Track Listing

1. Fresh As A Sweet Sunday Morning
2. Chambertin
3. One For Jo
4. Travelling Man
5. Open Up The Watergate (Let The Sunshine In)
6. Stone Monkey
7. Of Love And Lullaby
8. Needle Of Death
9. Lady Nothing
10. There Comes A Time
11. Cluck Old Hen
12. Blacksmith
13. Open Up The Watergate (Let The Sunshine In)
14. One For Jo
15. Blacksmith
16. In The Bleak Mid Winter
17. LA Turnaround...The Movie

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1652 in Music
• Released on: 2009-06-15
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: CD
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Uncut Magazine, July 2009.
'Best ever Sunday Morning LP, now on CD' *****

Record Collector, August 2009
'Bert Jansch is such a remarkably singular talent that each of his works stands apart from the folk canon, let alone the wider world of pop music.' *****

Mojo Magazine, July 2009
'Folk genius and maverick Monkee create country fresh gem... includes an astonishingly intimate 13-minute film of the initial sessions at Jansch's house, which captures the magical incongruence of the entire project' *****

Customer Reviews

Fresh as a fine Bert Jansch long lost gem

Glasgow-born Bert Jansch burst upon the British mid-sixties folk scene as a virtuoso guitarist with a highly innovative, individual style that creatively blended various strands of British Isles music, blues and jazz. His influence - acknowledged or not - on countless guitarists from the sixties and seventies proved highly influential on the rock scene of that period. Jansch was also a fine composer and vocalist.

After solo recordings and collaborations with John Renbourn (another virtuoso axeman), the two of them formed the Pentangle, a major acoustic group, at the turn of 1967. Other group members included Jacqui McShee (vocals), Danny Thompson (bass) and Terry Cox (drums). This (mostly) acoustic "super group" was both critically and commercially successful, particularly among rock and pop fans. They disbanded - or rather drifted away - in 1973.

Bert Jansch did not wait the disintegration of the group to release solo LP's again. He released "Rosemary Lane" (1971) and the excellent "Moonshine" 1973) for the Reprise label. The latter album was a beautiful album produced by Danny Thompson (who also played bass) and arranged by Tony Visconti (already well known for his work with Marc Bolan, Ralph McTell, David Bowie, Roy Harper and the Strawbs to name a few). Visconti's input was probably meant to bring Bert Jansch more commercial attention.

In 1973, Jansch and Danny Thompson began recording tracks at CBE in Paris. Reprise, however, was not interested by the tapes. Tony Stratton-Smith signed Jansch to his "Famous Charisma Label". In a move also designed to add commercial appeal to Jansch performances, the label boss hired ex-Monkee Michael Nesmith to produce what was the first of three Charisma releases. (Michael Nesmith had, by this time, become a groundbreaking country-rock artist).

Being well acquainted with both Jansch's work (solo and with the Pentangle) and Michael Nesmith's RCA releases, I duly bought "L. A. Turnaround" when it was released on Charisma CAS 1090. The original LP came with an insert containing the lyrics to nine of the tracks. These are included in the CD booklet.

Jansch rescued two of his Danny Thompson produced 1973 Paris recordings. "Chambertin" is an easy-flowing instrumental that may be a tribute to the famous Burgundy vineyard. "Lady Nothing" is another instrumental. It first appeared as John Renbourn's adaptation of a medieval composition under the title of "Lady Nothinge's Toye Puffe". The track was included on Renbourn's "Another Monday" LP (1967). Jansch plays without backing musicians on these two tracks.

Jansch reprised his own "signature" song, "Needle of Death" (with some musical sweetening from Red Rhodes). This version is well worth hearing. He also covered two traditional numbers (the well-known Appalachian standard "Cluck Old Hen" and a Doc Watson tune featuring new lyrics written by Jansch and titled "The Blacksmith").

All of the material, and particularly Jansch's originals, are quite brilliant in composition as well as in execution.

The LP was mostly recorded in England by Ron Nevison using the R.L.S (Ronnie Lane's Mobile studio). A majority of tracks feature Jansch backed with Orville "Red" Rhodes (Nesmith's steel guitar sidekick), Klaus Voorman (bass), Mike Nesmith (acoustic guitar) and Denny Lane (drums).
Additional recording and overdubs took place at Sound City, California. American musicians like guitarists Jesse Ed Davis ("Indian Ed") and Jay Lacy, fiddler Byron Berline and pianist Mike Cohen were brought in.

It is interesting to note that this was one of Michael Nesmith's rare outside production jobs. It occurred at a time when he had his own, albeit short lived, "Countryside" production company/record label. Apart from Orville "Red" Rhodes ("Velvet Hammer in a Cowboy Hand", 1973), Garland Frady ("Garland Frady Sings Pure Country", 1973) and Ian Matthews ("Valley Hi", 1973) and Nesmith's own "And The Hits Kept On Coming" (1972) and "Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash" (1973) not much else emerged from "Countryside" (although there was also some collaboration - including co-writing - with Linda Hargrove).

Nesmith mixed the record which was ultimately mastered in London. The recording quality is very good with a lot of "air" around the instruments.

Shortly after these sessions, "Countryside" folded and Michael Nesmith quit RCA to launch his Pacific Arts label.

