BERT JANSCH

Sad to hear today of Bert Jansch's passing.  I love his contribution to Pentangle, a group that stretched the concept of traditional folk music almost to the limit.  It was Bert's playing in Pentangle (and Jacqui McShee's singing) which, I think, held the thing together.  While Danny Thompson (double bass)  and John Renbourn (acoustic and electric guitar and, occasionally, sitar) wove improvisatory lines through the songs, introducing jazz and rock elements, it was Bert with his strong, active picking style that kept the band rooted, gave the songs shape and structure.  Kept the tradition and the folk.

Their best album, the fourth, Cruel Sister, was a commercial disaster when it was released in 1970.  It's an album I'm still listening to, an album which, I think, is more relevant today than ever.

Bert Jansch was a great player and an inspiration to guitarists of all styles.