Search - Bert Jansch, John Renbourn :: After the Dance

Guitarists' delight

C. H Smith | Bowling Green, Kentucky United States | 12/03/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This anthology supplements most of the material from the album "Bert and John" (later released as "Stepping Stones" in the States) with six or seven duets taken from Bert Jansch and Pentangle albums from the same general period, 1966 to 1968. A good idea, as it allows listeners to hear Jansch and Renbourn both in the context of unaccompanied duet, and in their role as the duel driving forces of Pentangle. Jansch and Renbourn were perhaps the most celebrated acoustic guitar duo from this period, and the material still shines: pieces like 'Hole in the Coal,' 'Three Part Thing,' and 'After the Dance' itself have so much drive, yet elegance..."

Some great music by Bert & John - Pentangle tracks detract

C. H Smith | 01/25/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I seldom see this or any of the various Bert & John repackagings
in stores these days (e.g., the Stepping Stones & Extra Tracks Cds). I bought Bert & John's early duo album on vinyl in about
1974 & just recently got around to buying this CD. It's great to
have tracks like Tic-tockative, Goodbye Porkpie Hat & Orlando
on CD. This CD omits Bert's 2 vocals from the original LP - The Time Has Come & Soho. Also, several instrumental tracks by Pentangle are included here - they are basically modal jams, featuring a lot of one-chord riffing by Jansch, Renbourn & bassist Danny Thompson. Perhaps Pentangle is worth including for historical purposes, but their tracks are not up to the level of the duets, either as compositions or performances. This is just
my own opinion, of course. I recommend the album to acoustic
guitar players as well as any Jansch/Renbourn/Pentangle fans."

A Hidden Gem

Dan Engelberg | Montreal, Quebec Canada | 01/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This breathtaking album showcases a series of spellbinding and perfect dialogues between two masters of acoustic guitar. Although normally classified under "folk", the album is an extraordinary and seamless fusion of blues, jazz, celtic/British, bluegrass and baroque counterpoint. The music combines strong and catchy melodies, driving rhythms and strategically advanced composition. An extraordinarily intense driving energy pervades this album, and as the last few notes echo in your ears, you are left with the feeling of having been in the presence of pure, bright liquid light, emanating from a pitch-black background. The pieces are hauntingly beautiful, each track highly distinctive.This album is a master course in dialogue and composition. I've listened to it an uncountable number of times, and I'm still learning from it. If my house caught on fire and I could rescue only one album, I would choose this one."