Bert Jansch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bert Jansch
Jansch performing in August 2006
Background information
Birth name	Herbert Jansch
Born	(1943-11-03)3 November 1943 Glasgow, Scotland
Origin	Edinburgh, Scotland
Died	5 October 2011(2011-10-05) (aged 67) Hampstead, London, England
Genres	Folk, folk rock, folk baroque
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, banjo, Appalachian dulcimer, concertina, sitar
Years active	1965–2011
Labels	Transatlantic Charisma
Associated acts	Pentangle

Herbert Jansch (born 3 November 1943 – died 5 October 2011) was a Scottish folk musician. He was a founding member of the famous band Pentangle. Bert Jansch was born in Glasgow and became well-known in London during the 1960s. He was an amazing acoustic guitarist and wrote many of his own songs.

He recorded over 28 albums and traveled all over the world to perform, from the 1960s until he passed away. Jansch was a very important person in the British folk revival of the 1960s. He played in many folk clubs and made several solo albums. He also worked with other musicians like John Renbourn and Anne Briggs.

In 1968, he helped start the band Pentangle. They toured and recorded together until they broke up in 1972. After a short break from music, he returned in the late 1970s to work on new projects. He joined a reformed Pentangle in the early 1980s and stayed with them until 1995. Bert Jansch continued to perform as a solo artist until his death.

His music influenced many famous artists, including Jimmy Page, Mike Oldfield, Paul Simon, Nick Drake, Donovan, and Neil Young. He received two special awards for his lifetime achievements at the BBC Folk Awards. One was in 2001 for his solo work, and the other in 2007 as a member of Pentangle.

Bert Jansch's Early Life

Herbert Jansch was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on 3 November 1943. His family originally came from Germany. He grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland, in an area called West Pilton. He went to Pennywell Primary School and Ainslie Park Secondary School.

As a teenager, Bert got a guitar and started visiting a local folk club called "The Howff." There, he met Archie Fisher and Jill Doyle. They introduced him to the music of famous artists like Big Bill Broonzy and Woody Guthrie. He also met Robin Williamson, who became a lifelong friend.

After school, Jansch worked as a gardener. But in August 1960, he decided to become a full-time musician. He played one-night shows in British folk clubs for two years. This helped him learn from many musicians, especially Anne Briggs. He learned songs from her, like "Blackwaterside" and "Reynardine," which he later recorded.

Between 1963 and 1965, Jansch traveled around Europe. He hitchhiked and earned money by busking (playing music in public places) and performing in bars.

Becoming Famous in London (Mid-1960s)

Jansch moved to London in 1963. He became a regular singer at a club called Bunjies. There, he met Bill Leader, a producer. Bill recorded Jansch's music on a tape recorder. This tape was sold for £100 to Transatlantic Records.

In 1965, Transatlantic Records released his first album, Bert Jansch. It sold 150,000 copies! The album included his song "Do You Hear Me Now." Another artist, Donovan, later covered this song, and it became very popular.

In his early career, some people compared Jansch to Bob Dylan. Jansch said he was mainly influenced by Big Bill Broonzy, Davy Graham, and Archie Fisher. After his first album, he quickly released two more: It Don't Bother Me and Jack Orion. Jack Orion featured his recording of "Blackwaterside." This song's guitar part was later used by Jimmy Page for Led Zeppelin's song "Black Mountain Side."

In London, Jansch met other talented acoustic guitar players. These included John Renbourn, Davy Graham, and Paul Simon. They would often meet and play music in clubs like the Troubadour and Les Cousins. Renbourn and Jansch often played together, creating their own unique guitar style called "Folk baroque."

In 1966, they recorded the Bert and John album together. In late 1967, they became resident musicians at a new music venue. There, they started playing with singer Jacqui McShee, Danny Thompson (bass), and Terry Cox (drums). Together, they formed the group Pentangle.

On 19 October 1968, Jansch married Heather Sewell. She was an art student and inspired some of his songs, like "Miss Heather Rosemary Sewell." Heather Jansch later became a well-known sculptor.

