01	Light Flight						03:17
	02	Once I Had A Sweetheart						04:41
	03	Springtime Promises						04:07
	04	Lyke-Wake Dirge						03:34
	05	Train Song						04:45
	06	Hunting Song						06:44
	07	Sally Go Round Roses						03:38
	08	The Cuckoo						04:28
	09	House Carpenter						05:28

This album turned out to be one of Transatlantic's best sellers reaching number 5 in the album charts.
Transatlantic TRA 205 1969

Reprise 6372 1969
Demon TRANDEM 7 1969
Re-released Castle Communications ESMCD 406 1996


Pentangle ~ Basket of Light
1. Light Flight
Theme from 'Take Three Girls'. (Jansch/Renbourn/Thompson/Cox/McShee)
This song evolved from a theme commissioned by BBC1 for their first colour drama series. The time signature varies between 5/8 and 7/8 and 6/4 in the middle.
Terry Cox - drums, Bert Jansch - guitar, Jacqui McShee - vocal, John Renbourn - guitar, Danny Thompson - double bass
2. Once I Had A Sweetheart
(Trad. Arr Jansch/Renbourn/Thompson/Cox/McShee)
A well-known American variant of the English traditional song 'A Maid Sat A-Weeping', with an additional verse from the West Country song 'As Sylvie Was Walking'
Terry Cox - drums & glockenspiel, Bert Jansch - guitar, Jacqui McShee - vocal, John Renbourn - guitar & sitar, Danny Thompson - double bass
3. Springtime Promises
(Jansch/Renbourn/Thompson/Cox/McShee)
Written after a ride on the top of a number 74 bus from Gloucester Road to Greencroft Gardens on an early spring day.
Terry Cox - drums, Bert Jansch - guitar & vocal, Jacqui McShee - vocal, John Renbourn - guitar & vocal, Danny Thompson - double bass
4. Lyke-Wake Dirge
(Fried/Trad. Arr.Jansch/Renbourn/Thompson/Cox/ McShee)
An early English poem, concerning the progress of the soul in after-life. The imagery predates Christianity by many thousand years, though the idea is preserved in the children's games Hopscotch and London Bridge Is Falling Down.
Terry Cox - hand drum & vocal, Bert Jansch - guitar, Jacqui McShee - vocal, John Renbourn - guitar & vocal, Danny Thompson - double bass
5. Train Song
(Jansch/Renbourn/Thompson/Cox/McShee)
A lament for the passing of the steam train. The title of this album is taken from a line in this song.
Terry Cox - drums, Bert Jansch - guitar & vocal, Jacqui McShee - vocal, John Renbourn - guitar, Danny Thompson - double bass
6. Hunting Song
(Jansch/Renbourn/Thompson/Cox/McShee)
This is based on the story of a magic drinking horn sent by Morgana the Fay to the court of King Arthur and tells of numerous incidents on its journey.
Terry Cox - drums, glockenspiel & vocal, Bert Jansch - guitar & vocal, Jacqui McShee - vocal, John Renbourn - guitar & vocal, Danny Thompson - double bass
7. Sally Go Round The Roses
(Spector)
A song by The Jaynetts, who seemed to have disappeared for all time leaving behind some good sounds and sad people.
Terry Cox - drums, Bert Jansch - guitar, Jacqui McShee - vocal, John Renbourn - guitar & vocal, Danny Thompson - double bass
8. The Cuckoo
(Trad. Arr. Jansch/Renbourn/Thompson/Cox/McShee)
A folk song from Somerset which Bert Jansch learned from his neighbour's children in Sussex.
Terry Cox - hand drum & glockenspiel, Bert Jansch - guitar, Jacqui McShee - vocal, John Renbourn - guitar, Danny Thompson - double bass
9. House Carpenter
(Trad. Arr. Jansch/Renbourn/Thompson/Cox/McShee)
An American Southern ballad derived from the English folk song The Daemon Lover', in which the lover is the Devil personified.
Terry Cox - hand drum & hi-hat , Bert Jansch - banjo & vocal, Jacqui McShee - vocal, John Renbourn - sitar, Danny Thompson - double bass


