“This is how they must have done it! This is how they all did it!” — Douglas Grey, retired Oxford Don
“Bob Frank has earned his place in the 700 year old tradition of troubadors who have rhymed of Robin Hood. Somewhere, those who sang, those who wrote down and those who lived the events he sings about, are smiling.” — Seth Feldman, creator of the Canadian Broadcasting Company’s radio program, “Hunting for Robin Hood,” aired October 8, 2001
“This is one of the best CDs I’ve bought on cdbaby – and I buy tons of em. This guy makes this 15th century poem totally accessible. You get completely wrapped up in the strange universe of Robin Hood, and at the same time you almost feel like you’re listening to a Clint Eastwood movie. It’s just a guy and his guitar, but the impeccably played music provides leitmotivs for the characters and emotions that sucks you in. I hope this is only the first in a series of CDs that updates the bard tradition. People I know who are into James Bond love this CD.” — Jane Lanctot’s review on CD Baby
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The Critics Love It
“… an engrossing acoustic adaptation of the 456-stanza 15th century narrative poem.” — J.R., http://www.nashvillescene.com.
“This weird and wonderful CD presents a rarity: a 500-year-old song that’s accessible to modern audiences… Frank performs it essentially as a talking blues. Sounding a little like Waylon Jennings’ balladeer on ‘The Dukes of Hazard’… his animated speaking style makes the serious parts exciting and the jokes funny, and his plain-spoken language means anyone can enjoy it. It is at once the same song Wynken de Worde printed, and an entirely new poem, a piece of work more authentic than any Robin Hood movie, and equally entertaining.” — Steve Winnick, Dirty Linen.
“His performance of the ballad in 2001, at a Canadian conference of Robin Hood scholars, artists, writers, actors, etc., was greeted with enormous enthusiasm. College professors are using it in their Medieval Literature and History classes; scholars praise it, children listen.” — Faith Petric, Sing Out.
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College Professors, Teachers, Students, Medievalists, and Anybody Who Just Likes to Hear a Good Story Well Told
“I got your CD, Bob! And I wanted to extend a very big greenwood thank you for your great courtesy. Not just for sending me the CD, but for actually recording it in the first place. I think you’ve done the legend a great service… I’m really in awe of the witty modernization of some lines – very, very impressive. And your delivery is just perfect! Dramatic, witty, warm, thoroughly human — it really demonstrates that the Gest was meant to entertain people, not sit in some dusty book on a dusty shelf. So, once again — thanks!” — Allen Wright, webmaster of “Robin Hood — Bold Outlaw of Barnsdale and Sherwood,” Toronto, Canada
“This is great — and just before Christmas! I am just slowly easing my way into the Middle Ages in my classes, so, if I can receive the cd in the next couple of weeks I can play it for them.” — Laura Blunk, Professor of History, Cuyahoga Community College, Highland Hills, Ohio
“a masterpiece of verse, so well told in spoken word and guitar… this effort tastes like a dessert following judas iscariot… its a true pleasure to have your songs and stories.” — Jeff Brandon, Hernando, Mississippi
“I was expecting something off-puttingly authentic and instead I got something that sounded alive. It seemed to me that you struck the exact right balance between introducing variations in the walking base line, the modes, and the rhythms for the purposes of drama without going too far. Its restraint made me want to listen up closer.” — Chris Chism, Assistant Professor of English, Rutgers University
“I suspect more people will be interested in hearing your version of the Gest. … it will bring the older ballads alive in a new way. And you can see just how much the conference goers loved the Gest – everyone I talked to loved what you did and was very interested in it! I don’t think I was exagerating when I called it the highlight of the conference.” — Allen Wright, webmaster of “Robin Hood — Bold Outlaw of Barnsdale and Sherwood,” Toronto, Canada
“It’s amazing how the Gest responds to a good performance. Too often medievalists can’t take their eyes off the pages of books in order to listen…I hope that you will carry on delighting the dry old medievalists.” — Douglas Gray, retired Oxford Don
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Sample: First Fit: Little John, Much and Scarlett bring the gentle knight to the greenwood tree to eat dinner.
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