Jay Ansill
Jay Ansill is a folk musician and composer based in Bucks County, PA. From the age of 14, when he borrowed his brother’s guitar, his obsession with music began and by 17, he was playing in square dances and ceilidhs. Jay has written music extensively for theater in New York and Philadelphia and has appeared in several Off Broadway productions including Mabou Mines, Glass Guignol and Medea directed by Lee Breuer and The Tempest at La Mama. He has toured extensively in the US as a sideman, solo performer and bandleader.
Needle of Death
played by Jay Ansill and Sung by Anne Hills, for Bert Jansch
Jay says: “One of the first ‘folkie’ concerts I saw was Bert at the Music Academy in Philadelphia. It was one of the things that made me want to be a musician. A few years ago, I recorded this song with the singer Anne Hills for a compilation CD to mark the anniversary of Appleseed Records. I think it is a beautifully written and evocative, haunting and important song and I love the way Anne sings it, so I invited her to sing it for this video.”
“My first exposure to ‘folk music’ came via my interest in the Incredible String Band. Through them I found my way to John Renbourn, Martin Carthy and of course Bert Jansch. In the 90s I worked for Robin Williamson as his east coast tour manager/driver and we crossed paths with Bert a number of times and I got to spend some time with him.”