Were Pentangle a folk group, a folk-rock group, or something that resists classification? They could hardly be called a rock & roll act; they didn't use electric instruments often, and were built around two virtuoso guitarists, Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, who were already well-established on the folk circuit before the group formed. Yet their hunger for eclectic experimentation fit into the milieu of late-'60s progressive rock and psychedelia well, and much of their audience came from the rock and pop worlds, rather than the folk crowd. With Jacqui McShee on vocals and a rhythm section of Danny Thompson (bass) and Terry Cox (drums), the group mastered a breathtaking repertoire that encompassed traditional ballads, blues, jazz, pop, and reworkings of rock oldies, often blending different genres in the same piece. Their prodigious individual talents perhaps ensured a brief lifespan, but at their peak they melded their distinct and immense skills to egg each other on to heights they couldn't have achieved on their own, in the manner of great rock combos like the Beatles and Buffalo Springfield.
When Pentangle formed around late 1966 or early 1967 (accounts vary), Jansch and Renbourn had already recorded one album together (Bert and John), and done some solo recordings as well. Jansch was more inclined toward blues and contemporary songwriting than Renbourn, who was stronger in traditional British folk music. Jacqui McShee, whose bell-clear, high singing set the standard (along with Sandy Denny) for female British folk-rock vocals, began rehearsing with the pair. After a false start with a forgotten rhythm section, Thompson and Cox - who had been working with Alexis Korner - were brought in to complete the quintet.

Pentangle's first three albums - The Pentangle (1968), the double LP Sweet Child (1968), and Basket of Light (1969) - are not only their best efforts, but arguably their only truly essential ones. With Shel Talmy acting as producer, the band rarely took a misstep in its mastery of diverse styles and material. Thompson and Cox gave even the traditional folk ballads a jazz swing and verve; the guitar interplay of Jansch (who was also a capable singer) and Renbourn was downright thrilling, each complementing and enhancing the other without showing off or getting in each other's way. McShee's beautiful vocals, though not as emotionally resonant as her close counterpart Sandy Denny, were an underappreciated component to the band's success with the pop audience.

And Pentangle were very popular for a time, at least in England, where Basket of Light made number five, and "Light Flight" was a small hit single. They introduced some electric guitars on their early-'70s albums, which generally suffered from weaker material and a less unified group effort. The original lineup broke up in 1973; Jansch and Renbourn (who had never really abandoned their solo careers) continued to record often as soloists, and remained top attractions on the folk circuit. Thompson joined John Martyn for a while, and has remained active as a session musician, in addition to recording some work of his own for the Hannibal label. The original group reunited for the reasonably accomplished Open the Door album in the early '80s, and other versions of the group recorded and toured throughout the '80s and '90s, usually featuring McShee and Jansch as the sole remaining original members. - Richie Unterberger


Pentangle, The [UK]

Updated 9/7/01

Discography
The Pentangle (68)
Sweet Child (68)
Basket of Light (69)
Cruel Sister (70)
Reflection (71)
Solomon's Seal (72)
Pentangling (73)
Open the Door (85)
In The Round (86)
So Early in the Spring (90)
Think of Tomorrow (91)
Live at the BBC (95)
Passe Avant (99)
also many compilations ...


Reviews
Considering the inclusion of Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny, and others in the survey, it seems only fitting that Pentangle should also be noted. Although often categorised along with the aforementioned groups as folk-rock, The Pentangle really transcends attempts at categorisation, and they're definitely not rock. They formed in 1967 around the nucleus of guitarists Bert Jansch and John Renbourn and vocalist Jacqui McShee, with two session musicians providing upright bass and drums. The resulting music drew on traditional material, baroque (such as John Dowland), Eastern scales and instruments, blues, and of course jazz. The guitarwork is the biggest attraction, providing the kind of improvisational interplay that fusion fans should love. And both guitarists really are masters of the instrument, achieving more on wood in one song than most electric noodlers do in a career. These guys *are* hard to characterise, more so than I thought before sitting down to write this. If they sound interesting, and I'm sure they would be to at least some prog fans, then check out anything from their initial incarnation (1967- 1971). Shanachie's Early Classics is is a good compilation from this period.
The classic line-up was Jacqui McShee, vocals; John Renbourn and Bert Jansch, guitars and vocals; Danny Thompson, double bass; Terry Cox, drums and percussion. The later albums add sitar, banjo and restrained electric guitar to the blend.
Not truly progressive rock, but who cares? McShee has a wonderfully clear voice and the playing is high-caliber throughout. They are best-known for their renditions of traditional ballads, but their repertoire covered everything from ancient hymns to Charles Mingus to original songs and instrumentals. Enthusiasts of Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and the Incredible String Band should give them a listen. All six are worthy albums, but if I had to choose only one it would be Basket of Light.

