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2023-12-31-accounts

Bert Jansch Foundation Annual Report and Financial Statements

Year ended 31 December 2023

Registered Charity no. 1162678 c/o19 Sneyd Road, London NW2 6AL

https://www.facebook.com/bertjanschfoundation https://www.twitter.com/BertJanschFdn

Trustees: Adam Jansch Charlotte Crofton-Sleigh Geraldine Auerbach Karen Kidson Bernard Butler Serena Cross Leonard Lowy Associates: Dariush Kanani Jon Riley Sam Grassie Registered Office: 19 Sneyd Road, London NW2 6AL Bankers: Barclays Bank 46/49 Broad Street, Stamford PE9 1PZ

Annual Report for the year 2023

The Bert Jansch Foundation has been active in addressing its aims of supporting acoustic musicians with education and early career opportunities. Here is a summary of the activities of the Bert Jansch Foundation in 2023.

An 80th birthday concert for Bert Jansch page 3
Bert Transcribed — Bert Jansch Songbook Vol 2 published August 2023 page 5
_For Bert Jansch: Around the World in 80 plays_project draws to a close page 6
BJF first Bandcamp album page 8
Supporting young artists page 9
Bert Jansch Foundation Newsletter page 10 

## **Bert Jansch would have turned 80 in 2023** 

Many projects were coming to fruition in Bert’s 80th year, which culminated in a fabulous 80th birthday concert at the Royal Festival Hall on 4 November where his contemporaries and his disciples did him proud.  In each activity there was thought to promote and support young artists. 

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Bert Jansch Foundation – Annual Report 2023 



## **80th birthday concert for Bert Jansch Royal Festival Hall 4 November 2023** 

The Guardian’s Robin Denslow said of the 80th birthday concert “The lineup was remarkable … in a surprisingly slick show in which the constantly-changing cast were introduced by the very funny and impressively knowledgeable Stewart Lee. Jansch reached his largest audience with the classic early lineup of Pentangle, who made their debut on this same stage in 1967, and the band’s singer Jacqui McShee opened and closed the show with folk-jazz favourites from the era. 

“Bert’s admirers in the 60s included Led Zeppelin, and **Robert Plant** has kept his memory alive, recording two of his songs with Alison Krauss on _Raise the Roof_ (2021). Here, playing with his Saving Grace band, he started out on bass guitar as he joined Suzi Dian for a fine and gently gutsy treatment of It Don’t Bother Me. 

“Bernard Butler once with Suede, played an important part in bringing Jansch’s music to a new generation, and he played a key role here, first with his electric guitar reworking of Fresh As a Sweet Sunday Morning, then providing backing for Sam Lee and Kathryn Williams. , and leading four other guitarists through an adventurous treatment of _Veronica_ .” 


This was a fitting culmination of the Around the World in 80 Plays project to have all five guitars that had been on the journey played together in tribute to Bert by a new generation of guitar players. 

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Bert Jansch Foundation – Annual Report 2023 




The cast of Bert80 _Strolling down the Highway_ (Photo: Anete Lapsa, Earth Recordings) 

In The Times, Will Hodgkinson said: “It is extremely hard to copy Jansch’s playing style so most people didn’t bother. Sam Lee sang ‘Blackwaterside’ acapella; James Yorkston was joined by an Indian singer Ranjana Ghatak; Jon Thorne on bass reworked traditional songs from Jansch’s repertoire, while percussionist Sarathy Korwar led his sax and cello trio through his instrumental pieces, ‘Osprey’ and ‘The Black Swan’. It was a moving and impressive tribute.” 

## **It’s worth repeating what Robin Denselow in The Guardian wrote at the time of his passing:** 

**“** Bert Jansch was that rarity, a musician who really did deserve to be regarded as a legend, and who retained that status throughout his career. He was an extraordinary guitarist and a thoughtful songwriter, and generations of would-be pickers sat at his concerts watching his fingerwork, with envy and astonishment.” Guitarists and admirers can now watch many of his videos on YouTube; learn to play his pieces from the Foundation’s transcription books; savour all the re-released albums; and enjoy the new music produced by younger artists that were directly inspired by Bert Jansch – the man and his music. 

It is always a pleasure and privilege to gather these marvellous musicians together in Bert's name, both his peers and colleagues but particularly to create a platform for younger generations, and to see how they are inspired by each other as well as his music. Many said it was the best that we've ever gathered to celebrate Bert’s music and influence. 

It was also gratifying that this event was a commercial as well as an artistic and critical success. The Foundation received 50% of this sell-out show’s profits (which was settled in the next financial year) equating to £8970.60. This covered grants for Chris Brain, Daisy Rickman and Sam Grassie’s appearance fees and expenses, having been added to the bill after the show budget was finalised and part of our remit to provide platforms for young musicians.  It also covered payments to Serena Cross and Karen Kidson in consideration of their time and professional input into the event, curating the artists and setlist and working on the on- and off-stage logistics to make this show - as noted by the Guardian - “surprisingly slick”. 

