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 under appreciated 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 line-up 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 (AMG)
