THE PENTANGLE - SOLOMON'S SEAL - THEIR ONLY REPRISE ALBUM - K44197 STEREO - 1972

	£		30
	$		40

THE PENTANGLE - SOLOMON'S SEAL - THEIR ONLY REPRISE ALBUM - K44197 STEREO  1972
Condition is "Used" Dispatched with Royal Mail 2nd Class "Signed For" Service. In professional protective package  (As shown) with additional card inserts. 

From the sellers private collection.  An album for folk/jazz enthusiasts & connoisseurs.
THE PENTANGLE - SOLOMON'S SEAL - The elusive solitary Reprise album, that quickly dissapeared.
This record was purchased Oct 1972  from the amazing Collets Book & Record Shop. Located in  New Oxford St,, London, WC1. The folk department being run by the legendry Gill Cook. 
This particular disk was released in UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, USA, South Africia, Australia, New Zealand & Japan. Plus additional European countries & the USA. There were potentially 29 plus variants of this album. The record identification is as follows :-  All over Mono covered label (Tan colour) with square "r" logo  (Umber Colour) & steamboat image. Matrix/Runout :-  Side One :- (Stamped) K44197 A4.  (Etched) PORKY.   Side Two :- (Stamped) K44197 B4.  (Etched) PECKO. 

This Record is graded between Excellent (EX) to Very Good (VG), condition, but could be considered near mint. The disc has no visible scuffmarks or scratches  & will play perfectley through without issue or noise. The label information is perfect & there are no hole distortion. It is in superb condition for its 49 years of age. 
The Cover is of the cardboard type and is not laminated.  It is in good condition as shown.  The  edges are intact with no wear, the spine has some minimal fraying & minimal wear. There are no creasings, to the cover surfaces, but not being laminated, there are some slight markings, together with some slight ringwear as shown & minimal wear to the corners.  Overall, a very good cover for its 49 year existance.
The sleeve is unmarked & unblemished as shown
The thin paper lyric sheet included is in good condition with slight fraying to the top right hand corner as shown. 
Recorded between February & March 72  at  Sound Tehniques Studios, 47 Old Church Street, Chelsea, London, SW3
The production was jointly credited to John Wood & Pentangle.
The cover design was designed by fellow musician, artist & illustrator, Chris Ayliffe. 
The musicians playing on this record  were :- Jacqui McShee, (Lead Vocals), Burt Jansch (Accoustic Guitar, Banjo,Vocals), John Renbourn, (Accoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Sitar, Banjo & Vocals)  Danny Thompson,(Double Bass), Terry Cox (Drums, Percussion,Glockenspiel & Vocals).  
Released in September of 1972 This was the first of the (then) scheduled albums to be released on the Reprise Label,  following their departure from Transatlantice  due to finance & royality issues.  The nine tracks on the album were a mix of traditional & contemporary songs. 3 being exclusivly credited to the group, 1 credited to Cyril Tawney & the remainder being traditional with arrangments by the band. Retrospective revues observed a lack of commitment & intensity to the performances. I would dissagree with that. The selection of songs are delivered with the professionalism that had produced 5 previous excellent records & Solomon's Seal is no exception.  Be that as it may, latent negative elements surfaced later in that year during a UK tour, including fatigue & illness, resulting in the unexpected dissolvement of the band. Jansch departed on New Years Day 1973, with members following, to persue different musical directions.    
This album was the culminationfrom the original members, of the amazing amalgam of music, from one of the finest folk/jazz - folk/rock groups in the UK, to manifest from the contemporary scene. The group has produced a selection of some of the best records issued in that genre. 
Comparisons could be made with such luminarles as :- Jade, Trees, Tudor Lodge or Magna Carta. However, Pentangle were unique in their five fold combination of traditional, contemporary, folk, jazz  & blues experiences, which gave them such an individual & unique output of music.  
Some observations on Grading :-
MINT (M) The Record is in brand new condition, no surface marks, no sound quality deteration. Records designated sealed or un-played qualify as mint.  EXCELLENT (EX) The RECORD shows some signs of being played, but with minimal lessening of sound quality. The COVER &/or packaging may show slight wear &/or creasing.  VERY GOOD (VG) The RECORD has obviously been played many times, but manifests no sound quality deterioraton. Despite noticeable surface marks &/or light scratching.  Visible wear & tear on the COVER or additional items, without major defects, is acceptable.  GOOD (G) The RECORD has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, pehaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The COVER and contents may suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discolouration, etc.  FAIR (F) The RECORD is still just playable, but has not been cared for propery and displays considerable  surface noise; it may even jump. The COVER and contents will be torn, stained and/or defaced.