Bert Jansch, Scottish folk legend and frontman of the immortal ’60s British folk revival group Pentangle, passed away early this morning in London following a long battle with lung cancer. He was 67. The extensive catalog of music he left behind is simple yet intricate, traditional yet fresh, achingly beautiful and absolutely a must-listen.
If you’re unfamiliar with Bert Jansch, you’ve probably heard his stuff through other people: one of his most famous recordings is a version of the Davy Graham tune ‘Angie,’ which was also covered by Simon & Garfunkel. His recording of ‘Blackwaterside,’ a reinterpretation of an old English folk song, inspired Jimmy Page to write Led Zeppelin’s very similar ‘Black Mountain Side.’ He influenced a ton of musicians including the aforementioned Simon & Garfunkel and Zep, but also more people you will have heard of and love, like Devendra Banhart, Nick Drake, Joanna Newsom, Graham Coxon from Blur, the list goes on forever.
