John Renbourn - The Lady and The Unicorn (Transatlantic 1970) 24-bit/96kHz Vinyl Rip

Renbourn's last solo album for the next six years overlaps with his Pentangle work, featuring Terry Cox playing hand drums and glockenspiel, with future John Renbourn band member Tony Roberts and violinist Dave Swarbrick. The repertory consists of medieval and early classical pieces, interspersed with the expected folk material – keyboard works from the Fitzwilliam virginal book (transcribed for guitar) stand alongside traditional tunes such as "Scarborough Fair," which turns up as part of an 11-minute track that also incorporates "My Johnny Was a Shoemaker," with Swarbrick at the top of his form on violin. The album is entirely instrumental, but as with other Renbourn releases, one hardly misses the vocals. Bruce Eder AMG



Track listing:

A1. (a) Trotto (b) Saltarrello
A2. (a) Lamento di Tristan (b) La Rotta
A3. (a) Veri Floris (b) Triple Ballade
A4. (a) Bransle Gay (b) Bransle de Bourgougne
A5. (a) Alman (b) Melancholy Galliard
A6. Sarabande

B1. The Lady and The Unicorn
B2. (a) My Johnny Was a Shoemaker (b) Westeron Wynde © Scarborough Fair

Personnel:

John Renbourn – guitars, sitar
Terry Cox – hand-drums, glockenspiel
Don Harper – viola
Len Nicholson – concertina
Tony Roberts, Ray Warleigh – flutes
Dave Swarbrick – violin
Produced by Bill Leader
Recorded at Livingstone Studios, Barnet.