Anji based on the Bert Jansch arrangement

[Alex&r]

I was lucky enough to see Bert a couple times later on in his career but I've heard his contemporaries say his arrangement of Anji was quite the right of passage tune for guitarists around the British folk/blues scene of the 60s.
I never imagined I'd be able to play it myself but having perservered over the last few weeks I've made some progress and thought it'd be a good way to formally introduce to myself to the forum. Here you go...

The recording isn't the best quality but hopefully this post sparks some thoughts and memories of Bert. Also, does anyone else play a version?
All the best,
Alex

[H165]

Well, there's Paul Simon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkDT2aTI2ls

and, of course, the writer, Davy Graham

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXhWgbmc9yU

[jklotz]

Nice job on that one! I always liked that tune.

[Erithon]

Nice job, Alex! I'm envious you saw Bert not just once, but twice!

Originally Posted by Alex&r

Also, does anyone else play a version?

Indeed I do! My arrangement has evolved over the years. It started out as a conflation of the Paul Simon cover and Davey Graham original. Then it grew to incorporate some of Bert Jansch's version. And more recently it has become an amalgamation of those three plus Harry Sacksioni, John Renborn, and Lillebjørn Nilsen with some of my own licks, variations, and ideas thrown in for good measure

[rémy64]

Nice job . Thanks

[Alex&r]

Originally Posted by H165

Well, there's Paul Simon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkDT2aTI2ls

and, of course, the writer, Davy Graham

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXhWgbmc9yU

So good. I love to hear how different people approach songs. I read a comment somewhere saying Anji was one of those standards where the player's personality shines through.

[Alex&r]

Originally Posted by jklotz

Nice job on that one! I always liked that tune.

Thank you!

Originally Posted by Erithon

Nice job, Alex! I'm envious you saw Bert not just once, but twice!

Indeed I do! My arrangement has evolved over the years. It started out as a conflation of the Paul Simon cover and Davey Graham original. Then it grew to incorporate some of Bert Jansch's version. And more recently it has become an amalgamation of those three plus Harry Sacksioni, John Renborn, and Lillebjørn Nilsen with some of my own licks, variations, and ideas thrown in for good measure

That sounds like you've been on a real relationship with the song. Is any of your stuff online?
I copped onto Bert when I was at uni in Edinburgh and then he toured a couple of times in the late 90s/early 00s which was when people like Johnny Marr were talking about him. One of the times i saw him in London it was a relatively rowdy audience for folk, he was on a low stage and there was a guy standing right in front of him, hands in the air clapping out of time. Poor Bert powered through a couple of songs, politely suggesting but never outright asking the guy to stop. He seemed like such a gentle and shy character.

Originally Posted by rémy64

Nice job . Thanks

Thanks Rėmy. I've seen a few of your posts and really enjoy the precision and feel of your playing. It's something I aspire to.

Hope you all don't mind me posting another of my Bert tunes. I recorded it this afternoon, it has singing!

[Gtrfinger]

Thanks for posting Alex- you get a very authentic flavour to this piece, and you keep the beat well. I think everyone plays it slightly differently, I saw Bert many times, and once briefly spoke with him at a bar, he played this with variations each time. It's *that* sort of tune. I'm a big fan of folk baroque. Bring on some more. ��������

(PS - edit - that 'One for Jo' is absolutely masterful. So good it made me smile. Wow. )

[Glennwillow]

Hi Alex,

Welcome to the AGF! And very nice job on your version of "Anji." The quality of your audio recording sounded quite nice. That's a challenging piece to learn at any stage of your guitar journey, so good for you!

I learned my version of "Anji" from Paul Simon's version, off the 2nd Simon & Garfunkel album, "Sounds of Silence." Paul Simon played this at a much faster tempo, which sounds very rushed after listening to your version. I kind of like the way you are playing this a little better than Paul Simon's approach.

For what it's worth, I did a Paul Simon version of Anji for my YouTube channel a few years ago. Again, from this time distance now, I think I played this way too fast, but... I did what I did.



- Glenn

[Alex&r]

Originally Posted by Gtrfinger

Thanks for posting Alex- you get a very authentic flavour to this piece, and you keep the beat well. I think everyone plays it slightly differently, I saw Bert many times, and once briefly spoke with him at a bar, he played this with variations each time. It's *that* sort of tune. I'm a big fan of folk baroque. Bring on some more. ��������

(PS - edit - that 'One for Jo' is absolutely masterful. So good it made me smile. Wow. )

Thanks so much for your comment . I've not learned all the parts to Anji yet but I've put some new strings on today - phew the guitar is singing a bit easier - and have a couple of idle weeks ahead to practise so I may post an update here. In the end it will deffo morph into my version!
Yes there's something quite stately in that baroque style and I plan to get a couple more tunes under my fingers. I leaened one for jo from a Rolly Brown tutorial and at one put he mentioned a harp like quality which comes through with fresh strings at least. I guess you've also seen Wizz Jones? I saw him perform a wicked version of Fresh as a Sweet Sunday Morning a couple of years ago and there's a sweet version with John Renbourne accompanying him on youtube somewhere.

[Alex&r]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

Hi Alex,

Welcome to the AGF! And very nice job on your version of "Anji." The quality of your audio recording sounded quite nice. That's a challenging piece to learn at any stage of your guitar journey, so good for you!

I learned my version of "Anji" from Paul Simon's version, off the 2nd Simon & Garfunkel album, "Sounds of Silence." Paul Simon played this at a much faster tempo, which sounds very rushed after listening to your version. I kind of like the way you are playing this a little better than Paul Simon's approach.

For what it's worth, I did a Paul Simon version of Anji for my YouTube channel a few years ago. Again, from this time distance now, I think I played this way too fast, but... I did what I did.




- Glenn

Whoa, just listening to you know... I can only imagine how many hours you put into it,
The bert version is certainly the most challenging piece i've attempted what with keeping that bass and melody going. Davy version is great and you absolutely kill it here.
I'm glad the audio sounds alright, it's straight into the mic on my tablet and it felt like i was having to push the 'dead' strings really hard.

[pickinray]

Well done, Alex and welcome to the fourm! Bert is one of my all time favorite guitarists and it's good to see others keeping his style going. I like the way you play "Anji" in a slightly slower tempo. It sounds really good like that.

[Erithon]

Originally Posted by Alex&r

That sounds like you've been on a real relationship with the song. Is any of your stuff online?

Oh for sure! Hearing the Paul Simon version inspired me to learn guitar. Anji was the first tune I got under my fingers. (I had been playing bass for over a decade so some of the fine motor skills were already in place.) I haven't posted anything online, but I did record a quick performance of Anji a month or so ago when testing mic placements. PM me your email and I'll send it to you.

[Coler]

Great playing Alex I really enjoyed that.

I have a good tab for this and it's an ambition to get it into my fingers. Your track is inspiring me to crack on and start putting in the work.

[chuckv97]

Nice,, I enjoyed that!