Accordionist

The second is definitely my favourite, it’s more of an environmental portrait which I think better for a portrait of a performer. It shows his impact on his audience

 

While the second photo does show the connection between the performer and it's audience, I wouldn't discount the first photo either. I think, it shows another side of an artist that is equally important. It reflects introspection. I am not commenting about the background or whether the composition is cliche, but I find the first photo relatable in terms of the expression of a performer, engrossed in music. The slightly frowned forehead and somewhat distant gaze are what drew me in.

Haha, I'm tempted to leave the 'nothingness' post as it is, but here's the photo.

 

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Very nice shot. I like the way the subject stands out from the background. The subject seems to be in his own little world, but not exactly out of it. The blurred background although seemingly far away, is very much part of his environment. He holds the accordion like his it's almost part of him. A dear friend that he has come to depend on. The emotion on his face although subtle, shows quite a bit of passion. The wrinkles on his face show a hard-scrabble life, but are not overdone like in some portraits where the wrinkles tend to look artificial. The lighting is great, composition, depth, sharpness, story-line are all good. I might have dodged his hat a little bit, but otherwise this is an excellent shot !

You've captured the emotion of the subject playing his accordion. Processing in black and white helps to eliminate any distractions color might introduce. Nicely done!