My latest review is a bit of a strange bag really - Rod McKuen performs and conducts all his songs from A Boy Named Charlie Brown and selections from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Me Natalie and Joanna.

The statistics involving Rod McKuen’s career and work are staggering. He recorded over two hundred albums and is the recipient of 63 gold and platinum records worldwide. His three-dozen books of poetry have been published in eleven languages, sold 65 million copies and made him the most widely read poet of his time. The songs he wrote and composed have accounted for the sale of over 100 million records for such diverse artists as Frank Sinatra, Madonna, Johnny Cash, Petula Clark, Perry Como, Chet Baker, Andy Williams, The Kingston Trio, Dusty Springfield, Johnny Mathis and Barbra Streisand.

The more than 1,500 songs penned by McKuen include such standards as 'Love's Been Good to Me', 'Jean', 'I Think of You', Rock Gently', 'The World I Used to Know' and 'Does Anybody Know My Name'. His nearly 17-year collaboration and partnership with Jacques Brel resulted in evergreens such as 'Seasons in the Sun' and 'If You Go Away'. A Boy Named Charlie Brown marked the feature film debut of the beloved Charles Schulz characters. Charlie Brown is selected to participate in a national spelling bee – but will he suffer from his bad-karma and be able to win? In addition to the songs from A Boy Named Charlie Brown, the release includes songs from other McKuen film scores for 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie', 'Me Natalie' and 'Joanna'.

I surprisingly enjoyed this album a lot - I brought back memories of watching the Charlie Brown cartoons on TV. The songs are interspersed with instrumental numbers, both of which work well for me. The quality of recording here is first rate, with a very informative booklet from Varese Sarabande. Mckuen’s voice isn’t perhaps the best, but he puts these numbers over well - especially 'A Boy Named Charlie Brown' and 'Natalie' (which also benefits from the great work of Peter Matz). Instrumental tracks are also good, although with trumpet by Chet Baker and piano by Terry Trotter, you are on to a winner immediately!

8

Ian Gude