The Pentangle Years: 1968–1973

Jansch (right) playing with Pentangle in Amsterdam, 1969

Pentangle's first big concert was in 1967. Their first album, The Pentangle, came out in 1968. Pentangle then began a very busy schedule of touring and recording. During this time, Jansch mostly stopped performing solo. However, he did release his solo album Rosemary Lane in 1971.

Pentangle became very successful with their album Basket of Light in 1969. The song "Light Flight" from the album became popular as the theme music for a TV show. In 1970, they were at the peak of their fame. They recorded music for a film, appeared on TV many times, and toured the UK and America.

However, their fourth album, Cruel Sister, released in October 1970, did not sell well. This album featured traditional songs, including a long version of "Jack Orion." Pentangle recorded two more albums, but the stress of touring and working together was difficult.

The original Pentangle group broke up in January 1973. Jansch and his wife bought a farm in Wales and took a break from music.

Mid-1970s and Late 1970s

Jansch spent a few years in California in the mid-1970s. He recorded most of his 1974 album LA Turnaround and his 1975 album Santa Barbara Honeymoon there.

After two years as a farmer, Jansch returned to music. In 1977, he recorded the album A Rare Conundrum with new musicians. He then formed a band called Conundrum. They toured Australia, Japan, and the United States for six months. After the tour, Jansch spent six months in the United States, where he recorded the Heartbreak album.

Jansch also toured Scandinavia as a duo with Martin Jenkins. Based on their ideas, they recorded the Avocet album. Jansch said this was one of his favorite recordings. When he returned to England, he opened Bert Jansch's Guitar Shop. The shop sold special hand-built acoustic guitars, but it closed after two years.

The 1980s

In 1980, the original Pentangle members decided to reunite for a tour and a new album. The reunion had a rough start when Terry Cox was injured. However, they completed tours in Italy and Australia. John Renbourn left the band in 1983.

After that, the band had many changes in members. Eventually, Jansch and Jacqui McShee were the only original members left. This version of Pentangle recorded three albums: Think of Tomorrow, One More Road, and Live 1994. This lineup stayed together from 1987 to 1995.

In 1985, two limited edition albums were released under the name of Loren Auerbach, who later became Jansch's wife. Jansch played guitar and sang on some of these songs. Jansch married Loren Auerbach in 1999.

Final Years and Passing: 1992–2011

The grave of Bert Jansch and his wife Loren Jansch in Highgate Cemetery, London

Bert Jansch was the main person behind the film Acoustic Routes, which was shown on the BBC in 1992. In the film, he visited places from his past and talked with friends like Anne Briggs and John Renbourn.

From 1995, Jansch often played at the 12 Bar Club in London. One of his live shows there was recorded and released as the Live at the 12 Bar: an official bootleg album in 1996. In 2002, Jansch performed with Bernard Butler and Johnny "Guitar" Hodge. Butler also appeared on Jansch's album Edge of a Dream that year.

In 2003, Jansch celebrated his 60th birthday with a concert in London. The BBC also organized a televised concert for him.

In 2005, Jansch played a few concerts with Davy Graham, who had influenced him early in his career. Jansch had to postpone his tour due to illness and had heart surgery in late 2005. By 2006, he had recovered and was playing concerts again.

His album The Black Swan was released in 2006. It featured guest artists like Beth Orton and Devendra Banhart. In 2007, he played acoustic guitar on a song for the band Babyshambles. He also performed with Babyshambles' lead singer Pete Doherty at some acoustic shows.

In 2009, he played a concert to celebrate the release of three of his older albums on CD. However, he had to cancel a tour later that year due to unexpected illness.

Jansch opened for Neil Young on his solo tour in the US and Canada in 2010. He also performed at Eric Clapton's Crossroads festival. These were his first shows after his illness. One of his last recordings was with Eric Clapton for Paul Wassif's 2011 album. Jansch again opened for Neil Young's tour in 2011.

That same year, Pentangle had a few reunion shows, including at the Glastonbury Festival. Their final concert was at the Royal Festival Hall in London, which was also Jansch's last public performance.

Bert Jansch passed away on 5 October 2011, at the age of 67. He died at a hospice in Hampstead after a long battle with lung cancer. His wife, Loren Jansch, also passed away from cancer later that year. They are both buried in Highgate Cemetery.