Pentangle disbanded after Solomon's Seal. McShee, Cox and Jansch reunited for at least one more album, In the Round (1986), but without Renbourn, who was sorely missed. Renbourn released a number of solo albums over the years, ranging from explorations of early music to bluesy folk, plus several more as leader of the John Renbourn Group. Noteworthy is the latter's A Maid in Bedlam (1977), featuring McShee along with fiddle, woodwinds, tabla and Renbourn's guitar, which is as pretty as a record can be without triggering the gag reflex. When this album plays, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood lives. -- Don McClane





The Pentangle
1969 Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Andrew Wickham

THE PENTANGLE MAKES FIRST U. S. TOUR

Open at Fillmore East

THE PENTANGLE (Reprise).. .a uniquely versatile English classical/folk/jazz/blues group.. are making their first U. S. concert tour beginning February 7-8 at the Fillmore East. This tour coincides with the release of their second album, "Sweet Child", whose cover art was designed by Peter Blake, creator of the award-winning "Sgt. Pepper" album for the Beatles.

THE PENTANGLE'S together, versatile sound has made them tremendously popular in England during the past year. They played their first solo performance at Royal Festival Hall, London, to a sold-out audience of 4000. In a 14-city tour of England,

Scotland, and Ireland, THE PENTANGLE consistently played to capacity houses~..hitting Albert Hall, London; the Edinburgh Festival ; Liverpool; Glasgow January 29 THE PENTANGLE performed at Coventry Cathedral, to be taped for a BBC-TV special. John Peel, top English DJ, has hosted them frequently, as has BBC-TV and independent network shows.

Their U. S. concert tour arranged through manager Joe Lustig and CMA, takes them to the Fillmore East, February 7-8; The Unicorn, Boston, February 11-15; The Troubadour, Los Angeles, February 18-23; and the Fillmore West, San Francisco, February 27-March 2.

When they return to England, guitarist Jansch makes a speaking appearance at Cambridge to talk about his style.. March 6 they are invited to be the sole British representative at Holland's pop "Grande Gala du Disque", which will be broadcast over Eurovision to all of Western and Eastern Europe and Britain.

PENTANGLE'S two acoustical guitarists. Bert Jansch and John Renbourn are established names in the English folk world Jansch' guitar style is an acknowledged influence on Donovan. and both Jansch and Renbourn ("I started off trying to play like Big Bill Broonzy, and I'm still trying") frequently crop up on album credits Danny Thompson on double bass and Terry Cox on drums, also came to PENTANGLE with a strong studio and session reputation Jacqui McShee singing either solo or with Jansch or Renbourn.. has a clear strong voice that ranges from folk to blues.

Together, PENTANGLE makes music that's strange and wonderful. As John Peel says on the liner notes of their first album, "play this record to those you love."

THE TIMES - TUESDAY JANUARY 7 1969

Music from fiveangles

By Henry Raynor

The difference between The Pentangle and the other groups which compete for our attention, is that it refuses to fit into any of the recognized boxes. It is not a pop group, not a folk group and not a jazz group, but what it attempts is music which is a synthesis of all these and other styles as well as interesting experiments in each of them individually.

Its concert programmes - and its members are more interested in concert-giving than in any other musical activity - consist of music employing all its five members and of works employing only one, two or three of them. Jacqui McShee, the group's singer, tackles un-accompanied and accompanied folk songs, spirituals, blues and a variety of songs in other styles; her first interest was folk song. Danny Thompson, the bass player (who is also a cellist and was once an army-band trombonist), uses Charles Mingus's "Haitian Fight Song" as a theme for improvisations and variations of hair-raising difficulty, and takes a bow to play jazz.style chamber music with the other instrilmentalists, the guitarists Burt Jansch and John Renbourn and the drummer Terry Cox, an cx-chorister of Canterbury Catherdral and Westminster Ahbey.

Bert Jansch, who, like John Renbourn, is a gifted guitarist and not a mere strummer of chords, sings and plays in the blues stvle, out of which grew the songs by which he first became well-known, but he is growing increasingly interested in the folk music of Scotland, where he was born of Austrian and Scottish parents.

