Bert Jansch @ The Bell House, December 2010 (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

Scottish folk musician Bert Jansch, a founding member of the band Pentangle and a well-known guitarist in his own right, has died at the age of 67.

Jansch, who had cancer, passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning at a hospice in Hampstead, north London.

Born in Glasgow in 1943, the musician recorded his first album in 1965 and his last, The Black Swan, in 2006.

Between 1967 and 1973 he was part of acoustic group Pentangle, best known for their 1970 hit single Light Flight.

John Renbourn, Jacqui McShee, Danny Thompson and Terry Cox were the other original members of the band, whose albums included Basket of Light and Solomon's Seal.

The group reformed in 2008 after receiving a lifetime achievement honour the previous year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

As a solo artist, Jansch received his own lifetime achievement accolade at the same event in 2001.

He last performed, with Pentangle, at the Royal Festival Hall on 1 August. [BBC]

Continue reading "Bert Jansch, RIP"

"Paul Simon, Lee Scratch Perry and Jimmy Cliff play blinding sets at Glastonbury Saga stage. All over 70 Tony Benn oldest at 95 !" - James Osborn

"Best thing musically I saw at Glastonbury was probably SBTRKT on the Friday night ...quality stuff." - Joshua Saunders

Glastonbury 2011 (via Glastonbury.fm)

Glastonbury Festival took place in Worthy Farm in Pilton, England this past weekend. Tons of artists from all different backgrounds played the festival. The festival featured guest appearances, secret sets, and other interesting occurrences. Here are a few of the highlights.

Headliner Beyonce played a hits-heavy set with some pretty interesting cover song choices (King of Leon's "Sex on Fire," Etta James' "At Last"). But more even more interestingly, Tricky joined her on stage for a pretty inexplicable guest appearance on "Baby Boy." The trip-hop pioneer took a mic and uttered some sparse vocals as Beyonce and her backup singers belted the song. Video of the performance is below.

Speaking of things related to Massive Attack and Glastonbury, UK DJ Nick Warren, who would regularly DJ for Massive Attack in the '90s, said "My Highlight of Glastonbury Festival was James Blake live." James's set included the track "CMYK" off the 2010 EP of the same name in addition to tracks off his 2011 self-titled album. Some might say James's set was even explosive:

James Blake at Glastonbury

Festival attendees who were not part of the 75,000 watching Beyonce may have ended up at The Streets' set which took place at the same time. The show was apparently one of the Mike Skinner's last, who recently announced a breakup. Unfortunately, The Streets recently cancelled a trip NYC, but maybe they'll reschedule before saying their final goodbye. Video of The Streets' Glastonbury performance below.

This year's secret shows included UK Glastonbury vets Pulp and Radiohead.

It was Pulp's fourth Glastonbury appearance but their first for nine years and as they came on stage, frontman Jarvis Cocker told the crowd: 'We couldn't think of anything to get you so we brought the sunshine.'
After their set, which included some of their biggest hits including Disco 2000 and Common People, he added: 'Thanks Glastonbury, obviously it's been a very important place for us. When we played in '95 things took off for us and we went in a strange orbit around the earth, and now we're back home in one piece.' [Daily Mail]

Radiohead brought Portishead drummer Clive Deamer as a guest to play with Philip Selway. Their setlist was almost entirely made up of The King of Limbs and In Rainbows tracks, and recent non-album material, except for Amnesiac's "I Might Be Wrong." They also surprised fans of their earlier work by playing "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" as an encore. Video of "The Daily Mail" and "Bloom" and setlist below.

Cee Lo, unlike at Coachella, showed up on time for his set, which included a mix of his own material and Gnarls Barkley stuff. He also covered Black Sabbath twice. Big Boi got lost in London, but also ended up showing on time for his set. Like Cee Lo, he still embraces past projects and included a good amount of Outkast material. Big Boi-collaborator Janelle Monae played the festival too. Video of her performance of "Tightrope" below. Catch her and Cee Lo (but not Big Boi) for free at Afro-Punk in August.

Battles brought Matias Aguayo on stage to sing "Ice Cream," the song he recorded lead vocals for on their recently released Gloss Drop. Video below.

British folk/jazz legends Pentangle, who reunited in 2008 but have not been very busy since then, played the festival. Their lineup includes Bert Jansch who is currently a Drag City-recording artist and released The Black Swan on the label in 2006, over 30 years after Pentangle originally broke up. Lauren Laverne of BBC 6 interviewed the band. They talked about the resurgence of folk music and how Bert is a fan of Fleet Foxes (who also played Glastonbury). Video of the interview below.

