will be performing on the East Coast. Then he’ll come back here for some California shows in November. A third CD is planned for 2007.

With all this current and upcoming activity on the horizon, Morphew will continue to broaden his appeal further. In addition to his official site at www.AlanMorphew.com, Morphew said MySpace has exposed his music more broadly and helped him gain more listeners. He says it's the one thing that has really aided independent artists in reaching people. Morphew also says he's finding new fans who really love music that live all over the world: all types, all ages, all walks of life, in all of the places he's going to be playing. He credits touring as a great way to connect with people everywhere that he wouldn't have the access to a few years ago.

But up until recently, Morphew wasn't able to dedicate his total time and attention to the music. Like most, he worked 9-to-5 and only made a conscious decision to pursue his passion full time as of late. Morphew says he wants to make music that people enjoy hearing, and that makes them feel good, too. Given the current climate, he says, people need something like that right now, and will need it more and more in the future.

With such a strong commitment, Morphew has a positive outlook about the direction his music is going in and its possibilities. This determination powers his desire to continue to evolve as an artist as well. Because when you stop growing, he says, it's all over - or worse, you become sort of a tribute to yourself. This talented singer/songwriter need not worry about being an oldies act or a parody of himself anytime soon. Morphew rises to the occasion often, aims high and hits his mark, as demonstrated by this showcase at The Gig.