Premonitions of Fall

I know it's still summer, but all it takes is a few damp days, and my mind drifts ahead to fall, and when that happens, the BritFolk goes back into the CD changer. Not just any BritFolk either, but what you might call the Fairport Axis, artists who came to prominence in the stirrings of British folk-rock as exemplified by Fairport Convention and fellow travelers like John Martyn, John Renbourn, Al Stewart -- and Bert Jansch. Now, Bert Jansch wasn't really "folk-rock", not that he didn't attempt it at times (with less-than-stellar results) but his forays into "folk-baroque" and "folk-jazz" (especially with the band Pentangle) are exemplary.




"Bert Jansch" was the first, recorded in someone's apartment: essential. "Bert & John" sounds like it could have been recorded after hours in a pub, intimate and a great showcase for 2 distinctive guitar styles.




"Moonshine" and "Rosemary Lane" are two favorites; Bert's in good voice (at his worst, he tends to be nasal), a good mix of songs ("Moonshine" includes Bert's definitive cover of "The January Man"), and nice instrumentals sprinkled through "Rosemary Lane". "Birthday Blues" is also wonderful, proabably my favorite if I had to choose (despite 1, maybe 2 duff tracks) but it has been reissued combined with "Nicola", (which has some awful groovy sixties production disasters amongst the good stuff). Still, at 2 for 1, it's worth the investment, though they have both been reissued since separately.



Bert continues to record (with varying degrees of success) and tour (in Seattle in June and I MISSED HIM!!! and he's also touring in support of Neil Young), but these recordings are from his classic period. He never broke through to mega status, but his influence casts a long shadow.