Ijna / Anji

November 11, 2011 6:46 AM

Ijna is backwards for Anji. Anji is a guitar tune known as the most famous piece written and performed by Davy Graham. Inja (on the album cover the track is titled Ijna (Davy Ji) is an homage dedicated to Graham's Anji, written and performed by Steve Tilston in his new album "The Reckoning".

Raves Archive 2011:
"The closing track - and the second instrumental on the album - is titled Ijna (Davy Ji). This may give the knowing a hint of what is to follow. And indeed, yes, this is a tribute to the late Davy Graham, featuring clear and deliberate echoes of that legendary guitarist's most famous piece. (Hint: if you don't get the 'joke', read the first part of the tune's title backwards). It is played once again with immense proficiency and without any sense of strain, reminding us that - for all that Steve is rightly lauded for his songs - he is also a guitarist of immense stature."

SLYT: "Angie" by Davy Graham arr. Bert Jansch
SLYT: Previously.

posted by lipsum (4 comments total)

I'm digging the second link, but the rest of them have me somewhat confused.
posted by three blind mice at 7:28 AM on November 11, 2011

Anji was a standard rite of passage for budding folk guitarists at one point. I imagine a good FPP could be done around the history of the song, its arrangements, and those who performed it. There's a great BBC documentary called Folk Britannia that covers this time, and which talks a lot about Graham.

Here's Bert Jansch performing his version of Anji.
posted by swift at 7:58 AM on November 11, 2011 [1 favorite]

Paul Simon and his brother (!?!?)
posted by victors at 8:01 AM on November 11, 2011

Could someone from Echonest get in here and reverse this? I can't do it in my head.
posted by Obscure Reference at 12:23 PM on November 11, 2011