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Bert Jansch Foundation – Annual Report 2023

Bert Transcribed — The Bert Jansch Song Book Volume 2

published 25 August 2023

A further 30 songs have been transcribed by our team under Jon Riley who has also written perceptive and user-friendly background notes and tips for players. It was a long time in gestating, with Louise Unsworth and her team at Hal Leonard working on it for more than eighteen months.

Its reception has been unanimously superlative. On Amazon it has only had five star reviews and comments such as:

This book (and its prequel) are a labour of love. If you admire the work of Bert Jansch (and why else would you be reading this?), and you're an intermediate or advanced fingerstyle guitarist, then the only reason not to buy this book is that you haven't bought volume 1 already. It has flawless transcriptions with performance notes detailing live variations, and detailed analysis of his playing style and techniques.

Bert Transcribed — The Bert Jansch Song Book Volume 2 includes (in alphabetical order) :

  1. Ask Your Daddy (Thirteen Down) 1980

  2. Carnival (Toy Balloon) 1998

  3. Come Back Baby (Nicola) 1967

  4. Courting Blues (Bert Jansch) 1965

  5. Daybreak (A Rare Conundrum) 1977

  6. Downunder (Crimson Moon) 2000

  7. Go Your Way My Love (Nicola) 1967

  8. High Days (The Black Swan) 2006

  9. I Am Lonely (Birthday Blues) 1969

  10. It Don’t Bother Me (It Don’t Bother Me) 1965

  11. The January Man (Moonshine) 1973

  12. Kingfisher (Avocet) 1979

  13. Love Is Teasing - 12-string version and 6-string versions (Nicola) 1967

  14. M’Lady Nancy (Rosemary Lane) 1971

  15. Morning Brings Peace of Mind (When the Circus Comes to Town) 1995

  16. My Pocket’s Empty (Empty Pocket Blues) (The Black Swan) 2006

  17. No Exit (Bert and John) 1966

  18. Oh How your Love Is Strong (Bert Jansch) 1965

  19. The Old Triangle (The Black Swan) 2006

  20. One for Jo (L.A. Turnaround) 1974

  21. The Road Tae Dundee (The Ornament Tree) 1990 22. Rosemary Lane (Rosemary Lane) 1971

  22. Tell Me What Is True Love (Rosemary Lane) 1971

  23. The Time Has Come (Bert and John) 1966

  24. Toy Balloon (Toy Balloon) 1998

  25. Veronica (The Casbah) (Bert Jansch) 1965

  26. The Wheel (It Don’t Bother Me) 1965

  27. Wild Mountain Thyme (Heartbreak/Live at McCabe’s) 1982

  28. Wishing Well (Birthday Blues) 1969

  29. A Woman Like You (Birthday Blues) 1969

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Bert Jansch Foundation – Annual Report 2023

For Bert Jansch: Around the World in 80 plays

Five Yamaha TransAcoustic Guitars: travelled around the world into the hands of nearly 100 artists from the time of Bert’s 75th birthday and all came home to be played at the 80th birthday concert

Read the full story of each guitar journey: The Journey Begins – the send-off at Soho

  1. The ‘Johnny’ Guitar’s journey across Europe

  2. The ‘Wildcard’ Guitar’s journey to the folkies of Ireland, Scotland and England.

  3. The ‘Beth’ Guitar’s journey in England and Scotland

  4. The ‘Graham’ Guitar’s USA journey starting in California

  5. The ‘Pilgrim’ Guitar’s journey north, south, east and west of the UK

In this picture at the Royal Festival Hall, five young artists are holding the travelling guitars which they played together on stage. Sam Grassie, Bernard Butler, Louis Campbell, Daisy Rickman and Chris Brain

Sam Grassie is holding the Beth Bernard Butler is holding the Johnny Louis Campbell is holding the Pilgrim Daisy Rickman is holding the Wildcard Chris Brain is holding The Graham

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Bert Jansch Foundation – Annual Report 2023

As you can see, each artist on the journey signed the guitar, also they wrote in the travel diary, played a song for Bert and said how much he meant to them personally. They remembered exactly where they were when they bought Bert’s first recording or first saw him perform. Many said he changed their lives. There were famous pros like Tommy Emmanuel and Richard Thompson and teenagers like Ryan Deakin and Jack Theaker .

We are fortunate to have a wonderful record of all these 100 players and their contributions performed in their music rooms or by the Regents Canal or by a lake in Italy or overlooking mountains or moors. Read here a Summary of all the journeys. And here you can see and listen to all the contributions

David Nigel Lloyd who looked after the graham Guitar in the USA is giving the guitar back to trustee Geraldine Auerbach at Highgate Cemetery where he played a gentle song for Loren and Bert.

