Jacqui McShee's Take Three
Album: Jacqui McShee's Take Three
Label: Park
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.pentangle.info

The great Folk-Rock Boom of the late 1960's/early 1970's produced three outstanding groups, each of which had an outstanding female singer. Those groups were, of course, Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and Pentangle and the singers were Sandy Denny, Maddy Prior and last, but by no means least, Jacqui McShee.

Fortunately, I am old enough to have seen all three groups in their heyday. The first "proper" concert I ever attended was Pentangle at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester in 1970 when they were at the peak of their considerable powers as a band. I was dazzled by their instrumental virtuosity, their use of complex rhythms and time signatures and, in particular, their stunning singer Jacqui McShee. It was an unforgettable experience.

Fast forward thirty eight years and the original members of Pentangle reformed for a Reunion Tour, which I caught up with at Liverpool's Philharmonic Hall. It was magical to see them all together again but, sadly, it will not happen again as the great Bert Jansch unfortunately died in 2011. Bert was undoubtedly one of the foremost figures in the Folk Revival of the 1960's and is sadly missed. Indeed, Jacqui has been quoted as saying "I think about Bert every day".

However, all far from lost as Jacqui has formed a new band, Jacqui McShee's Take Three, who have just recorded an eponymous album on their own JAG Records. Joining Jacqui are her husband Gerry Conway on percussion and Alan Thomson on guitar. Gerry , as Fairport Convention's drummer, needs no introduction. Alan is, perhaps, best known as John Martyn's long-time bass player but he has also toured and recorded with Jacqui since 1997 [ Alan is also bass player in the awesome John Jorgenson's Electric Band, who I have seen several times and been blown away each time].

The name of Jacqui's new band, Take Three, has a special significance. "Take Three Girls" was a BBC drama series in the late 1960's [the first ever to be filmed in colour !] and Pentangle provided the theme tune ["Light Flight"] as well as the incidental music. "Light Fight" was released as a single and reached number five in the charts [sorry, hit parade] in 1969.

In his Radio 2 series [and book] "The People's Songs" Stuart Maconie chose "Light Flight" as one of Fifty Records which tell The Story of Modern Britain.

Take Three's album features several re-workings/new arrangements of songs that have featured on Pentangle albums including "The House Carpenter" and "Once I Had A Sweetheart"[ both of which appeared on Pentangle's classic 1969 album "Basket Of Light"], "Turn Your Money Green"[from "Sweet Child"] and "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" [from "Reflection"].

Also, as a tribute to Bert Jansch, the trio have reworked two songs closely associated with the late guitarist, "Blackwaterside" and "Nottamun Town". Of the former, Jacqui has said "I probably wouldn't have done that while Bert was still around an now Alan has done this wonderful arrangement so it's a tribute to Bert while being a new venture for me".

Speaking of Alan Thomson, his guitar playing on this album is a revelation and is perfectly complemented by Gerry's subtle percussion which provides just the right amount of light and shade.

As for Jacqui's voice, it is slightly lower than on the classic Pentangle recordings but it has lost none of its unmistakeable clarity and expression. Her singing is quite simply, stunning. Just listen, for example, to the reworked traditional classics "Once I Had A Sweetheart" and "The House Carpenter" and you will hear what I mean because they are absolutely superb. Similarly, listen to "Blackwaterside" which is a fine and moving tribute to Bert Jansch.

As well as traditional folk songs, Take Three also explore Jacqui's early jazz roots on "Willow Weep For Me", "Turn Your Money Green" and "We'll Be Together Again" and it is abundantly clear that Jacqui could just as easily been a successful jazz singer rather than one of this country's foremost interpreters of traditional folk songs. In particular, the closing track "We'll Be Together Again" evokes the atmosphere of a late-night jazz club, you can almost smell the smoke in the air.

In conclusion, this is a superb album and deserves to be heard by a wider audience than just fans of Pentangle, although the latter group will, no doubt, regard it as manna from heaven.

Peter Cowley