Bert Jansch, search and destroy.

search: "black waterside", "reynardine"... uh... i've done this all before on an unrelated thread?

but search: Pentangle's "Sweet Child"

Ha. Woe is love my dear and Life depends on love are the best things on Nicola. Lovely, bucolic slithers of calm. I'd pick those over his guitar pickings, fine though they are.

I'd imagine Tom E and Robin C would like them as well.

You'll love him, he's great

I love 'Willie O'Winsbury' by Anne Briggs - an old English folk song abt gender confusion and bisexual desire, verily! Fairport Convention pinched the tune for 'Farewell Farewell' on 'Liege and Lief'. Briggs isn't as technically flawless as Shirley Collins, but I find that lack of perfection - a kind of nervousness, almost - very compelling.

I have REAL probs w/ Incredible String Band. The first five Fairports albs are all wonderful - a great STORY. I'd also like to hear more Jansch, Renbourn, 'the' Pentangle, or any other gd folkie stuff.

And what abt the American equivs? Fahey is kind of the tops of them all, of course - HE DIDN'T SING!! - but I'm also partial to Sandy Bull (meandering hippy-'world'-psych mindfuckery), Robbie Basho (scary whistling/vocalising plus v. technically correct and polished guitaring) and the Brazilian guitarist Bola Sete, whose 'Ocean Memories' set (parts of it originally released by Takoma as 'Ocean') is one of the v. greatest solo acoustic gtr recs ever - up there w/ 'Aida' by D. Bailey, 'Death of the Rare Bird Ymir' by Hans Reichel, 'Guitar Solos' by Fred Frith or 'America' by Fahey, easily.

all the rest (bola sete, shirley collins) are currently on my list

also add to this Steeleye Span. just picked up Pleased to See the King and it's beautiful.

a little different, but still pretty interesting: i got a record of American Folk Hymns from the Sacred Harp Tradition. it's acapella gospel singing in this weird round robin sort of way. pretty cool stuff.

I think I like the Dav(e)y Graham stuff better though. Just the way he combines so many strains of music is really exciting, and it never sounds like forced eclecticism. The Jansch stuff by comparison seems a tad too traditional (even though he largely composed originals). I also think Graham is technically a more interesting, resourceful player; he sounds equally at home playing Gary Davis and Charles Mingus. I also like it when he strays into eastern music, on cuts like "Afta" and "Maajun" (sort of wish he would do it more often actually). Though Jansch clearly has a far superior singing voice to Graham's. Still, that never bothered me much with the Graham discs.

The Folk, Blues, and Beyond cd on Topic is outstanding. My jaw dropped the first time I heard it. The After Hours at Hull University is pretty sloppy and poorly recorded, but still pretty charming for its immediacy; tipsy college students making requests. I've also got The Guitar Player, Godington Boundry, Large as Life and All That Moody; all highly recommened. It's a shame the bulk of his Decca stuff hasn't made it to cd; the lps go for ridiculous prices on eBay.

Amateurist, I'm curious what you don't like about the Briggs unaccompanied stuff. I've got the Topic cd and I love it to death.

vashti banyan has been recommended to me, as well as the trees. i think i will have to investigate those next.

as to american's, there is a ton of american folk - but i've never heard much vocal stuff that's attained the same sense of mysticism i get from anne briggs. honestly that PG Six record from two years ago (where he covers Anne Briggs) is amazing. jackson c. frank comes to mind as sort of approaching the mystery....

Mellow Candle
Trees
Grphon
Albion Band
Amazing Blondel
Tony, John & Caro
Brig Bhushan Kabra (indian classical music played on a slide guitar)
Karen Dalton
Forest
Joseph Spence
MF Dooms new project, Monsta Island Czars (sorry, wrong thread)

No one has mentioned C.O.B. Yet?? Clive Palmer's Post String Band group. Both Albums are *stellar* get'em if you got the slightest interest in Britfolk. Turn off MoysheMcStiff and the Tartan Lancers of the Sacred Heart before the "reggae" single

I don't think I would destroy anything by Bert Jansch. Jack Orion and Bert and John are my favorites. Pentangle only gets played when I'm I'm a lively mood.