Awards and Recognition

In 2001, Jansch received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. On 5 June 2006, he received the MOJO Merit Award from Mojo magazine. This award recognized his long and inspiring career.

In January 2007, all five original members of Pentangle, including Jansch, received a Lifetime Achievement award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Sir David Attenborough presented the award. Pentangle played together for the event, which was their first performance in over twenty years. In 2007, Jansch also received an honorary music degree from Edinburgh Napier University. This was to honor his amazing contributions to the music industry.

Bert Jansch's Music Style

Jansch's music was influenced by artists like Big Bill Broonzy and Brownie McGhee. He said he might still be a gardener if he hadn't heard McGhee's music. He was also greatly influenced by British folk music, especially Anne Briggs. Other influences included jazz music and Davy Graham, who combined many musical styles. Jansch also traveled through Europe and Morocco, picking up musical ideas from different cultures. From all these influences, he created his own unique guitar style.

Some of his songs use a basic Travis picking style on the guitar. But he often used unusual chord sounds or added notes to chords. For example, in his song "Needle of Death," he adds ninths to the chords, making the sound unique.

Another special thing about his playing was his ability to hold a chord on the lower strings while bending an upper string. You can hear this clearly in songs like "Reynardine." Jansch often matched his guitar playing to the natural rhythm of the words in his songs. This sometimes meant using unusual time signatures. For instance, his version of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" switches between 4/4, 3/4, and 5/4 time. His band Pentangle also used unusual time signatures in songs like "Light Flight."

Instruments Bert Jansch Played

While playing with Pentangle, Jansch used several instruments. These included the banjo, Appalachian dulcimer, recorder, and concertina. Sometimes, he even played electric guitar. But he was most famous for his acoustic guitar playing.

Jansch's first guitar was a homemade kit. Later, he bought a Höfner guitar and then a Zenith. His first album was supposedly recorded using a Martin guitar borrowed from Martin Carthy. In the mid-1960s, he played various guitars, including Martin and Epiphone models. He had a special guitar built by John Bailey, which he used for most of the Pentangle recordings, but it was later stolen.

Later, Jansch played two six-string guitars made by Rob Armstrong. He also had a contract with Yamaha, who gave him several guitars. For his 60th birthday, Yamaha gave him a fancy acoustic guitar with gold trim and abalone inlay.

Bert Jansch's Influence on Other Musicians

Bert Jansch's music, especially his acoustic guitar playing, influenced many famous musicians. His first album, Bert Jansch (1965), was highly admired. Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin said, "At one point, I was absolutely obsessed with Bert Jansch. When I first heard that LP, I couldn't believe it. It was so far ahead of what everyone else was doing."

That same album included Jansch's version of the song "Angie." This song was a favorite of Mike Oldfield, who was greatly influenced by Jansch's style. The song's title even inspired Oldfield to name his first band "the Sallyangie."

Jansch's "Angie" also inspired Paul Simon's recording of the song, which he called "Anji" on the Simon & Garfunkel album Sounds of Silence. Neil Young said, "As much of a great guitar player as Jimi [Hendrix] was, Bert Jansch is the same thing for acoustic guitar... and my favorite."

Nick Drake and Donovan also admired Jansch. They both recorded their own versions of his songs. Donovan even dedicated two of his own songs to Jansch: "Bert's Blues" and "House of Jansch." Other musicians, like Gordon Giltrap, have also created music showing Jansch's influence.

Discography

Studio albums

• 1965: Bert Jansch
• 1965: It Don't Bother Me
• 1966: Jack Orion
• 1967: Nicola
• 1969: Birthday Blues
• 1971: Rosemary Lane
• 1973: Moonshine
• 1974: L.A. Turnaround
• 1975: Santa Barbara Honeymoon
• 1977: A Rare Conundrum (released 1976 as Poor Mouth with alternate track listing)
• 1978: Avocet
• 1980: Thirteen Down (as The Bert Jansch Conundrum)
• 1982: Heartbreak
• 1985: From the Outside
• 1990: Sketches
• 1990: The Ornament Tree
• 1995: When the Circus Comes to Town
• 1998: Toy Balloon
• 2000: Crimson Moon
• 2002: Edge of a Dream
• 2006: The Black Swan

See also

In Spanish: Bert Jansch para niños