The Pentangle – The Pentangle

Jacqui McShee - b 25 Dec 1945, Catford, London, England;  Bert Jansch - b 3 Nov 1943, Glasgow, Scotland;  John Renbourn - b 8 Aug 1944, Marylebone, London, England;   Danny Thompson - b 4 Apr 1939, Teignmouth, Devon, England;  Terry Cox - b 13 Mar 1937, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. 

 

Five highly gifted musicians who formed a unique band which, seemingly without effort, wove blues, jazz, and elements of rock and pop into a seamless garment.  

 

Pentangle formed in 1967 for impromptu gigs in London’s Horseshoe Pub on Tottenham Court Road, Jansch and Renbourn having built up enviable reputations as soloists and already recorded an album of duets  – Bert and John, 1966.  Thompson and Cox were well known on the blues circuit, backing Alexis Korner and Duffy Power.  Both men also worked regularly as session musicians. McShee was a relatively new girl on the block but had experience singing in folk and jazz clubs. She had also appeared on Renbourn’s album Another Monday earlier the same year.  Her crystal voice added the magic ingredient for mainstream success. 

 

The band was signed up very quickly by agent Jo Lustig, who propelled their elite status into multi-national success. As Colin Irwin wrote in the CD reissue sleevenotes: “In 1968 alone they had 11 Radio 1 sessions, played New York’s Carnegie Hall and the Paris Olympia, headlined at numerous folk and jazz festivals and destroyed dozens of rain forests with the acres of newsprint they’d consumed”. 

 

There is a real sense of excitement on The Pentangle as the quintet sets out on its musical exploration. Jacqui McShee proves herself very capable of injecting sexyness into the blues on “Way Behind The Sun” as well as providing a ’sixtiess take on the traditional song  “Let No Man Steal Your Thyme” .  She also sings a haunting version of the Staples Singers’ “Hear My Call“.  The interplay between Jansch and Renbourn is superb throughout, particularly on “Bells” and “Bruton Town”.  Danny Thompson provides bass soloing of a level rarely heard outside of the jazz sphere, as well as some very dark and menacing colourings. Terry Cox doesn’t merely provide the album’s pulse, it’s as if his percussion work is a commentary on the music and lyrics surrounding him. The Pentangle offers a true fusion of very different styles of music.

 

May 68   The Pentangle    UK Transatlantic TRA 162     Highest Chart Position 21   

                                      US Reprise RS 6315    Highest Chart Position 192 

 

1  Let No Man Steal Your Thyme  (Trad; arr. Jansch, Renbourn, Cox, McShee,

                                                          Thompson)

2  Bells  (Jansch, Renbourn, Cox, McShee, Thompson)

3  Hear My Call  (Westbrooks, Staples)

4  Pentangling  ((Jansch, Renbourn, Cox, McShee, Thompson)

5  Mirage (Jansch, McShee)

6  Way Behind The Sun (Jansch, Renbourn, Cox, Thompson)

7  Bruton Town  (Trad; arr. Jansch, Renbourn, Cox, McShee, Thompson)

8  Waltz (Trad; arr. Jansch, Renbourn, Cox, McShee, Thompson)

 

Producer Shel Talmy; Recorded: unknown (probably IBC studios, London)

 

Jacqui McShee vocals; Bert Jansch guitars, vocals; John Renbourn guitars; Danny Thompson acoustic bass; Terry Cox drums, percussion, backing vocals

 

Cover design: Peter Blake

Sleeve notes: John Peel

Photo: Studio Hans Feurer

 

CD Reissue 2001 Castle CMRCD131

 

Bonus Tracks

 

9   Koan (Alternate Version)  (Sullivan)

10 The Wheel (Alternate Version)  (Jansch)

11 The Casbah  (Alternate Version)  (Jansch)

12 Bruton Town (edit 1/5/3)  (Trad; arr. Jansch, Renbourn, Cox, McShee, Thompson)

13 Hear My Call (Alternate Version) (Westbrooks, Staples)

14 Way Behind The Sun (Alternate Version)  (Jansch, Renbourn, Cox, Thompson)

15 Way Behind The Sun (Instrumental) (Jansch, Renbourn, Cox, Thompson)