JOHN RENBOURN

One of the world's foremost fingerstyle guitarists, John Renbourn's unique sound is a fusion of British and Celtic folk music with jazz, country blues, ragtime, classical, Middle Eastern and pre-Renaissance music -- a style often called "folk-baroque."

As a teenager, Renbourn played folk and blues guitar in his hometown of Torquay in southwest England. In 1964, after two years studying classical guitar at the George Abbot School in Guildford, a twenty-year-old Renbourn moved to London to break into the Soho folk circuit and to record solo albums for Transatlantic Records. There he met fellow guitarist Bert Jansch and singer Jacqui McShee, with whom he founded the seminal British folk-rock ensemble Pentangle in 1967. Pentangle's pioneering combination of traditional folk melodies with jazz improvisations created an influence that continues to inspire musicians around the world. From 1967 through 1978 the group's career spanned six albums, numerous television appearances and three movie soundtracks, as well as several American and world tours.

Then John continued as a soloist, recording memorable albums like The Hermit and The Black Balloon, before forming the John Renbourn Group, which integrated Indian tabla with guitar and jazz reeds. A subsequent partnership with Stefan Grossman yielded several albums and world tours. Ship of Fools, a return to the ensemble format, explored John's interest in Celtic music, as does his latest recording Wheel of Fortune, with Scottish harper and storyteller Robin Williamson. Both Wheel of Fortune and the John Renbourn Group's Live in America were nominated for Grammy Awards.

John Renbourn and Robin Williamson often tour together, and John has continued an active solo career. He also maintains his artistic relationships with Jansch and McShee, with Stefan Grossman and with jazz guitarist Larry Coryell. And more recently he has developed a stunning two-guitar show with American expatriate Isaac Guillory.

A John Renbourn concert takes the listener into a rich musical landscape of warm vocals and witty asides about the history of the songs. At the core is a revolutionary guitar style that explores the instrument's potential in unusual and beautiful ways, created and performed by a consummate master. courtesy of folkloreproductions.com