An Acoustic Hour With Bert Jansch (Live)

iTunes Review

An Acoustic Hour With Bert Jansch is a re-release of The River Sessions. Released in 2004, The River Sessions was an exciting find for Bert Jansch fans. It’s a fantastic acoustic show recorded at City Hall in Glasgow on November 18, 1974 around the time of Jansch’s most experimental phase and the release of L.A. Turnaround and Santa Barbara Honeymoon. The emphasis is heavy on Turnaround, with half the concert being derived from the album. Considering that Turnaround was one of Jansch’s band-supported albums and that these are solo performances, the “alternate” feel of the album is undeniable. The chance to hear tunes such as “Fresh As A Sweet Sunday Morning,” “Travelling Man” and “Stone Monkey” on the solo stage is an unexpected treat. It’s as if Jansch put aside his traditional British folk roots for a time (with the exception of the sweet instrumentals, “Lady Nothing” and “Angi”) and created a new career for himself as a modern day singer-songwriter. Even his voice has a tenderness not often heard. This is a brilliant find.