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Rod & Sunny: Photo by Bob
Gentry 8/5/1999
A Thought for Today
Good conversation is as rare as promises kept.
GLEN ELLYN
FEEDBACK
John and Rita were burning the
midnight oil on Saturday and sent these reports through in the early hours
of Sunday morning.
Rod's concert outside of Chicago Saturday night was a brilliant
smorgasbord of songs (all songs and only 2 poems), great voice (best since
the 70s) and a jazzy musical backup band.
When Rod came back to giving concerts I was concerned about his voice,
which was largely a whisper. That's all gone now and he sounds virtually
the same as he did on Pastoral or Sleep Warm. He could have done The Black
Eagle with no trouble
tonight.
Who would have thought a terrific jazz piano player and a bass player
could back up a world class writer and performer like Rod? But they did
with great virtuosity and humor. Does a bass become a cello when you play
it with a bow?
Rod did old and new songs, and maybe a half a dozen with young 27 year old
Bob Gentry whose voice reminds you of a young Glenn Yarbrough. Bob is also
a writer and a great guitar player. Rod says they've been writing together
for five years.
As is Rod's gracious habit, he signed autographs afterwards and I think he
also looked better and healthier than he has in years. All in all a heart
warming and encouraging concert.
Thanks, Rod.
John Goodwin
Hi Ken,
I really don't know how it can be that each year and each performance, Rod
seems to get better and better.
Last night he was the ultimate professional. Relaxed, warm, witty,
gracious and in wonderful voice. Once again he opened with "If I Could
Fly". For about half of the first number I thought his voice sounded less
strong. I was wrong. By the end of that first number Rod had found his
comfort zone. The rest of the evening was magic. You could tell Rod
enjoyed doing what he was doing and he appeared to do it effortlessly.
During most of the show he was accompanied only by a masterful piano
player and a quiet yet consistent bass. At times he was without
instruments and sometimes even without a microphone like when he looked
right at the audience and sang "Times Gone By". He played with the
audience as he sang "Roller Coaster Blues".
Rod is not only a great performer, he is an extremely generous and
perceptive man. I could go on and on with praise and superlatives but I
will tell you that his fans stood for several hours after the show waiting
for his autograph and an opportunity to have their picture taken with him.
He didn't rush anyone and everyone seemed more than happy to wait. During
this time I enjoyed visiting with Jack G and his wife, and also with Eric,
and with Jerry Lonn. Jana was there looking lovely and introduced us to
her long time friend Carol. We also met Deborah, Lois Jean, Nancy Ann and
some ladies from Cleveland and Columbus Ohio. I know I am letting some
people out and I'm sorry.
The auditorium was warm comfortable and mostly full. I saw a few empty
seats but not many. I think most of the people there heard about the
concert from the website because once again there seemed to be little
advertising. Two of the ladies from my office had to cancel out and so
just hours before the show I still had one extra ticket. At 4:30 I was
doing some shopping at a store just a short distance from Dupage College
and the clerk asked me what brought me all the way to Illinois from
Mississippi. I started to reply "my car" but something told me not to and
instead I said. "I'm here for the McKuen concert over at Dupage College"
she looked at me and said. "Rod McKuen, oh I used to listen to him in
college. I live just across the street from the college but had not idea
he was appearing here. Oh I wish I'd known." My mind clicked for once and
I said. "If you'd like to go, I have an extra ticket?".
Rod will have to clue you in on who the musicians were because I cannot
remember their names but he did announce that the conductor on the piano
would also be with him next spring in New York at Carnegie Hall. He did
tell the audience that the date was May 30th and I wanted to yell April
30th Rod, but I didn't. I suspect that most folks in the audience know he
meant April 30th. I was beginning to think that the introduction of the
new songs meant that I would not hear "Stay With Me" but I told myself
that I've heard it before. Then during his encore Rod ended with "Stay
With Me" and I knew as I listened to him, that I would. I didn't think he
could ever do that song again as well as he did in Riverton, but I think
last night he did. It was reverent, awesome and just perfect. I cried.
The following is a list of the numbers as best as I can remember them.
If I Could Fly
The World I Used to Know
People Change
Rock Gently
I've Been to Town
Sloopy (reading of the poem)
A Single Man
Roller Coaster Blues (I thought of Sheri and NYC) (Rod played with this
song and the audience loved it. He joked and said when you get to be his
age you can talk dirty and then he included a few bars from his song
"Sin")
It Never Entered my Mind (with new found lyrics)
Time Gone By
Season in the Sun (followed by an intermission)
I'd Like to Get You on a Slow Boat to China (the feelings mutual Rod)
Loves Been Good to Me
I'll Catch the Sun
Ivy that Clings to the Wall
The he introduced Bob Gentry and they sang:
Two-Ten, Six-Eighteen
Life is Too Short Not To Believe in Santa Claus
A new song called "Make me an Offer I can't Refuse" (Hmmmm I'm thinking,
I'm thinking)
And the Bob played the Piano and sang "Champion Charlie Brown"
Rod continued with:
The Summer's Long
Jean
The Reader's Digest version of Madame Butterfly
In the Time It Takes to Get to Know You
A reading of the poem Stanyan street followed by the Song
If You Go Away
Encore:
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Stay With Me
After the show I noticed that several of the fans brought Rod gifts. I
hope he knows how much he is loved and how much his work and his artistry
is appreciated by those of us who enjoy him year after year. We made our
way slowly to the car and the snow was falling all around us. I wasn't in
any hurry as I made my way to I-88 West and we had a long delay at the
toll both. Suddenly a long white limo rushed past us and I wondered out
loud if that was Rod. We were among the last of the fans to leave. Bea
said, "If that's Rod I'll bet he's opened Jana's bottle of Tall Blond". I
said "you betcha" but he deserved it.
Love,
Rita B
Thanks to both John and Rita for their reports. Don't know about you but
reading them I almost got the feeling I was there as well.
- Ken, Johannesburg,
November 18
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