Books by Colin Harper

The guitarists' guitarist and the songwriters' songwriter, the legendary Bert Jansch has influenced diverse stars. Born in Edinburgh in 1943, Jansch became an inspirational and pioneering figure during Britain's 'folk revival' of the 1960s. In 1967, he formed folk/jazz fusion band Pentangle with John Renbourn and enjoyed international success.

A browse in any music store reveals extensive collections of Irish folk, trad and blues. However, in the past great pioneers of the genre lived when the recording industry showed scant interest in the scene. This fascinating history reveals the frustrations and triumphs of trailblazers before acts like U2 existed. The main thrust of the book concerns the influence of homegrown pioneers, from Sweeney''s Men to De Dannan and Martin Hayes.