Bert Jansch – BERT JANSCH****

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 Running From Home/Courting Blues/Casbah/Dreams Of Love/Angie

Bert Jansch was a leading figure in the British folk music revival of the mid sixties. Although his debut album enjoyed only limited commercial success it was critically well received. He went on to form the acclaimed folk group Pentangle.

"This album by Bert Jansch is a milestone in folk blues. Vastly underrated, his lyrics have an impact today. His guitar technique as displayed on this LP leave his songwriter acoustic contemporaries standing. He has produced many things since but this is his seminal work, as fresh now as it was then."

"This is his debut album and one of my favourites. There are many great tracks on Bert Jansch and listening to it, it is no surprise that it was heavily responsible for the elevation of his career and the beginning of his success. The tracks are tuneful, with a fluency throughout the album."

"There are a lot of his most famous tracks on this album and his influence on people like Neil Young, Jimmy Page and others is plain to see. If you're interested in getting into folk music, or already an experienced folk listener, this is an ideal album to buy."

"This dates from 1965, and what a stir it caused then. This solo work is wonderful stuff. His guitar style is unique and accomplished; his songs are romantic and poignant. The album contains some of his most famous songs - Needle Of Death, Strollin' Down The Highway, and Ramblings Gonna Be The Death Of Me, interspersed with dazzling little instrumentals like Finches."

"Bert Jansch was one of the prime UK folkies of the 1960s. His playing and singing deftly mixed toughness and prettiness, weariness and smoothness, and it’s no wonder the guy remains so revered by those turned on by the starkness of acoustic guitar and a solo voice. These are the assured initial efforts of a major artist."

"I heard Bert Jansch's Needle Of Death on a collection of English folk, and hoped to find more excellent songs here. There is some good blues guitar playing on this album, and a few memorable songs, but it is a little depressing."