I'm sadly not as familar with Davey Graham's Solo. But what I've heard I like.

A couple of the later "scientology pase" String Band records don't do it for me but 5,000 Spirits,Hangman's Beautiful Daughter and if you can find it "Be Glad The Song Has No Ending" make me dance the boogaloo.

I love Vashti Bunyan- Just Anothe Diamond Day. Some conider her to be a little too "twee" but if you like your folk wispy and delicate dive in.

For John Fahey I like the Tacoma and Reverant albums more than the reprise ones. America and The Blind Joe Death series getting the most play. I hear that brand new one is pretty good too.

I got to see Sandy Bull Live and it was a jaw dropper.Best gutairist I've ever seen. Hopefully will get Wizz Jones over to the states soon. Last time he was in the air Sept. 11th and the plane had to go back to england...

Don't forget the new breed- Joshua, P.G. Six, MV (Matt Valentine),Tower Recordings, Hall of Fame,Six Organs Of Admittance,Greg Weeks

AND ROGER I NEED A GOLDEN CALVES ALBUM

jason D - Mellow Candle a bit too Rennaissance Fair for me, but search Forest's first two albums if you can't get enough Incredible String Band, and Karen Dalton is essential, and recently resissued on CD. And first reports on Doom's new project are positive, though I can't vouch for it firsthand.

davey graham was pretty darn good, but haven't heard him since his instrumental "irish" phase.

i think i found her singing too ornamental, too "achieved" in a post-ewan maccoll/joan baez way.

but my reasons for loving her change a lot, in that way i have the kind of relationship with her music i have with few other things.

she doesn't have a conventionally fantastic voice, and her pitch is unsteady--which is why i was surprised why i girl for whom i copied "anthems in eden" didn't like it and explained "ew. they have 'angel voices.'"

but this belongs on the shirley collins thread.

on the money - and clear precursors to Bryter Layter in my opinion

gonna pick up LA Turnaround i think. country-rock/brit folk hybrid sounds promising

I'd imagine that Phil is a pretty reliable source :(

Hoping it's not true

Oh man :-(

http://open.spotify.com/album/4BJtl9XSPI4ILUA7eSxBTT

RIP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9qr6EBh4FE

Anyone know who this Gary Boyle fellow is who plays electric guitar on this track from Moonshine? Love stuff like this, sounds a whole lot like Barry Clarke's playing on those two Trees albums.

Okay, I've answered my own question:

"Gary's career began in the 1960's. His first big gig was working with the great Dusty Springfield. This was followed by albums with Brian Auger and Julie Driscoll which included tours of the UK, Europe and the USA. Having left Auger in the 1970's, Gary began three years of studio work in London, during this period he worked on albums with Mike Westbrook, Mike Gibbs, Norma Winstone and Keith Tippett. Other highlights during this period include four albums with Japanese percussionist Stomu Yamashata and an album with Bert Jansch. He then went on to form the award-winning jazz-fusion band Isotope, who recorded three albums and toured extensively worldwide"

Also some nice footage of him sitting in with Soft Machine here, his solo is from 3.45 through to the end.

"Moonshine" is one of my favourite Bert albums

Almost tempted to do a poll of his albums, but I don't really do those and don't know how many would take part. Anyway, "Rosemary Lane" is his best album by miles - not that the others aren't good but that album is soooooo good. Also particularly like 1st album, "Jack Orion", "Moonshine". I've never heard a bad album by him but the second album is a bit skimpy and second album-like. I'm not so fond of those mid-70s crossover albums he made with Mike Nesmith (well at least one of them was made with him) and I don't know some of his later albums at all - last one I heard was the one with "Born and Bred In Old Ireland" on it and it was good.

i dunno, i love LA Turnaround (the nesmith one). Not a terribly radical departure -- jansch could only sound like jansch, you know? But the little country rock touches are cool, i like the sound of the pedal steel mixed with his guitar. but you're probably right, rosemary lane is the best one overall.

listening to rosemary lane RIGHT NOW as a matter of fact.

I'm going to listen to it on my way home tonight!

