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John Renbourn

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John Renbourn (born August 8, 1944, Marylebone, North London, England) is a British guitarist and songwriter. He is possibly best-known for his collaboration with guitarist Bert Jansch as well as his work with the folk group Pentangle, although he maintained a solo career both before, during and after that band's existence (1967-1973).

While most commonly labelled a folk musician, Renbourn's musical tastes and interests take in early music, classical music, blues and world music. His most influential album, Sir John Alot (1968), featured his take on songs from the Medieval era.

John Renbourn on the Custom House Square stage at New Bedford Summerfest 2005. Photograph by Thom C.

Career

John Renbourn studied classical guitar at school and it was during this period that he was introduced to Early Music. In the 1950s, along with many others, he was greatly influenced by the musical craze of "Skiffle" and this eventually led him to explore the work of artists such as Leadbelly, Josh White and Big Bill Broonzy.

In the 1960s the new craze in popular music was Rhythm and Blues, also the impact of Davey Graham was being felt. In 1961 Renbourn toured the South West with Mac MacLeod and repeated the tour in 1963. Renbourn briefly played in an R'n'B band while studying at the Kingston College of Art in London. Although the British 'Folk Revival' was underway at this time, most folk clubs were biased towards traditional, unaccompanied folk songs and guitar players were not always welcome. However the Roundhouse in London had a more tolerant attitude and here, John Renbourn joined Blues and Gospel singer Dorris Henderson, playing backing guitar and recording two albums with her.

Possibly the best known London venue for contemporary folk music in the early 1960s was "Les Cousins" in Greek Street, Soho, which became the main meeting place for guitar players and contemporary singer-songwriters from Britain and America. Around 1963, Renbourn teamed up with guitarist Bert Jansch who was visiting London from Edinburgh and together they developed an intricate duet style that became known as "folk baroque". Their album "Bert and John" is a fine example of their playing.

Renbourn released several albums on the Transatlantic label during the 1960s. Two of them, "Sir John Alot" and "Lady And The Unicorn" sum up Renbourn's playing style and material from this period. "Sir John Alot" has a mixture of jazz/blues/folk playing alongside a more classical/early music style. "Lady And The Unicorn" is heavily influenced by Renbourn's interest in early music.

At around this time, Renbourn also started playing with Jacqui McShee who sang traditional British folk songs. Together with Bert Jansch, bassist Danny Thompson and drummer Terry Cox, they went on to form Pentangle. The group became very successful, touring America in 1968, playing at the Carnegie Hall and at the Newport Folk Festival.

Renbourn went on to record more solo albums in the Seventies and Eighties. Much of the music is based on traditional material with a Celtic influence, interwoven with other styles. He also collaborated with American guitarist Stefan Grossman in the late 1970s recording two albums with him, which at times hark back to the folk baroque days with Bert Jansch.

In the mid-1980s Renbourn went back to university to earn a degree in composition, since which time he has focused mainly on writing classical music, while still performing in folk settings.

Renbourn continues to record and tour. In 2005 he toured Japan (his fifth tour of that country) with Tokio Uchida and Woody Mann. In 2006 he played at number of venues in England, including appearances with Robin Williamson and with Jacqui McShee. In the same year, he was working on a new solo album and collaborated with Clive Carroll on the score for the film Driving Lessons directed by Jeremy Brock.

Guitars

In Renbourn's early recordings, he was using a Scarth guitar. Scarths were British-made guitars, mainly used by dance band players, having maple back and sides, arched top, and tailpiece (like most jazz guitars), but featuring a round soundhole. The guitar is clearly visible on the cover of the 1965 John Renbourn album.

In the mid 1960s, he acquired a Gibson J-50. This was the main acoustic guitar that he used through the late 1960s and early 1970s: for example, he is seen playing it in the cover picture of the 1971 Faro Annie album. Through that period, he also used a Gibson ES-335 "dot", semi-acoustic guitar, playing it fingerstyle as well as for lead lines.

In the mid 1970s, Renbourn acquired a Guild D-55 which he used on several albums, including his collaborations with Stefan Grossman. Later in the 1970s, having seen the Franklin guitar owned by Grossman, he started using a Franklin OM guitar, based on the style of Martin OM guitars, made by Nick Kukich who founded the Franklin guitar company. Renbourn continues to use this guitar and another OM-style instrument, made by Ralph Bown in 1985.

Discography

Solo albums

  • John Renbourn (1965)
  • Another Monday (1967)
  • Sir John A Lot of Merry Englandes Musyk Thynge and ye Grene Knyghte (1968)
  • The Lady and the Unicorn (1970)
  • Faro Annie (1972)
  • So Clear (1973)
  • Heads and Tails (1973)
  • The Guitar of John Renbourn (1976, released 2005, aka The Guitar Artistry of John Renbourn)
  • The Hermit (1976)
  • The Black Balloon (1979)
  • One Morning Very Early (1979)
  • Under the Volcano (1980)
  • Enchanted Garden (1980)
  • The Nine Maidens (1986)
  • Shines Bright (1987)
  • Folk Blues of John Renbourn (1988)
  • Medieval Almanac (1989)
  • Will the Circle Be Unbroken (1995)
  • Lost Sessions (1996)
  • Traveller's Prayer (1998)

Group albums

With The John Renbourn Group

With Ship of Fools

  • Ship of Fools (1988)

Collaborations

With Dorris Henderson

  • There You Go (1965)
  • Watch the Stars (1967)

With Stefan Grossman

  • Live In (1978)
  • John Renbourn and Stefan Grossman (1978)
  • Keeper of the Vine (1982)
  • The Three Kingdoms (1986)
  • Snap a Little Owl (1997)

With Bert Jansch

  • Bert and John (1966)
  • After The Dance (1992)

With Bert Jansch and Conundrum

  • Thirteen Down (1979)

Compilations

  • The Essential Collection Vol 1: The Soho Years (1986)
  • The Essential Collection Vol 2: The Moon Shines Bright (1987)
  • Essential John Renbourn (1992)
  • Collection (1995)
  • Definitive Transatlantic Collection (1998)

Live albums

  • Live in America (1981) - The John Renbourn Group
  • Live ... In Concert (1984) - John Renbourn and Stefan Grossman.

DVDs

  • Rare Performances 1965 - 1995 (2004)
  • In Concert (2004)
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