Vinyl Vault: John Renbourn, “The Black Balloon”

Next time on the Vinyl Vault, we’ll have a 1979 album from British guitarist John Renbourn (1944 – 2015) entitled “The Black Balloon,” released in the United States on Kicking Mule Records. Renbourn played primarily acoustic guitar with some electric guitar overdubs. He was joined by Tony Roberts on flute and Stuart Gordon on snare drum.

Renbourn was quoted as saying, “I started off trying to play like [bluesman] Big Bill Broonzy – and I’m still trying!” On “The Black Balloon,” Renbourn brought that bluesy influence, along with some jazz inflections, to this session whose primary source material was 13th-century English and Irish folk music.

Renbourn was a virtuoso guitarist who worked extensively with fellow Brit, Bert Jansch. Those two were also members of the acclaimed group Pentangle, whose first incarnation existed from 1967 to 1973, releasing several albums during that time.

Join your host, Geoff Anderson, for this fusion of blues, jazz, and ancient UK folk music on the next Vinyl Vault tonight, Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. on KUVO JAZZ.