Thursday Midday Music: Bert Jansch, 1943—2011

Glasgow-born Bert Jansch, who died yesterday at the age of 67, was one of the most influential guitarists of his—or probably any—generation.

This is his song “Black Waterside.”

You may recognize more than a trace of it in Led Zeppelin’s “Black Mountain Side.”

Folk/jazz fusion supergroup Pentangle, which Jansch formed with John Renbourn (guitar), Danny Thompson (double bass), Terry Cox (drums), and Jacqui McShee (vocals), sprang to fame in the UK in 1969 with the album Basket of Light when this track from it, “Light Flight,” was used as the theme tune for BBC TV’s series of plays Take Three Girls.

The band has continued in various configurations to this day, the original members pursuing solo careers and numerous collaborations during that time. Here they are at Glastonbury Festival earlier this year, playing their classic version of the jazz standard, Charles Mingus’s “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat”—a fitting farewell.

Posted by YAFB on 10/06/11 at 12:00 PM • Permalink

Categories: I Don't Know Much About Art, But I Know What I Like • Music • Music Videos • YouTubidity •

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Let’s not forget Anji. Or Antiapartheid.

Plus, if I may be so bold, & not to take anything away from Bert ... John (American Primitive) Fahey’s Red Pony.

Both were highly influential, especially Fahey & his open tunings, at the beginning of my fingerstyle guitar education.

Dang, so many cool people dying these days.

Comment by Pope Bandar bin Turtle on 10/06/11 at 03:53 PM

A friend texted me that he had died. He remembered that I was a Pentangle fan when we were in prep school about forty years ago. Crazy thing is I had listened to the live “Sweet Child” album just a few days before whilst moving mp3s.

Ah well…I’m going to die too. I won’t be missed by as many people and that’s just fine. He was a brilliant guitarist, a giant. He’s probably jamming with Simon Jeffes right now.