Pentangle Discography

The members of Pentangle were all virtuosi in their own field. Jacqui McShee was jazz singer with her sister before joining Pentangle. Her voice is beautiful and clear to this day and hearing her singing unaccompanied, standing alone on a huge stage, is amazing. Bert Jansch and John Renbourn are both virtuoso guitarists. I have said elsewhere that watching John Renbourn playing guitar is amazing because he doesn't seem to hold it, he just coaxes the music out of it. Both he and Jansch have a superbly delicate style of playing and they make fantastic music together. Danny Thompson underlines the music with a solid jazzy bass. He seems to have worked on hundreds of records and his style is so distinctive that I can recognise it instantly - something I would have said was impossible. Terry Cox finishes off the line up. He is a fine drummer with an interest in percussion, using instruments like the glockenspiel in performance.

In 1966 Bert Jansch released Jack Orion - which featured John Renbourn, then Bert and John released 'Bert and John' together. John Renbourn's second album 'Another Monday' featured Jacqui McShee. They came together as a band and began to rehearse - two unremembered people were involved in the rehearsals. John met Danny Thompson on a TV show and Danny brought along Terry Cox. So, the original Pentangle line-up evolved.
To get an idea of how these artists combine to produce something really fantastic listen to Cruel Sister (side two of the Cruel Sister album) - they all take turns at showing off their talents and it really is a tour de force.

Pentangle in the late nineties was somewhat different from the original band - the only remaining member of the original line-up is Jacqui McShee.

Jaqui McShee's Pentangle

The 1994 Pentangle line-up with Bert Jansch, Nigel Portman Smith, Jacqui McShee, Peter Kirtley and Gerry Conway (left to right)

The Pentangle 1968 Anniversary 1992

Sweet Child 1968 Live 1994 1995

Basket Of Light 1969 The Collection

Cruel Sister 1970 Live At The BBC 1995

Reflection 1971 On Air 1997

Solomon's Seal 1972 Light Flight 1997

Pentangling 1973 One More Road

In Your Mind 1978 Light Flight 2000

Open The Door 1985 Passe Avant

People On The Highway At The Little Theatre 2000

A Maid That's Deep In Love 1989 The Pentangle Family 2000

So Early In The Spring 1990 Heritage

In The Round 1990 Pentangling 2004

Think Of Tomorrow 1991 The Time Has Come 2007

Early Classics 1992