It had been eight years since the breakup of the original Pentangle (which featured the equally gifted British folk artist Bert Jansch)) when John Renbourn released this album featuring original Pentangle vocalist Jacqui McShee. This was the John Renbourn Group's second album with this lineup (the other being the lovely A Maid In Bedlam) and it contains many of the elements of the Pentangle sound. The music is firmly rooted in the English folk tradition, yet it also incorporates elements of jazz, blues and classical music. Each member of the group is an accomplished musician. "The Month of May Is Past/Night Orgies" features a dulcimer solo (provided by John Molineaux) enlisting the use of a phase shifter. McShee adds her clear-as-a-bell vocals to "The Cruel Mother" and the drinking song "Ye Mariners All." The 11-minute instrumental "Sidi Brahim" showcases the group's jazzier side with solos from Renbourn (guitar), Molineaux (dulcimer) Tony Roberts (flute) and Keshlav Sathe (tabla, an intrument which adds an Indian influence on many of the tracks). My favorite track, however, is "John Barleycorn Is Dead." And, of course, Renbourn's playing throughout illustrates why he is regarded as one of the best fingerstyle guitarists today. This album was recorded live in April of 1981 at San Francisco's The Great American Music Hall. This live, intimate setting is a perfect forum for the John Renbourn Group. If you are unfamiliar with Renbourn, this would be an excellent introduction. If you're already a fan, this is a necessary addition to your collection. From: https://www.amazon.com/Live-America-John-Renbourn-Group/dp/B000000MF0
With Renbourn and Jacqui McShee as members, the John Renbourn Group inevitably sounds a lot like Pentangle – the primary points of difference being the inclusion of flute and tabla. Also, where Pentangle mixed traditional folk with blues, jazz, and original compositions, the material here is almost exclusively traditional British ballads. The highlights of Side A are “Ye Mariners All”, an a cappella drinking song; “English Dance”, a high-speed Renbourn instrumental; and “The Cruel Mother”, a chilling murder ballad (also known as “The Greenwood Side”). The side also includes “Lindsay”, an uptempo but rather repetitive ballad, and “Breton Dances”, a pleasant midtempo instrumental medley. Side B starts with a lovely version of “The Trees They Grow High” (also found on Pentangle’s Sweet Child LP), followed by three ballads involving sea voyages – two parting songs (“Farewell Nancy” and “High Germany”, both featuring lead vocals by John Molineux, who sounds a bit like Tim Hart) and one convict ballad (“Van Dieman’s Land”). Side C is entirely instrumental and consists mostly of “Sidi Brahim”, which falls more or less into the Celtic-raga category; the other track on that side, “The Month of May Is Past/Night Orgies”, is a guitar solo with phase shifting. Side D opens with two more seafaring ballads – “John Dory” (a round) and “So Early in the Spring”, which later reappeared as the title track to Pentangle’s ninth LP. Jacqui McShee returns at last for the lengthy “Fair Flower” (also known as “The Fair Flower of Northumberland”), after which the album ends with “John Barleycorn Is Dead”, which is, of course, given a much more traditional treatment than the well-known version by Traffic (which I actually prefer). From: https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/the-john-renbourn-group/live-in-america/
