John Renbourn announces UK tour dates

Exactly 40 years to the day that unique British folk/jazz 'supergroup' Pentangle recorded the live disc of their seminal double album, Sweet Child, at London's Royal Festival Hall, the original band: Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Jacqui McShee, Danny Thompson and Terry Cox, will return to the Royal Festival Hall to celebrate their legacy.

The band was formed in 1967 by hip young guitar slingers Bert Jansch and John Renbourn (a graduate of Dartington College of Arts Music programme), already leading lights of the folk scene at the time thanks to their startlingly innovative songs and guitar playing. John added extraordinary vocalist Jacqui McShee, an established singer on the traditional circuit, along with hugely experienced and talented jazz rhythm section Danny Thompson (acoustic bass) and Terry Cox (drums). The two had originally performed together in Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated and with numerous well-known names on the London jazz scene.

With their unique jazz/folk fusion Pentangle quickly became both stars of the underground and darlings of the mainstream. From humble beginnings at the Horseshoe Hotel in Tottenham Court Road, the heart of swinging '60s London, Pentangle's first concert appearance as a band was at The Royal Festival Hall on 27 May 1967. They went on to enjoy an unprecedented degree of success worldwide for an acoustic band, performing regularly at The Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall, The Fillmore East (alongside Canned Heat and Rhinoceros), The Fillmore West (alongside The Grateful Dead), Newport Folk Festival and two Isle of Wight Festivals - amongst many other prestigious shows.

Pentangle's eponymous debut album was released in May 1968 on Transatlantic and they went on to record four more classic albums for the label. The live disc of their seminal double album Sweet Child was recorded at The Royal Festival Hall in London on 29 June 1968 and the album (one live disc and one studio disc) appeared in November 1968. Their third album, Basket of Light, was released in October 1969 and contained their hit single ‘Light Flight' which was the theme tune for the BBC's hugely popular series Take Three Girls. Basket of Light was followed by Cruel Sister in November 1970 and Reflection in October 1971, before the band signed to Reprise for 1972's Solomon's Seal. This proved to be the last album from the original line up who played their final UK shows in November of that year. Rumours of the group splitting up surfaced in January and were confirmed by the spring of 1973.

Pentangle's influence and musical impact is still revered and relevant today, as evidenced by the critical and commercial acclaim for The Time Has Come - the lavish and definitive four CD box set released in March 2007 - and Pentangle's BBC Radio 2 Lifetime Achievement Award presented in February 2007 at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards by Sir David Attenborough - as well as by legions of young emulators and self-confessed disciples on the current music scene.

Republished from www.myspace.com/pentangle  

UK tour dates

Sun 6 July Oxford, New Theatre 0844 847 1585

Mon 7 July London, Lyceum Theatre 0844 412 1742

Wed 9 July Manchester, Palace Theatre 0844 847 2328

Thu 10 July Harrogate, International Centre 0845 130 8840

Sat 12 July Gateshead, The Sage 0191 443 4661

Sun 13 July Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall 0141 353 8000

Mon 14 July Liverpool, Philharmonic 0151 709 3789

For more information about the Uk tour and ticket information, please visit  www.john-renbourn.com 

Guitar summer school

 John is also running a guitar summer school at The Old School House, Wasserkoog, Denmark from 10 -14 August. 

Further details from: www.john-renbourn.com

For further information about BA(Hons) Music at University College Falmouth, visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/music, email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01803 862224.

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