Bert Jansch, search and destroy.

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Joseph Spence = incredible, but be careful. Some of the later recordings find his guitar skills dilapidated. Start with The Real Bahamas and then Complete Folkways Recordings

Amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 23:55 (twenty-one years ago) link

Full disclosure: I am an introverted Western MA Folk Psych Nomad.

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


brg30 (brg30), Thursday, 13 March 2003 00:32 (twenty-one years ago) link

brg: i just found a bunch in the garage - it's yours for theprice of shipping dude, send me an email. will also send you a GC / Hall of Fame split 7", if you don't have it, but the covers were lost in a fire so I'd suggest making your own.

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.

roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 13 March 2003 04:16 (twenty-one years ago) link

jansch & conundrum did an interesting all instrumental thing in the late '70s called "avocet" (as I recall 4 long pieces, each named for a bird).

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

bflaska, Thursday, 13 March 2003 18:41 (twenty-one years ago) link

one year passes...
i never explained why i don't like anne briggs's unaccompanied singing, and now i've forgotten what it sounds like.

amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 04:58 (nineteen years ago) link

this is so fucking weird amateurist i was just looking at this thread thinking to revive it because i think you're underestimating anne's guitar playing.

gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 05:09 (nineteen years ago) link

i was listening to her playing on "black water side", it's like sterling morrison ripped it off wholesale for "pale blue eyes".

gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 05:10 (nineteen years ago) link

i'll have to dig those anne briggs cds out of storage!

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

amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 05:18 (nineteen years ago) link

Really? I find the collection I have to be really stark.

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 05:29 (nineteen years ago) link

yeah, well to be possibly snobby, it depends on what you're used to. by rock standards it's stark, by the standards of british traditional singers (and someone like shirley collins) it's a bit ornamented.

amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 05:34 (nineteen years ago) link

Hahaha Shirley Collins is only the greatest singer ever. If I measured all folk singers against her I wouldn't like anything.

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 05:36 (nineteen years ago) link

she is so wonderful. (collins)

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.

amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 05:49 (nineteen years ago) link

Just wanted to echo the upthread COB recommendation. Just got Spirit of Love and it's a beauty. Will post more when I've chewed on it longer.

NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 08:14 (nineteen years ago) link

Talking of voices, and returning to the initial subject of this thread, Bert's big problem is his singing has never really been strong enough but he's a genius.

Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 08:56 (nineteen years ago) link

one year passes...
Woe is love my dear and Life depends on love are the best things on Nicola.

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

Paul (scifisoul), Monday, 19 December 2005 20:54 (eighteen years ago) link

and Harper's "Another Day" ?

Paul (scifisoul), Monday, 19 December 2005 20:55 (eighteen years ago) link

hes at devs atp may 2006

dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Monday, 19 December 2005 23:30 (eighteen years ago) link

I always think 'Needle of Death' sounds very like Morrissey

bham, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 10:21 (eighteen years ago) link

Best thing on "Nicola" is that Anne Briggs' song

Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 10:28 (eighteen years ago) link

three years pass...

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

velko, Monday, 31 August 2009 10:40 (fourteen years ago) link

I've sometimes wondered who was the better Go player between him and John Renbourn.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a82/bobbysixer/bertjohn.jpg

Bob Six, Monday, 31 August 2009 11:14 (fourteen years ago) link

xp l.a. turnaround is good--don't know yet abt those other two drag city put out.

call all destroyer, Monday, 31 August 2009 11:19 (fourteen years ago) link

two years pass...

RIP? :(

Stevie T, Wednesday, 5 October 2011 09:17 (twelve years ago) link

Hey, you better be wrong

Juice Should Be Sterliized (Tom D.), Wednesday, 5 October 2011 09:19 (twelve years ago) link

^^^^

He's been poorly recently by all accounts though.

master musicians of jamiroquai (NickB), Wednesday, 5 October 2011 09:33 (twelve years ago) link

@Terrascope - Phil McMullen
Bert Jansch has unfortunately passed away after a long battle with cancer. A true legend the likes of which we shan't see again for a while.

master musicians of jamiroquai (NickB), Wednesday, 5 October 2011 09:34 (twelve years ago) link

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

master musicians of jamiroquai (NickB), Wednesday, 5 October 2011 09:35 (twelve years ago) link

