London Conversation was John Martyn’s debut solo album released in October 1967. Martyn had only arrived in London from Glasgow that spring and he was 18 years old when the album was recorded. It was produced by folk maverick, Theo Johnson, who was also responsible for introducing John Martyn to Island’s Chris Blackwell. It began an almost unbroken twenty year history with the Island label. The album opens with one of his best and most charming early songs ‘Fairy Tale Lullaby’; overall the recordings are pretty and sweet compared to his richer and moodier later work but the blues influence is very much to the fore here and stylistically he’s indebted two of folk’s greatest guitarists of the day, Davy Graham and Bert Jansch. ‘Rolling Home’ features tasteful period sitar and flute accompaniment.
Mastered from the original master tapes by Paschal Byrne at the Audio Archive Company, London.
The album is pressed on 180 grm vinyl and includes a free digital download voucher.