Even in jazz, it’s difficult to wrangle a career based pretty much completely on cover other people’s compositions. The beginning of the sixties’ folk renaissance, though, pretty much began with players aping the styles of people included on Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music. Leadbelly was, obviously, a much revered figure at the time. But it was folks like Ramblin’ Jack Elliot and Eric Von Schmidt who the folk scene looked to in order to basically set out a clutch of songs appropriate to cover. And they did.

Releasing his first album around the same time as Bob Dylan’s inaugural long player didn’t make Von Schmidt a star. He was, however, name checked by the better known singer for teaching him a song included on his 1961 debut. And while it’d be hugely unfair to compare the two albums, if listened to back to back, no one’s gonna be confused as to why Von Schmidt isn’t an internationally known name at this late date.

Probably his best known original tune, “Joshua Gone Barbados,” has been covered countless times, but doesn’t find inclusion on The Folk Blues of Eric Von Schmidt. Instead, the track listing comprises a spate of songs familiar to anyone with more than a passing knowledge of folk and blues music dating to the twentieth century.

Beginning with “Crow Jane,” Von Schmidt’s voice is clearly something of an acquired taste. It’s not that the singer and guitarist doesn’t possess the ability to stay in key, there’s just a certain indefinable quality that he lacks, keeping him from transcending traditional conceptions of singing.

Von Schmidt, though, is well suited for straight blues tunes as opposed to the more singer-songwriter thing that’s scattered all over The Folk Blues. “Jack O’ Diamonds” isn’t versioned here gilded in gold. But it does sit better in listener’s ears than most of whatever else is included here.

What is impressive about this collection – and “Joshua Gone Barbados” – is Von Schmidt’s ability to include rhythmic variations foreign to other folksy players from the era. “Junco Partner’s” a good example of that here, as is “Cocoa Beach Blues.” Even with that unique aspect to his oeuvre, it doesn’t serve to make the entirety of the disc something that needs to be revisited. Granted, if it was 1962, The Folk Blues would be required listening – and repeat listening, at that. But it’s 2011, so don’t bother.