I’ve been asked by Earth Records to curate a Bert Jansch BBC (audio) box set, likely to be 4 discs, the great majority of which will contain master-quality audio direct from the BBC or individual producers It’s very early days indeed but I’m sticking this notice up to get the word out to anyone who might have anything recorded off-air, for bonus tracks. People may be unaware that they recorded something in the 70s or 80s that no longer otherwise exists.
I’ve got several things myself in this category, the earliest being a couple of tracks from a duo Night Ride session in 1968 that are uncirculated, plus bits from the 80s and 90s and from regional BBC stations that will almost certainly not be extant at source.
Some years back, essentially pre-internet, I was amazed and delighted at a word-of-mouth appeal for material towards a Duffy Power BBC set on Hux – a lot of master-quality and off-air goodies were acquired, enough for us to be selective with the finished content. Perhaps something similar will happen here?
I feel sure that somebody out there will have taped Bert’s 1973 ‘Sounds of the 70s’ session, or a couple of tracks on a Radio Norwich chat show some time in the 1980s. If so, get in touch!
Here’s an online track from someone else from the 1968 duo Night Ride session I mentioned. As I said, 90%+ of the set will be master quality, but now is the time to dig out things like this to fill the gaps…
Hi Colin, big Bert Jansch fan here but I`m sorry I have none of the type of material you are after. I have friends who are also fans of Bert and If I hear of anything I will contact you. It`s highly likely if thay have anything they will be high-generation tapes.
Good luck with this, I will be one of the first in line for this set.
Spotted on Dimeadozen.org just now. All never officially released.
Three tracks recorded for The Gloria Hunniford Show on BBC Radio 2, broadcast on 22nd August 1994. Stereo recording from FM to cassette.
Bert Jansch with Peter Kirtley and Jacqui McShee.
“The Bonny Boy”, “Sally Free & Easy” and “Chasing Love” with some rather mundane interview segments interspersed.
Four Pentangle tracks from BBC Radio “My Kind Of Folk”, 7th February 1969. Pre-recorded for broadcast date unknown (Pentangle were actually in the USA playing at the Fillmore East on February 7th 1969).
“Sally Go Round The Roses”, “Cuckoo”, “Let No Man Steal Your Thyme” and “Hunting Song”.
Mono recording off air. Not tip-top quality.
Pentangle, Christmas 1970 Trumpington Church, recorded for BBC broadcast “Songs From A Country Church”. Off air to reel-to-reel tape. Quality “Not hi-fi”.
“Lyke Wake Dirge”, “No More My Love”, “Moon Dog” and “Train Song”.
High Quality “New Pentangle” recording from 1986-12-10, London, BBC Radio 2 “Folk On Two”
Quality cassette copy of stereo reel-to-reel master.
Bert Jansch – guitar & vocals, Jacqui McShee – vocals, Terry Cox – drums & percussion, Mike Piggott – violin, Nigel Portman-Smith – bass.
“Bruton Town”, “Dragonfly”, “Sunday Morning Blues”, “Yarrow”, “She Moves Through The Fair” “Taste Of Love” and “Avocet”.
Thanks both! The Hunniford 94 and Pentangle 86 could be useful. I know I have a copy of the latter but it may be that this chaps is better. No harm in trying. Are you already registered at Dimeadozen, Mike? Fancy downloading for me?
Yes I’m registered there.
Will do.
I’ll PM you when I have them, if they sound OK.
Terrific. Ta!
Have you thought of contacting the Australian Broadcasting Commission? Bert toured Australia with Pentangle, that shambolic tour with John Martyn in 77 and I think at other times. Quite possible he was recorded by the ABC.
I think keeping it strictly BBC is the way to go, Junior. It’s tempting to look at other broadcasters specifically for a yawning chasm in the early 70s (a couple of missing BBC solo sessions from 1973) – though ‘The River Sessions’ album fills that, really (a 1974 Radio Clyde solo concert). – but no, sticking to the BBC is sensible for a number of reasons. Pentangle recordings will not be part of the set save in two or three instances where Bert performed essentially solo tracks within a group session.
Good to avoid scope creep.
I know of someone who has a large collection of off-air tapes of this nature. I bump into him every now and again – I’ll try to ask the next time.
Splendid – ta. I’m trawling through a large collection of my own. Larger than I’d recalled, actually.
Sounds ace! I was listening to your excellent Dazzling Stranger comp the other day and thinking what a great job that one was.
I have nothing to help, but I had this young chap, Ben Morgan-Brown, on my radio show last week and I picked up on his finger picking style straight away…turns out he had a one to one lesson with the great man a few years ago and was suitably inspired!