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Bert Jansch Foundation – Annual Report 2023

BJF First Bandcamp album

We are thrilled to announce the first BJF Bandcamp album. Hats off to Sam Grassie who put the album together and created our BJF Bandcamp channel and to all the fabulous artists making up this great compilation. (Cover Design: Alfie Jones, Wizz Jones’s grandson)

Sam Grassie says:

It has been a joy to curate the first compilation of music for release through The Bert Jansch Foundation. Recently many of the connections first made through the 80 Plays Project have made for a rich and vibrant musical space around the legacy of Bert Jansch. It was pleasure listening to the work of over 80 artists in putting this album together, and we hope that the artists featured here represent the breadth and variety of contributors to the project. I am delighted that some artists have offered fresh material, recorded in the studio. Thanks to the mastering skills of Mike Walker of Renbourn Guitar Workshops the raw live takes sit nicely aside these new professional recordings.

On the album we have beautifully crafted instrumentals from verified pluckers such Ben Walker, Mike Walker and John Chandler. Dariush Kanani has submitted a knockout rendition of The Wheel ,

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Bert Jansch Foundation – Annual Report 2023

his fingers well-oiled after extensive touring with Clive Carroll . Johnson Hogg provides an exemplary version of Chambertin . Fellow Hacks folk club regulars Avice Caro and Naima were kind enough to lend their voices for spectacular renditions of Willie of Winsbury and The Blacksmith . Charlie McKeon's band The Hermit gave us a beautifully original take on Sally Free and Easy , before dropping into an expertly played jig.

Arts International Guitar Festival Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Sarah McQuaid gives us a wonderful rendition of When a Man's in Love . My old band Avocet met up to record the classic Blackwaterside and I have put forward It Don't Bother Me recorded at the Bert Jansch Studio in Frome. Broadside Hacks Folk Club Maestro Campbell Baum teamed up with Oliver Hamilton, Frank Wright and Naima Jelly to give us a newly arranged version of Game of Cards . Glasgow troubadour Robin Adams handles Blues Run the Game with soul akin to the 60's greats.

Each track has a little bit of Bert in there, often taken to somewhere new, we hope you enjoy it.

All proceeds from album sales will go directly to the Foundation and further its aim in supporting young acoustic musicians with educational and early career opportunities.

bertjanschfoundation1.bandcamp.com

80 Plays for Bert, Volume 1, by Bert Jansch Foundation 13 track album 


## **Supporting young artists** 

In 2023 we supported several young artists. We endorsed the young folk collective **Broadside Hacks** and also helped the event they promoted at the Moth club on 3 October to celebrate Bert’s birthday. The Moth Club Remembering Bert night, 12 years after his passing, was a fantastic sellout with lots of energy and enthusiastic crowd. 

In the picture are Wizz Jones centre with Daisy Rickman and Sam Grassie who sing and play with the Broadside Hacks. 


BJF continues to support our featured artists Sam Grassie and Dariush Kanani and follow their progress.

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Bert Jansch Foundation – Annual Report 2023

Bert Jansch Foundation Newsletter

We have over 400 names on the mailing list.

Two newsletters were compiled by Geraldine Auerbach and distributed in 2023 one in August when the transcription book was published and one in December reflecting on Bert Jansch at 80.

They can be seen on the Bert Jansch Foundation website on the ‘news’ page

Read the latest Bert Jansch Foundation Newsletter (Reflections on Bert Jansch at 80)

Read previous Bert Jansch Foundation Newsletters

Newsletter 14 Summer 2023

Newsletter 13 Autumn 2021

Newsletter 12 Spring 2021

Newsletter 11 Autumn 2020

Newsletter 10 Summer 2020

Newsletter 9 Spring 2020

Newsletter 8 Autumn 2019

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Bert Jansch Foundation – Annual Report 2023

Bert Jansch Foundation Profit & Loss 2023

INCOME

Songbook royalties and advance £1,949.50
Event revenue:
Bert 80 Merch sales £462.00
Bert 80 Brochure ad revenue and sales £2,200.00
TOTAL INCOME £4,611.50
EXPENSES
Grants -£1,062.70
80 Plays expenses -£175.00
Website -£84.00
Bert 80 Merch -£882.10
Bert 80 Brochure -£1,272.68
Bert 80 sustenance -£6.03
Songbook expenses -£1,000.00
Total Expenses -£4,482.51
Net Surplus £128.99
Bert Jansch Foundation Balance sheet as at 31st December 2023
Fixed Assets £55.00
Current Assets
Saver Balance c/fwd at close of 2023 £16,903.79
Current Balance c/fwd at close of 2023 £403.78
Total Current Assets £17,307.57
Total Net Assets £17,362.57
Represented by:
Barclays Saver b/fwd from end of 2022 £16,757.42
Barclays Current b/fwd from end of 2022 £266.32
Interest earned in 2023 £154.84
Fixed Assets £55.00
Net surplus £128.99
Balance c/fwd to 2024 £17,362.57