New on DVD

Bert Jansch

Fresh as a Sweet Sunday Morning | MVD

By JEFF TAMARKIN | November 13, 2007

3.0 Stars

Jimmy Page admitted being “absolutely obsessed” with him. Neil Young, Donovan, and Paul Simon worshipped him. So you could safely say that Bert Jansch’s influence on his fellow musos of the ’60s was significant. The Scottish acoustic guitarist, singer, and songwriter never made much of an impact on the general American audience — though some still fondly remember Pentangle, the folk-rock group he helmed with guitarist John Renbourn — but the knowing few who’ve been in his thrall will consider this 2006 Sheffield concert DVD manna. The 100-minute performance finds Jansch as nimble-fingered as he was four decades earlier, sitting alone on stage as he samples his own song catalogue, covers favored writers, and amiably spins tales of the songs’ origins. Some of the material goes back to his earliest days — “Strolling Down the Highway” is from his 1965 solo debut — and some is drawn from his latest, last year’s critically lauded The Black Swan. (Pentangle, alas, is ignored.) Jansch still isn’t much of a vocalist, but he never really had to be: his fingers say everything that need be said.

Related: Cinematic blunders, Rare, please!, Flashbacks, May 12, 2006, More

Topics: New on DVD , Entertainment, Music, Paul Simon, More

| More

ARTICLES BY JEFF TAMARKIN

NEW YORK DOLLS | DANCING BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS | March 17, 2011
The new New York Dolls have now been around longer - and released more albums (three) - than the old New York Dolls, and they're commemorating that new longevity by letting go of any compulsion they may have still harbored to honor their designation as "punk-rock progenitors."

BLACK JOE LEWIS & THE HONEYBEARS | SCANDALOUS | March 09, 2011
The soul revival has been going on long enough now that maybe it's a not a bad idea to stop calling it a revival at all.

BRYAN FERRY | OLYMPIA | October 19, 2010
From the Kate Moss cover pic to the A-list of guest stars to the reunion with original Roxy Music members Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera, and Andy Mackay, Olympia screams, "EVENT!"

OLD 97'S | THE GRAND THEATRE | October 12, 2010
When Old 97's are on — which they are most of the time on their eighth studio album — they're very, very on.

DAR WILLIAMS | MANY GREAT COMPANIONS | October 05, 2010
The companions of the title are Dar Williams's songs, which the singer-songwriter revisits here two different ways.