Bert Jansch

Bert Jansch – 1943-2011

Last week, Bert Jansch passed away. Bert was one of the major English fingerstyle guitar players to come out of the 1960s. His solo guitar albums were highly influential to a number of upcoming musicians ranging from Donovan, Nick Drake, Paul Simon, Neil Young and Jimmy Page. Jimmy Page even went so far as to record one of Bert’s arrangements of the song Blackwaterside. But in typical Zeppelin fashion, changed the title slightly, and claimed the song as his own.

Bert Jansch – Blackwaterside

Besides his solo albums, Jansch was a member of the group Pentangle. Pentangle also included John Renbourn on guitar, Danny Thompson on bass, Jacqui McShee on vocals, and Terry Cox on drums.  They combined folk, blues, jazz, and pop into a unique synthesis that could only have come out of the 1960s and early 1970s.

Pentangle – No Love is Sorrow (Folky)

Pentangle – Reflections (Jazzy)

I love the wine glasses on top of the amps in those videos.

So Long Bert, thanks for the music.