Though they had fellow British folk-rockers like Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span for company, Pentangle explored a musical world of their own design. Their all-acoustic sound combined traditional British folk with jazz, rock and Indian music, much as American groups like the Airplane and the Dead were mating their roots with other influences. BASKET OF LIGHT is perhaps the finest of Pentangle's excellent early recordings.

The focal point is crystal-voiced singer Jacqui McShee, capable of giving peer Sandy Denny a run for her money. Master guitarists Bert Jansch and John Renbourn's interplay is magical throughout, and when they take to banjo and sitar respectively on "House Carpenter," they sound equally at home. Much of the jazz feel is provided by eminently swinging bassist Danny Thompson (the only man capable of making "Sally Go Round the Roses" groove) and loose-limbed drummer Terry Cox. Whether contributing jazzy rhythmic punctuation or delicate glockenspiel ("Once I Had a Sweetheart"), Cox is a gem. BASKET OF LIGHT belongs right alongside LIEGE AND LEIF and PLEASE TO SEE THE KING.

Though they had fellow British folk-rockers like Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span for company, Pentangle explored a musical world of their own design. Their all-acoustic sound combined traditional British folk with jazz, Indian raga, American country blues, and early classical music, much as American groups like the Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead were mating their folk roots with other influences. BASKET OF LIGHT is perhaps the finest of Pentangle's excellent early recordings.

UK remastered reissue of the British folk super-group's 1969 album. Includes 4 bonus tracks, two alternate versions of 'Sally Go Round The Roses', 'Cold Mountain' (B-side single) & 'I Saw An Angel' (B-side single). 2001 release.


  Folk Hits Of The '60S CD
  by Compilation
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The folk scene of the '60s is often portrayed as self-indulgent and lacking in the humor department. Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, and Tim Buckley certainly didn't come across as ideal candidates for a Laugh-In walk on! These guys were serious artists with serious things to say -- and things to protest against, too. But there actually was a much lighter side to the folk scene of the '60s, although the artists involved are largely forgotten. When actor/writer/director Christopher Guest and friends poked fun at the scene in the 2003 film A Mighty Wind, it made it easier to appreciate the music again. Possibly inspired by the critical success of the film, this compilation shows the lighter side of folk, with nice melodies, wonderful harmonies, and little dab of bubblegum thrown in for good measure.

There are a few influential tracks that were recorded before the '60s (Harry Belafonte's "Day-O" and Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land," to name a few), but the rest of the tracks are cut from the commercially viable cloth, and they fit like a glove! Judy Collins' "Both Sides Now," the Rooftop Singers' "Walk Right In," Bobby Darin's "If I Were a Carpenter," and Gale Garnett's "We'll Sing in the Sunshine" are bona fide folk classics that can brighten up a dark day in hell. This may be folk, but it's also about feeling, and these songs feel good! Not convinced? Then just dig the Sandpipers' "Guantanamera," the Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," and Trini Lopez's "If I Had a Hammer" for proof! Protest songs? We don't need no stinkin' protest songs! ~ Steve "Spaz" Schnee

  Tribute To Steve Goodman CD
  by Tribute
Our Price: $12.19 CD / $10.89 MP3
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TRIBUTE TO STEVE GOODMAN was recorded live at a benefit concert held in memory of singer/songwriter Steve Goodman.
A Tribute to Steve Goodman culls the contents of a live performance at the Arts Crown Theatre by a variety of artists. While not every song here was recorded or written by Goodman, the concert is more a testament to the great affection these performers felt for Goodman and his music, and that sentiment comes through regardless of what's being played onstage. Performers include John Prine, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Arlo Guthrie, Richie Havens, Bonnie Raitt, David Bromberg, Jethro Burns, Fred Holstein, and Bryan Bowers, among many others. ~ Steve Huey

Personnel: David Bromberg (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Ed Holstein, John Prine, Bonnie Raitt (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar); Fred Holstein, Harry Waller, Michael Smith (vocals, acoustic guitar); Jeff Hanna, John Burns (vocals, electric guitar); John Hartford (vocals, banjo); Bryan Bowers (vocals, autoharp); Jimmy Ibbotson (vocals, mandolin); Arlo Guthrie (vocals, piano); Johnny Lee Schell, Richie Havens, Bob Carpenter, Bonnie Koloc (vocals); John Perrot, John McEuen (guitar, acoustic guitar); Steve Burgh (electric guitar); Don Stiernberg, Jethro Burns (mandolin); Bob Hoban (fiddle, electric piano); David Amram (flute); Howard Levy (harmonica, recorder, piano); Jim Rothermel (recorder, saxophone, soprano saxophone); Angie Varias, Tom Radtke, Jimmie Fadden (drums); Peter Bunetta (percussion); Ellen Germaine, Diane Holmes, Nancy Bromberg, Bonnie Herman (background vocals).

