Bill Leader produced the first, eponymously titled album by Bert Jansch. Recorded at Leader's flat in Camden Square, north London, in 1964, it was released on the Transatlantic label the following year. The legend is that the 21-year-old Scottish guitarist and songwriter had to borrow a guitar for the sessions.
The 'Blue Album' Changed Folk Music
With this so-called 'blue album', Jansch changed folk music, a fashionable genre at the time, then changed it again with his third solo record, Jack Orion (1966). Comprising traditional songs and instrumentals conceived in a thoroughly modern manner, Jack Orion introduced the style that came to be known as folk baroque.
Recording in a St John's Wood Hallway
Leader recorded Jack Orion in another flat, this time in St John's Wood, some say in the hallway. This unconventional setting contributed to the album's distinctive sound, which blended traditional folk with intricate guitar work and modern arrangements.
Bert Jansch's influence on folk music remains profound, with his innovative approach inspiring generations of musicians. Bill Leader's role in capturing that groundbreaking sound in a simple flat hallway underscores the humble beginnings of a lasting musical legacy.