I originally found, and still find, that this album is a real highlight from Jansch's discography. Nesmith did bring an attractive country touch to the proceedings. The intertwining between Jansch's balladry and Red Rhodes intuitive playing, in particular, is nothing short from breathtaking. The sound is suitably laid-back.

The lyrics are, mainly, lighter than they had been on previous Jansch recordings. Nesmith's country touch also makes for a very fine singer/songwriter recording. This is one of my three favorite Jansch albums. I would be really hard-pressed to find any sub-standard track here.

The album under review includes previously unissued, alternative takes of tracks 1, 2 and 3. The last track, "In the Bleak Mid Winter", was recorded in late 1974 by Jansch as a forgettable Christmas single.

The original and bonus tracks have been perfectly remastered and/or remixed by Peter Mew with Bert Jansch at Abbey Road Studios. This CD is "enhanced". It includes about 13 minutes of film capturing Jansch, Nesmith and Rhodes rehearsing/recording at Tony Stratton-Smith's Sussex mansion. This is a nice touch. Just put the CD in your computer drive and see and hear for yourself.

This is, clearly, a reissue that is worth buying for its musical (and visual) riches rather than solely for its scarcity on vinyl.

This reissue, supervised by Jansch, is very nicely packaged. The original artwork is augmented with contemporary pictures and memorabilia and liner notes.

This masterpiece has aged wonderfully.

"An album to feel for , an album to love".
One of those artists whose name has often cropped up when I ,ve been reading about music I must confess to knowing absolutely zilch about Bert Jansch prior to buying this CD copy of his 1974 album L.A.Turnaround which was recorded soon after the final demise of his band Pentangle in 1973.Recorded in both Paris and Los Angeles though many of the tracks were "Laid Down " in amongst the English countryside at the home of Tony Stratton Smith whose "Famous Charisma " label he had signed for the album was produced by former Monkee Michael Nesmith,along with Danny Thompson.
The influence of Nesbitt ,considered by many to be the godfather of country rock is evident in the music's embracing of American influences. The steel guitar of Red Rhodes , the fiddle and mandolin of Byron Berline and the guitar work of the late Jesse Ed Davis all makes this especially palpable. Beatle cohort Klaus Voorman plays bass ,Danny Lane drums and there is some flashy electric piano from Michael Cohen.
Considered to be a classic folk album L.A.Turnaround has long been unavailable on CD and comes with four bonus tracks and a thirteen minute ECD shot in cinema verite style and showcasing Bert recording four songs from the albums sessions.
Yet to be honest I found the album a little dull and one dimensional on first listen .However this is often the case with truly great albums and further forays into it's delights with ears fully attentive proved there here is an album full of bucolic charms, breezy but brilliant musicianship and a series of seamlessly arranged laid back songs that take sudden and delightful little forays into jazz ( the piano on "The Blacksmith " , especially the alternate version ) ."Stone Monkey "even adds a touch of funk into the bass line and percussion .
Highlights includes the lovely lilting "Fresh As A Sweet Sunday Morning " which is apt as this would be considered by many as ideal Sunday morning music, the reflective "There Comes A Time " the gossamer coated chords of "One For Joan the undulating low level funk of "Travelling Man ". The bonus track "In The Bleak Midwinter " was a Christmas single in 1974 but was bit too dark for the jollified Xmas market so it bombed.It,s a wonderful song though , which the insert notes tell us was produced by Ralph McTell who after the session recorded the single "Streets Of London " with the same personnel and went on to have a sizable hit with that. Such are the vagaries of the music business.
L.A. Turnaround was so hard to come by that Bert Jansch had to buy a vinyl copy off eBay ,something I wouldn't wish on anyone. It's not difficult to see why he would cherish it so . Now the album that Melody Maker called at the time "Not far off being the perfect album " is freely available on C.D. We should all lap it up. To quote those notes again this is "An album to feel for , an album to love ".

At last a rare gem reappears - new Jansch fans: start here
I have nursed my copy of this wonderful album on cassette for the last 35 years, so you can imagine my relief at finally being able to retire it for this newly released CD.

This was the first album Bert Jansch released as a solo artist after breaking from Pentangle in the early 70s and to my mind it has always marked the high point of his career.

This release is remarkable not only for its content (some of the most enduring and critically aclaimed songs on Jansch's career) but also its production. Produced by Mike Nesmith (yes, the ex-Monkee), Nesmith also brought with him his long time buddy and pedal steel guitarist, Red Rhodes. The extraordinary combination of Jansch's inspiring guitar playing with Rhodes' inspired pedal steel is in turns both amazing and ethereal. An unlikely marriage on paper, on record it creates a marvellous ambiance to Jansch's searching songs. Bear in mind that Jansch is often regarded as one of the best british guitarists of his generation and that Rhodes dominated ped steel playing in his era, as well. Marvellous!

Another marvellous aspect is the addition of a 15 minutes documentary of the making of L A Turnaround. Very revealing and a fantastic visual record of Jansch at the top of his game.

All in all, for any Jansch fan an absolute gem.

And for new fans, perhaps directed here by Jansch's recent collaboration with younger artists, I have no hesitation for once in recommending a back catalogue item as a starting point. Essential.