It arrived in my post this morning, the long awaited Rod Shearman Song Book and it was worth the wait! It costs £12 + £1 p&p and is worth every penny.

Dave and Anni have created a wonderful record of not only Rod's work, but his life in pictures as well. The notation is very clear, a single melody line that is easy to follow and not overburdened with fancy directions or chords. The text for the verses could have done with being a little bigger, but there are so many songs (46) that would not have fit if it were so. The songs are a mixture of chorus and narrative, each written with the simplicity and "singability" that was Rods' trademark.

The preface gives a very personal and sensitive introduction to the book, and says so much more than its content. In the rest of the book, there are no remarks, no footnotes, no histories or fripperies, just the tunes and the lyrics and the authors life.

Interspersed throughout the text are pictures of Rod and his friends and family. Many of these will be familiar to those who attended his memorial in Cecil Sharp House, where they were piled high on a table and everyone was invited to look through them. They have been placed with great care and thoughtfulness to the text, ranging from the shy grin of a small boy in uniform to the dashing seaman 'off to sea again'. A strange, cleanshaven and dapper young sailor looks out from 'the land of long white cloud' and the bespectacled, hairy gentleman that I got to know is surrounded by his friends.

If you have any of Rod's CDs, then the book is a welcome addition. If you are learning them to sing and share (which is, after all, why he wrote them) then the clarity and page layouts are perfect (no awkward page turns). If you have never heard of him before, then all I can say is, this is a great book to start off with.

I've experienced a little difficulty trying to contact Old and New Tradtion (Dave and Anni's company) as the website is still under construction, but an Email to info@oldandnewtradition.com should make it.

LTS