Bert Jansch - Bert Jansch
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CD Details
Artist: Bert JanschEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2002-09-03
Music Label: Castle Us
Soundtracks:
- Strolling Down the Highway
- Smokey River
- Oh How Your Love Is Strong
- I Have No Time
- Finches
- Rambling's Going to Be the Death of Me
- Veronica
- Needle of Death
- Do You Hear Me Now?
- Alice's Wonderland
- Running from Home
- Courting Blues
- Casbah
- Dreams of Love
- Angie
- Instrumental Medley 1964 [*]
- Angie 1964 [Live][*]
Music reviews of Bert Jansch
Music Review: Classic British folk guitar god's debut, one of his stronger records
Rating: 5 Stars
Not only was Bert Jansch (pronounced Yahnsh) one of the biggest names in the 1960's British folk revival, he was also one of the most influential guitarists of any genre, and to this day is one of the most enduring figures of the scene. He sits primarily alongside Davy Graham, and perhaps his Pentangle bandmate John Renbourn as one of the 60's British folk movement guitar heroes, covered by and influencing the great Roy Harper, Donovan, Ralph McTell, Tudor Lodge, and, yes, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page. This album, his 1965 debut, was indeed recorded in a kitchen on guitars that didn't belong to Jansch, but after one listen you'll realize that this record's humble beginnings belie the fantastic playing and music within.
Unlike John Renbourn, who was something of a "lead" folk guitarist, and Davy Graham, whose uncanny guitar skills fluidly shift from fingerpicked rhythm guitar to lead without effort, Bert Jansch's style is primarily of the unaccompanied rhythm/lead combo fingerstyle variety. That is, the guitar on this album weaves fingerpicked chord progressions to accompany Jansch's vocals while simultaneously playing a guitar melody--like 2 guitars playing at the same time! Jansch's trademark style is dizzying in its fluidity, melodiousness, and originality. Not only that, but he shows himself to be a pretty competent songwriter and singer at the same time!
On many of the album's cuts, Jansch sings in a rough Scottish-inflected brogue about the sort of itinerant lifestyle lived by many folk artists of the day. The topics run the gamut from hitchhiking ("Strolling Down the Highway"), rambling ("Rambling's Going To Be the Death of Me"), rustic/agrarian lifestyle ("I Have No Time"), and the romantic exploits of a rambler ("Courting Blues"). Outside of these sorts of traditional folk subjects, though, Jansch's songwriting also stretches to reach some compelling heights with the cautionary heroin song, "Needle of Death" (one of his most well-known), and the anti-war protest song "Do You Hear Me Now?" Throughout, Jansch's voice, though rough, has a great propensity for expression and won't be a taste too hard to acquire for fans of Bob Dylan and the like.
Unlike on some of his later albums, nearly half of the songs on Jansch's debut are instrumentals. These are some of my favorites on the album, since he gets to stretch out his guitar chops a bit more with the absence of vocals. The mysterious "Alice's Wonderland" and the hypnotic "Casbah" are a couple of my favorites. Throughout the entire album, though, his playing is ear candy that is worth the price of admission even without the lyrics and vocals. Anyone who's a fan of the above-mentioned artists should check out Jansch, since he's of the same caliber and earned their endorsement as an influence. Also, fans of American folk who are interested in what was happening across the pond owe it to themselves to check out one of Britain's most legendary guitarists. In any case, Jansch's debut a classic and a necessary part of any folk, guitar, or folk-rock fan's collection. Enjoy the magic.
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