Hoping it's not true

Juice Should Be Sterliized (Tom D.), Wednesday, 5 October 2011 09:37 (twelve years ago) link

Oh man :-(

Young Swell (Le Bateau Ivre), Wednesday, 5 October 2011 10:30 (twelve years ago) link

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

RIP

American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Wednesday, 5 October 2011 10:34 (twelve years ago) link

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.

master musicians of jamiroquai (NickB), Wednesday, 5 October 2011 19:12 (twelve years ago) link

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.

master musicians of jamiroquai (NickB), Wednesday, 5 October 2011 19:23 (twelve years ago) link

"Moonshine" is one of my favourite Bert albums

Juice Should Be Sterliized (Tom D.), Thursday, 6 October 2011 08:35 (twelve years ago) link

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.

Juice Should Be Sterliized (Tom D.), Thursday, 6 October 2011 13:16 (twelve years ago) link

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.

tylerw, Thursday, 6 October 2011 15:48 (twelve years ago) link

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

tylerw, Thursday, 6 October 2011 15:51 (twelve years ago) link

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

Juice Should Be Sterliized (Tom D.), Thursday, 6 October 2011 15:52 (twelve years ago) link

The Black Swan from 2006 is pretty great.

beta blog, Thursday, 6 October 2011 16:09 (twelve years ago) link

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.

tylerw, Thursday, 6 October 2011 16:14 (twelve years ago) link

two weeks pass...

AVOCET! What a beautiful record.

tylerw, Friday, 21 October 2011 22:14 (twelve years ago) link

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

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 21 October 2011 22:18 (twelve years ago) link

as WELL as

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 21 October 2011 22:18 (twelve years ago) link

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

tylerw, Friday, 21 October 2011 22:20 (twelve years ago) link

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

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 21 October 2011 22:21 (twelve years ago) link

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?

tylerw, Friday, 21 October 2011 22:24 (twelve years ago) link

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

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 21 October 2011 22:32 (twelve years ago) link

nine months pass...

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.

tylerw, Monday, 13 August 2012 17:59 (eleven years ago) link

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?

Will Chave (Hurting 2), Monday, 13 August 2012 18:26 (eleven years ago) link

two years pass...
eleven months pass...

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

calzino, Sunday, 14 February 2016 15:37 (eight years ago) link

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

Duke, Sunday, 28 February 2016 21:24 (eight years ago) link

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)

Duke, Sunday, 28 February 2016 21:26 (eight years ago) link

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

no lime tangier, Monday, 29 February 2016 12:48 (eight years ago) link

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.

no lime tangier, Monday, 29 February 2016 12:54 (eight years ago) link

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

Austin, Monday, 29 February 2016 18:41 (eight years ago) link

I've been enjoying Avocet, newly reissued.

mike t-diva, Monday, 29 February 2016 18:44 (eight years ago) link

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.

Thomas of Britain (Tom D.), Monday, 29 February 2016 19:11 (eight years ago) link

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

nomar, Monday, 29 February 2016 19:12 (eight years ago) link

avocet reissue is gorgeous (music and packaging).

tylerw, Monday, 29 February 2016 19:15 (eight years ago) link

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.

adam, Monday, 29 February 2016 19:35 (eight years ago) link

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.

Wimmels, Monday, 29 February 2016 22:14 (eight years ago) link

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

tylerw, Monday, 29 February 2016 22:19 (eight years ago) link

one month passes...

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.

Wimmels, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 17:26 (eight years ago) link

two years pass...

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.

(V) (°,,,,°) (V) (Austin), Friday, 3 August 2018 17:22 (five years ago) link

two years pass...

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

would a nit be nice? (NickB), Thursday, 11 February 2021 12:53 (three years ago) link

that mandoline through fx pedals sounds so good!

would a nit be nice? (NickB), Thursday, 11 February 2021 12:54 (three years ago) link

mandolin even. if indeed it is a mandolin

would a nit be nice? (NickB), Thursday, 11 February 2021 12:55 (three years ago) link

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

Waterloo Subset (Tom D.), Thursday, 11 February 2021 13:22 (three years ago) link

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

Vanishing Point (Chinaski), Thursday, 11 February 2021 14:06 (three years ago) link

two years pass...

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.

Stars of the Lidl (Chinaski), Sunday, 18 June 2023 18:23 (ten months ago) link


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