SBTRKT at Glastonbury 2011 via facebook

SBTRKT, who visits NYC for the first time in July, played a live set (pictured above). His Young Turks labelmate Jamie xx (of The xx) played a set too. Jamie's "Far Nearer" single is on sale now. Pressings are limited. Check out a soundcloud stream of the track below.

Another UK post-dubstepper Jamie Woon played the festival. 3AM writes, "During my bum breaks, I caught Jamie Woon's set and it was fantastic. I've heard a lot about this chap, but haven't listened to his stuff before. Sitting in the middle of a field with a pounding head and cider was the perfect way to be introduced to Jamie's chilled but strong, powerful tunes."

Speaking of dubstep crossover, UK singer Katy B brought her dubstep-leaning pop to Glastonbury as well. She plays a private show in NYC tonight (6/27). It will be her first.

Little Dragon wowed the crowd, according to VH1 anyway:

For the UK at least, this performance of their new song "Ritual Union" is a real coming-out party for the band, who absolutely deserve to be heard on a much wider scale. It's really difficult to make smooth music work in the middle of the day at a big outdoor festival, but Little Dragon pulls it off in style.

UK anti-folkie Emmy the Great covered The Pixies' classic "Where Is My Mind" with help from Tim Wheeler of the punky brit-poppers Ash. Full setlist below.

On a more negative note,

A senior member of David Cameron's Tory constituency has been found dead in a portable toilet at the Glastonbury festival.

Christopher Shale, the chairman of West Oxfordshire Conservative Association, suffered a heart attack, sources believe.

His body was found in a portable toilet in the backstage area, where many celebrities and performers stay.

A story in the Mail on Sunday contained leaked sections of a strategy document Shale had drafted for David Cameron, in which he said the party can be perceived as "crass" and "always on the take".

Avon and Somerset police confirmed that the body of a man in his mid-50s had been found in the backstage area. A woman was seen being comforted by officers.

His body was found at 8.45am. An area between the Pyramid stage and the Other stage has been cordoned off. [Guardian]

Videos, soundcloud streams, setlists, and other stuff below...

Continue reading "Glastonbury 2011 happened (highlights, video, setlists, Tricky, SBTRKT, Radiohead, Pulp, Beyonce, Janelle Monae & more)"

Tickets are now on AmEx presale (through Friday, March 25 @ 10pm) for the two Neil Young shows happening at Lincoln Center's very Fisher Hall in April. Bert Jansch has been announced as the opener.

words & photos by Benjamin Lozovsky

Conor Oberst and crew might have co-opted the Monsters of Folk moniker, but they've only grown to their current size by standing on the shoulders of even larger mythical beings. Two more likely candidates for that title, Bert Jansch and Neil Young, graced the Bell House Wednesday night. The two didn't perform together, but the long-standing connection between the six-string English Scottish troubadour and the American Canadian highwayman was noticeably present through their music.

Young made the surprise guest appearance as part of his wife Pegi's backing band, the opening act, and kept to the shadows most of the night. Bathed in dark crimson light, he filled in his wife's rollicking, twangy sound with subdued yet accented guitar licks, that unmistakable gritty rhythm style, and on one occasion harmonica. Even in just a supporting role, his focus was impenetrable. When Neil Young raises his guitar neck and dons that irascible stare, it commands attention like a force of nature. Pegi finished off her set with a version of Neil outtake "Doghouse," graciously letting her man share the spotlight as he sang backup and finally splayed out a solo.

But the highlight of the show was Jansch; his complex acoustic ruminations sprang to life like a Celtic fable, and his vocals, softer with age, tranquilly voiced stories that were equally anguished and joyous. For the most part Jansch's newer work blended seamlessly with his old material as one singular vision. The wistful classic "Rosemary Lane" from his eponymous 1971 album never felt out of touch with more recent songs like "My Donald," from 2001's Crimson Moon. That song was about his departed friend, the "hardest man in Scotland" who was both a failed lumberjack and a real whaler. As he told the stories behind his numbers in between songs, he sounded like Michael Caine with a guitar; understated, satirical, and spotlessly adorable. One song he wrote after a series of gigs with maligned rock star Pete Doherty. With deadpan wit, he noted, "I don't think he's allowed in your country."