John Renbourn began with a rock group, developed into a good folk-music player and has hecome interested in medieval and sixteenth ceentury music; he talks enthusiastically of the "wild free songs " from the middle ages sung by organizations like Musica Reservata.

Thus a Pentangle programme includes folk songs often inventively accompanied (they bring out the originality of Terry Cox), modern songs of their own in a variety of styles, and instrumental pieces which are quite likely to include music by Byrd and Dowland played by John Renbourn with Terry Cox picking out the melody on the glockenspiel. They are unorthodox in other ways, too. They play, often, very gently; they dislike electric guitars though acoustic guitars are harder to play, and are interested in varieties of colour and texture. They dislike playing in clubs, where audiences are less than totally attentive; and they dislike the possibility of making records which can too easily include tricks which would be impossible in front of an audience.

They consciously work in, and wish to draw adherents to, British musical traditions; they do not play to promulgate their social creed, and they are refreshingly funny about themselves and the "pop" and "folk" worlds which impinge on their own lives. They are glad that their fans do not write for information about their habits or for locks of their hair but for information about the music they perform and the techniques they use. For the future, they plan to go on playing all the types of music they like to play while continuing to develop their own style.

This, in January, they will do in a variety of places including the Albert Hall and Coventry Cathedral. In February they will do it in the United States, where the success of their first L.P. record has amazed as well as pleased them.

Back to History


The History of The Pentangle

Formed in 1967, 'The Pentangle' was inspired by 'Bert and John', a collaborative album by folk musicians Bert Jansch (b. 3 November 1943, Glasgow, Scotland) and John Renbourn. Vocalist Jacqui McShee, an established figure on the traditional circuit, who had been working with John for a year and had appeared on his album 'Another Monday' then joined. The lineup was completed by Danny Thompson (b. April 1939; bass) and Terry Cox (drums), both of Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, in a quintet which would also embrace blues and jazz forms.

1969 Press Release
Very early photographs
Jacquis Notes #1
Programme #1



Their respective talents were expertly captured on The Pentangle, where the delicate acoustic interplay between Jansch and Renbourn was brilliantly underscored by Thompson's sympathetic support and McShee's soaring intonation. Stylish original material balanced songs pulled from folk's heritage ('Let No Man Steal Your Thyme', 'Brunton Town'), while the inclusion of the Staple Singers 'Hear My Call' confirmed the group's eclectism. This feature was expanded on the double-set Sweet Child, which included two compositions by jazz bassist Charles Mingus, 'Haitian Fight Song' and 'Goodbye Pork Pie Hat'. The unit enjoyed considerable commercial success with Basket Of Light, which included 'Light Flight', the theme song to the UK television series, Take Three Girls. However, despite an undoubted dexterity and the introduction of muted electric instruments, subsequent releases were marred by a sense of sterility, and lacked the passion of concurrent releases undertaken by the two guitarists.

Top of the Pops





Pentangle was disbanded in 1973, following which Thompson began a partnership with John Martyn. Cox undertook a lucrative session career before backing French singer Charles Aznavour, and while Jansch continued his solo career, McShee fronted the John Renborn Band between 1974-81. The original Pentangle reconvened the following year for a European and Australian tour . Defections owing to outside commitments led to considerable changes. John was replaced by Mike Piggott , (violin and guitar) and `0pen The Door was recorded in 1983. McShee , Jansch , Cox and Piggott were joined by Nigel Porttnan-Smith (bass) for In The Round 1985, but by 1986 Piggott and Cox had departed and were replaced by Rod Clements (guitar, mandolin) and Gerry Conway (drums) to record `So Early in the Spring 1988. Peter Kirtly (guitar) now featured in the group to replace Rod Clements. This particular line-up continued, recording ,`Think Of Tomorrow` in 1991,`One More Road` in 1993 and a live album in Germany , Pentangle Live `94. .





Albums: The Pentangle (1968), Sweet Child (1968), Basket OfLight (1969), Cruel Sister (1970), Reflection (1971), Solomon's Seal (1972), OpenThe Door (1983), In The Round (1985), So Early In The Spring(1988), Think Of Tomorow (1991), One More Road (1993). Compilations: Reflections (1971),History Book (1971), Pentangling (1973), The Pentangle Collection(1975), Anthology (1978), The Essential Pentangle Volume l(1987), The Essential Pentangle Volume 2 (1987), People On TheHighway 1968 - 1971(1993), One More Road (1993).Pentangle-Live 1994.