The Black Swan from 2006 is pretty great.

yeah, i like that one. i know some people weren't nuts about his gruff vocals in the past decade or so, but they work for me.
man, his version of "reynardine" on rosemary lane is so gorgeous.

AVOCET! What a beautiful record.

yeah i've been listening to that one as a concert from the same year (1979) -- both are great.

as WELL as

yeah, i didn't even know there was a live album with the same dudes until this week. need to track it down.

i dunno about an album but i got some bootleg from 1979. what's the album?

this one? http://www.amazon.com/Live-at-Laforet-Bert-Jansch/dp/B000CQM11I
ridiculous prices at the moment. must be floating around on the net somewhere...
might you be able to hook me up w/ the bootleg?

are you on d.a.d.? if not, email me.

never heard this one, apparently being re-ished soon
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/418957_403886719668287_316042579_n.jpg
Heartbreak - Bert Jansch. Remastered reissue of out-of-print classic Bert Jansch album! CD includes 2nd disc Live At McCabe’s Guitar Shop from June 1981. LP’s first pressing on limited-edition clear vinyl.

Oh My Father (posted above) is a standout track for me and I always wished there was more Jansch that sounded like it. Is there?

http://bertjansch.com/news/bert-jansch-remastered-and-re-released-for-50th-anniversary/

I never been much a fan of his voice but I checked out that Avocet re-issue, very nice.

His singing voice is in great form on Rosemary Lane.

Have his albums been polled?

This week, Rosemary Lane is his best IMO

That or LA Turnaround. Or Bert and John, if that counts.

absolutely love 'a woman like you', stunning music

LA Turnaround is great. I'm not a huge fan of Bert & John.

I don't have the Black Swan. Yet..

I'm just learning his version of Reynardine on guitar. I can play it, but it blows my mind that he came up with it. (if that makes sense)

http://thequietus.com/articles/19788-bert-jansch

doesn't look like it's been mentioned here (and admittedly not one of his masterpieces), but i have much love for the late seventies a rare conundrum lp.

I only have LA Turnaround and Rare Conundrum, but both are ace.

I've been enjoying Avocet, newly reissued.

God, it's so long since I listened to Bert Jansch and the like. I would agree that "Rosemary Lane" is probably his best album."Moonshine" is another good album. I don't dislike any of the albums I've heard tbh.

i found a $1 LP copy of Moonshine recently, was pretty stunned. i think it slipped through the pricing cracks.

avocet reissue is gorgeous (music and packaging).

i just put on avocet and a minute or two in and was thinking "this is dope but i could really use some danny thompson" and at that moment the bass dropped. like to flip my desk.

I'm on the fence about buying Avocet. I like-but-don't-love most of Bert's solo stuff, and have a low tolerance for his tendency toward what The Wire calls "baroque formality." What I mean is I like his jazzy jammin,' less his stuff that sounds like something you could seamlessly put on a mix alongside Malcolm Dalglish or somebody.

hmm i don't know malcolm daglish, but i'd say that jazzy jammin' is mainly what's happening on avocet?

Has anyone seen this?

It's a bit pricey but I'm intrigued by not only the show (which I guess was released in VHS form at some point?) but the bonus stuff.

Taking in Avocet this morning. What an absolutely gorgeous record. Much as I love his voice and lyrics, Avocet is slowly becoming my favorite record of his. Just really warm and rewarding music.

was having a bert day and thought i'd share this cos i hadn't seen it before and it's lovely:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML3XahMwJ-U

that mandoline through fx pedals sounds so good!

mandolin even. if indeed it is a mandolin

I think that's a mandola? Or big fuck-off mandolin, to give it its proper name.

That's gorgeous. An early outing for Sean Bean on bass too.

Got a stupidly reasonably priced copy of the *A Man I'd Rather Be pt.1* vinyl box, which features his first four albums. It's a lovely item but quite weird for a box set? It's more like a folder I guess, with the first album's artwork as the cover art; the records are nested inside in decorative sleeves, but not the original artwork. Rights issue maybe? Aesthetic choice?

Anyway, only a mild grumble when the music is this incredible.