British Folk

A music movement that arose in the late 1960s, British Folk is characterized by the incorporation of blues, jazz and lofty poetics into the straightforward folk canon. The male/female harmonies and group virtuosity of '60s artists Fairport Convention and Pentangle are fine examples of the ensemble work often inherent within British Folk, and the use of mandolin and dulcimer has never been uncommon in this, arguably the most organic of musical styles. Beginning with the intricate fingerpicking of Bert Jansch, and later progressing to the overt politics of Billy Bragg, British Folk also encompasses the experimental Singer-Songwriter bent of Nick Drake and John Martyn. Respectively, Drake's and Martyn's records Bryter Layter and Solid Air together reflect the jazzy arrangements and stark introspection usually affiliated with British Folk.