  Keep Your Soul: A Tribute To Doug Sahm CD
  by Tribute
Our Price: $15.05 CD
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Despite a couple of hits (1965's "She's About A Mover" and 1969's "Mendocino"), the Sir Douglas Quintet's Doug Sahm remained something of a cult favorite as of the release of 2009's KEEP YOUR SOUL: A TRIBUTE TO DOUG SAHM. Fittingly--since Sahm was both the consummate musician's musician and a master of Texas rock, country, blues, and tex-mex--the album finds artists (most of them Texan) from across the genre spectrum covering tracks by the Lone Star god. From blues stalwarts like Jimmy Vaughan ("Why, Why, Why") to former Afghan Whig Greg Dulli ("You Was For Real"), the collection mirrors the breadth of a talent producer Jerry Wexler called "the most gifted, the most versatile" he had ever worked with.

The versions that keep the most faithful to Sahm's gleefully loose and rhythmic border rock like Delbert McClinton's reading of "Texas Me" or the Gourds' "Nuevo Laredo" are the stand-outs here--along with the version of "Mendocino" by Sahm's son Shawn, who sounds scarily like his dad.

Photographers: Baron Wolman; Scott Newton.Dirty Linen
(p.50) - "[I]t is one memorable celebration as the cream of the Lone Star State's music scene, including Alejandro Escovedo, Dave Alvin, Delbert McClinton, and Jimmy Vaughn, step up to honor one of their own." Billboard (p.29) - "Sahm's forever groovy mastery of counter-culture vernacular is illustrated by Los Lobos' rendition of 'It Didn't Even Bring Me Down'..."


  Fingerpicking Guitar Delights CD
  by Compilation
Our Price: $14.75 CD
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Here's a 25-track compilation of material produced by guitarist Stefan Grossman in the 1970s. Six fingerpicking guitarists -- Duck Baker, Ton Van Bergeyk, Dale Evans (not the cowgirl), Leo Wijnkamp Jr., and Lasse Johansson & Claes Palmqvist -- contribute, offering a variety of approaches and styles, including ragtime, Dixieland, bluegrass, and Celtic. ~ Roundup newsletter Duck Baker,Ton Van Bergeyk and others.

Performers include: Duck Baker, Ton Van Bergeyk, Dave Evans, Lasse Johansson, Claes Palmqvist, Leo Wijnkamp, Jr.Dirty Linen (Apr/May 93, p.90) - "...these 25 instrumentals touch on ragtime, celtic, cajun, pre-new age atmospherics, modal improvising, pop standards, blues, classical, swing, and other styles difficult to classify, all performed with flair, originality and impeccable technique..."

  Last Day At Gettysburg CD
  by History
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It should be pointed out that Last Day at Gettysburg is subtitled Songs About the American Civil War and not Songs From the America Civil War, since nearly everything here is done in contemporary bluegrass style, and bluegrass was still some 80 years away from its genesis when the War Between the States was fought. Last Day at Gettysburg is actually a sampler of Rebel Records artists disguised as a thematic release, and while certainly all of these tracks touch on the war, there's a certain revisionist feel about the project, as if everything were freshly done up in sepia.

There are some strong songs here, including the title tune (written by Gary Ferguson and a bluegrass hit for Larry Sparks), the "Atlanta Is Burning" waltz by the Wildwood Valley Boys, and two striking songs, "General Lee" and "Heroes," by the late, great Jimmy Arnold, drawn from his lost early-'80s masterpiece, Southern Soul. In the end, mixing bluegrass with Civil War themes is a bit like sword fighting with lasers -- it looks cool, and it might even be fun, as long as you don't mistake it for a real sword fight. ~ Steve Leggett

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