Bert and Pegi finish their rescueduled tour together Friday night in Pittsburgh, and then Bert returns for two shows at Iridium Jazz on Monday night.

More pictures from the Bell House show below...

Continue reading "Neil Young played the Bell House w/ Pegi Young & headliner Bert Jansch (pics) "

I mean if Neil was ever going to make a guest appearance at a show, it definitely makes sense it would be this one at the Bell House in Brooklyn tonight. Tickets are still on sale.

10PM UPDATE: Neil played a set with Pegi. Will he also play with Bert?

NEXT DAY UPDATE: No he didn't play with Bert, and now we have pictures.

Bert Jansch

After cancelling his string of East Coast shows and a few with Neil Young earlier this year due to complications from lung cancer, Burt Jansch is back out on the road and will play The Bell House on December 15th (tickets) and two shows at Iridium on December 20th (tickets still available for for the 8PM and the 10PM). As with the previous cancelled tour, the Pegi Young Band is out with him, though they drop off before the Iridium dates.

In related news, Neil Young will get the royal treatment at Carnegie Hall on Feb 10th as part of a benefit for Music and Arts Programs for Underprivileged Youth. The show will feature a gang of artists paying tribute to the music of the giant, including Patti Smith, Living Colour, Devotchka, Bettye LaVette, Bebel Gilberto, Aimee Mann, The Roots, Cowboy Junkies, Antibalas, St. Vincent, J Mascis, with "additional artists to be announced". Tickets are on sale.

Full tour dates are below, as well as some video taken the other night at Johnny Brenda's in Philadelphia.

Continue reading "Bert Jansch is now on tour w/ Pegi Young --- Neil Young is being covered at Carnegie Hall (dates)"

This actually happened a few weeks ago, but I missed it:

"Bert is sorry to announce that he has to undergo an urgent operation to deal with complications arising from his recent lung cancer. As a result, he has sadly had to pull out of the upcoming Gulf Coast leg of Neil Young's current solo tour as well as cancel a series of solo shows on the East Coast where Pegi Young was due to open for him with her band. Bert is deeply disappointed to be missing the shows, and apologises sincerely to all the fans who were hoping to see him. He has enjoyed every moment of touring with Neil over the last few months, as well as the West coast shows he did with the wonderful Pegi Young band opening, and is looking forward to getting back on the road as soon as possible. Bert is also very disappointed to be missing an appearance at Farm Aid, which he was very much looking forward to. His doctors tell him he should be fit and well again soon, so Bert is looking forward to resuming touring as soon as he can."

Neil Young is going on a tour of the Gulf Coast (aka Florida & MS) in September:

Music legend Neil Young will perform several shows in the Gulf Coast in September to aid residents affected by the oil spill. Young has teamed up with his friend John Tyson, chairman of Tyson Foods, Inc., which will donate 100,000 pounds of chicken products to be distributed to the Bay Area Food Bank. Tyson will deliver four truckloads of chicken, the equivalent of almost 400,000 meals, to the Bay Area Food Bank, which serves Central Gulf Coast communities in Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi.
Young is also asking concert-goers to bring non-perishable food items, which will be given to the food bank. All proceeds from the sale of unique, limited-edition Neil Young t-shirts, available only at the concerts, will also be donated to the food bank.

The hunger relief effort is the result of the long-standing friendship between Young and Tyson. "Millions of people who live along the Gulf Coast struggle with hunger and the economic impact of the oil spill has only made matters worse," Young says. "I appreciate the willingness of John Tyson and his company to get involved by helping the regional food bank help feed those in need. We both encourage concert-goers to spend money locally and support local business."

After supporting Neil, Bert will then play a series of more intimate shows with Pegi Young. That run kicks off October 6th at the Bell House in Brooklyn. Tickets for the NYC show go on sale Friday at noon. All dates below...

As far as new records...

"Bert's latest studio album was 2006's highly acclaimed The Black Swan which was greeted with accolades worldwide. Last year (2009) Drag City brought out the long-awaited first time CD releases of the three albums Bert recorded in the 1970s for The Famous Charisma Label: The seminal LA Turnaround, Santa Barbara Honeymoon and A Rare Conundrum. These most sought after albums in Bert's catalog had been out of print for decades and had never been available on CD before. We also reissued them in handsome new vinyl packages. Bert is currently working on new material so stay tuned!" - Drag City

Continue reading "Bert Jansch touring w/ Neil & then Pegi Young (dates) "