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Bert Jansch - River Sessions Audio CD

A fair review of the Bert Jansch "River Sessions" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Bert Jansch reviews here, or go back to the Bert Jansch tabs.

Bert Jansch Band: Bert Jansch
Title: River Sessions
Rating:
Release Date: 2004-05-24
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Build Another Band 2: I’Ve Got A Feeling 3: One For Jo 4: Blacksmith 5: Travellin Man 6: Lady Nothing 7: Fresh As A Sweet Sunday Morning 8: Angi 9: Stone Monkey 10: Dance Lady Dance 11: When I Get Home 12: In The Bleak Mid-Winter 13: Running From Home 14: Chambertin

Vintage live Jansch plus some essential rarities
In addition to the great performances of the songs, it contains plenty of the eccentric and rambling banter that Bert is known for. Bert Jansch's River Sessions live album is an excellent Jansch album for several reasons:
1) The performance and the recording (especially considering it is a low-fi live album) are top-notch.
2) It contains unique performances of the songs. While some of the songs sound very close to their studio originals, many are entirely different. Most of the songs here are arguably improvements over their studio originals, and "Dance Lady Dance" in particular is a revelation. In its studio incarnation, Jansch's guitar is completely dubbed over with a dixieland band, but this version reveals one of his most interesting and unique guitar performances.
One reviewer referred to LA TURNAROUND and SANTA BARBARA HONEYMOON as Bert Jansch's weakest albums, but I strongly disagree. While SB HONEYMOON's slick, reverb-heavy production mars some of its tracks, it works very well on others and, in the end, the album is saved by its handful of successful songs and the novelty of it being the only album within the Jansch catalogue that sounds quite like that.
The SB HONEYMOON tracks that appear on THE RIVER SESSIONS are all ones that fall short in their studio incarnations, which makes THE RIVER SESSIONS all the more essential.
LA TURNAROUND, on the other hand, is probably one of Jansch's 5 best albums, as it contains one of his most consistent sets of songs and the California country musicians, while unfamiliar, do add an interesting mix to Jansch's sound. Some of the LA songs on THE RIVER SESSIONS sound very close to their studio versions, but a few sound very different. The LA songs were not as much in need of "rehabilitation" as the SB songs, but their alternate versions here are still very much worth owning.
In addition to playing tunes from his California albums on Charisma records, he also brings out two Pentangle tunes. While these songs also sound fine in their original incarnations, Jansch's solo performances are a good addition to his catalogue.
Usually live albums are mainly of interest to fans of the artist. I'd thought this was the case with THE RIVER SESSIONS, since much of my appreciation of it comes from my familiarity with other versions of the songs. But I once played this album for someone who'd never heard of Bert Jansch and they were immediately hooked, which doesn't often happen when I play his more famous albums (ROSEMARY LANE, for instance, doesn't seem to hook non-fans).
So, whether you're a casual Jansch fan or a hardcore collector, this album is essential.


A great place to start
If you don't know Jansch yet, then you'll love him after hearing this. If you already love Burt Jansch, you'll love this recording. Recorded at the height of his powers, his voice still young and strong, his guitar playing inovative but mature, if this doesn't knock your hat in the creek it must be nailed to your head. This is simply great stuff.


Great Lost Jansch album
If you are a Jansch fan you should rate this as ESSENTIAL for several reasons. This recording is among the most providential archival discoveries of it's era. For me the most compelling is that it contains perfectly executed renditions of several Jansch songs drawn from the controversial 'Charisma phase' of Bert's recording career.
The Charisma label signed Bert in 1974, just after the breakup of Pentangle. He recorded three albums for them, L. A. Turnaround, Santa Barbara Honeymoon and A Rare Conundrum. The first two, in particular, are probably Jansch's all-time least regarded releases. They featured U. S. recording sessions with over-the-top arrangements which completely overwhelmed Bert's subtle and delicate singing and playing.
Getting back to the River Sessions, songs from the above albums are performed solo and the effect is revelatory. Stone Monkey, The Blacksmith and Build a New Band are completely rehabilitated, downright vindicated, and are now ready to take their proper place in the Jansch canon.
Sure, Blackwaterside and Angie are here too, and wonderfully performed, but for me the Charisma songs are the real treasure .


You can see a complete list of all Bert Jansch discography, or go back to the Bert Jansch tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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