Bert Jansch's ground-breaking virtuoso acoustic guitar playing, deeply affecting songwriting and dark, passionate voice have delighted audiences since the mid sixties. Famously admired by Jimmy Page and Neil Young, more recently Noel Gallagher (Oasis), Jarvis Cocker (Pulp), Bernard Butler (Suede) and Johnny Marr (The Smiths) have paid homage to this quiet, unassuming, but hugely revered master. In the early sixties, having hitch-hiked to London from his hometown of Edinburgh, Bert began performing his unique blend of folk, blues and jazz on the folk club scene of the time, playing the Marqueeand the 100 Club amongst others. His first album "Bert Jansch" (1965), played on a borrowed guitar and sold for 100, caused a sensation at the time for his innovative technique and powerful songs, and was phenomenally influential. It is still selling today - 35 years on - and is cited by legions of guitar players, famous and otherwise, as a major influence.

"Bert Jansch" was followed by "It Don't Bother Me" and the also enormously influential "Jack Orion". On this album Bert was already exploring his innovative treatments of full-length ballads - something he took further with Pentangle, the band he formed with fellow guitarist John Renbourn. Pentangle made six albums and enjoyed an unprecedented degree of success for an acoustic band. On extensive world tours they played the Royal Albert Hall in London and Carnegie Hall in New York.

In 1973 Pentangle split up and Bert returned to his solo career. To date he has made 21 albums and is still as active, innovative and influential as ever. His latest albums are the highly acclaimed "When the Circus Comes to Town" (1996) and "Toy Balloon" (1998) on Cooking Vinyl.