re: Van Morrison - Paging Kafka

Well first listen to Van's Astral Weeks if you haven't already

There's no one exactly like VM. For blues/folk influences, check out Ry Cooder. Also The Band. If you like that look into Doug Sahm. For British Folk try Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny, Bert Jansch and Pentangle, Traffic's John Barleycorn Must Die.

For artsong-type stuff listen to Love's Forever Changes. And maybe The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society. Maybe the first Blood Sweat & Tears album, Child Is Father to The Man (w/Al Kooper) -- NOT the later hits w/Clayton-Thomas on vocals. Also The Notorious Byrd Brothers.

Of course you can always try Dylan: Blonde on Blonde, John Wesley Harding, The Basement Tapes w/The Band, among other things.

That's off the top of my head, maybe I'll think of some more later.