Iconic Welsh album celebrates 50th anniversary with special re-release

Stephen Price

To celebrate 50 years since the release of Geraint Jarman’s timeless first album, ‘Gobaith Mawr y Ganrif’ (The great hope of the century), released on Sain in 1976,the label is releasing a special 50th anniversary edition re-issue, on vinyl, together with a limited edition t shirt.

Geraint Jarman (1950 – 2025) was one of Wales’ most prominent contemporary artists – a musician like no other, and also a prolific composer and poet.

His illustrious solo recording career started in 1976 with the release of this first, groundbreaking album, ‘Gobaith Mawr y Ganrif’ (The great hope of the century), released on the Sain label.

He went on to release a run of albums every year, until 1981, all on the Sain label – his unique mix of rock, reggae and pop, with the odd tender ballad thrown in, was a style unheard of before in the Welsh language.

He was the voice of Wales as he saw the country at the time and brought modern suburban, city life, into Welsh contemporary music.

Inspiring a whole generation of Welsh youngsters with his electrifying and exiting live performances in the late 70s and early 80s, he later went on to record many other albums on various labels, his last released in 2020 on the Ankst label.

‘Gobaith Mawr y Ganrif’, with all songs composed by Geraint himself, is a true milestone in Welsh music.

Having become prominent on the Welsh music scene through being a member of Welsh folk band Bara Menyn (with Meic Stevens and Heather Jones), and composing a number of songs for various artists, by the mid 1970s Jarman was eager to record his own music.

‘Gobaith Mawr y Ganrif’ was recorded over two days at Stacey Road Studio, Cardiff, and mixed in ten hours, and showcases Jarman’s talents as a poet as well as a composer.

The musicians included the legendary Tich Gwilym on guitar, Lincoln Carr on bass and Phil Maynard, also on guitar. Guest musicians included Dodo Wilding, a member of Racing Cars, on drums, and Geraint Watkins on accordion and piano, who later went on to perform with Paul McCartney and Van Morrison.

Steve Keely, a member of the band Kimla Taz, played some additional drums and Bethan Miles was on the violin and the viola.The songs included the new sound of Welsh reggae, folk inspired humerous songs, heartfelt ballads, and rock songs, injected with Tich Gwilym’s unique playing on the Fender Stratocaster.

Geraint Jarman leaves a long-lasting legacy and 2026 sees the chance to celebrate his achievements, his legacy and his profound influence on the Welsh music scene.

‘Gobaith Mawr y Ganrif’, the vinyl and T shirt will be available on or around 5 June, and a special talk, ‘Storis Jarman’ (Jarman’s Stories) with Huw Stephens, Peredur ap Gwynedd and Elinor Wyn Reynolds, will feature at Tafwyl, Cardiff, on Sunday 21 June at 2pm.

Pre-order the bundle here.

Pre-order the vinyl here.

Pre-order the t-shirt here.