Black Swan - Bert Jansch Album Review

Album Review

Never one for hogging the limelight, Bert Jansch continues to plough his solitary path, with some additions. Since his eponymous debut in April 1965, Jansch has influenced musicians all over the world, and enthralled everyone with his guitar wizardry such as Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page. For Black Swan he's enlisted the diverse talents of fans Devendra Banhart, Noah Georgeson, Devendra's bassist as co-producer / mixer and Brit singer Beth Orton. This superb collection of eight originals and trad covers is his best in a long time. Recorded at his home studio over 2004/5 this wonderful album has all the hallmarks of his penchant stylistic fusions - folk, blues and jazz, as he continues to cast his magic spell at 63. Black Swan is a clever blend of Jansch 'gig intimacy' (that he's made his living from for the past 30 years) and 'enhanced' gems with an Americana feel using slide guitar, cello, synths, bass and percussion, featured on atmospheric classic A Woman Like You, which he used to sing in his Pentangle Days. Best track, jaunty Watch The Stars which he sang (with his girlfriend) when he was sixteen, now has Beth Orton doing the vocals, and it's a masterstroke.

Duelling banjos by Jansch and Paul Wassif, with Maggie Boyle on Bolivian flavoured flute, turn the sparkling Magdalina's Dance into an instrumental wonder.

With all contributors doing a fine job, it's still the Jansch solo digital workouts that never fail to impress - High Days, Hey Pretty Girl and trad The Old Triangle. Bob Dylan may have influenced Texas Cowboy Blues, because sure as hell sounds like him, with rhythm sectioners Noah Georgeson on bass and drummer Pete Newsom providing a neat shuffle.

This year MOJO magazine awarded him the highly prestigious Merit Award for his awe-inspiring contribution to music. He's now inspiring a new generation of musicians, and wowing music critics, including me.

Elly Roberts