Celebrating Bert Jansch

Back to the Royal Festival Hall this evening for a concert celebrating the music of Bert Jansch who died in 2011 but would have turned 80 this year. Bert was at the forefront of the folk scene in the 60s and 70s when he formed Pentangle, a group that introduced jazz influences  to folk in much the same way as Fairport Convention pioneered folk rock. I saw Pentangle in Bournemouth in 1968 and when Bert Jansch was having a renaissance saw him in the courtyard at Somerset House in their summer concert programme.in the noughties Jacqui McShee from Pentangle was one of the artists performing tonight and is still in great voice at 79 years of age. As is Robert Plant, albeit not quite so advanced in years, who performed with his band Saving Grace. They feature in the main photo and one of the extras. The other extra photo shows all the artists on stage at the end of what was a memorable evening. Other illuminaries In the line-up included Bernard Butler, Martin Simpson, Sam Lee and Kathryn Williams.