Friday, September 30, 2011

Recess Music Builds Up Your Kids

An Extra Boost of Self-Esteem

If you listen to any comedian who talks about their families, they will tell you that kids today have too much self-esteem. "Why are we complimenting kids for doing things that they're supposed to do? You made the bed? Great - one less thing I don't have to do." If you listen to any business expert, they will tell you that the problem with Generation X is that these are twentysomethings who were told they're great, so they don't want to start in the mailroom - they all want to be VPs NOW. Watch MEET THE FOCKERS and there's the telling scene where Greg's parents are showing off his trophies - all of them eighth or ninth place. "Really? They have eight-place trophies?" asks bemused Jack Byrnes (Robert DeNiro). That gets the comic punchline, "Oh, they have trophies all the way to 12th place!"



Yet Recess Music believes that children still need as much positive reinforcement as possible. They have added on to their "Best Foot Forward Series" with "U R Some 1," a dozen gentle songs that tell kids, "You are somebody and there's nothing wrong with you!"

Recess Music aims to entertain, encourage, and educate children and families through Earth-friendly music. Founder and CEO Nancy Doan hit the ground running in 2010. The company has released six CDs, four in its "Celebrate Earth" series and "BIG BULLY," the two in its "Best Foot Forward" series, BIG BULLY being the first.

The description reads, "All human beings can be equipped to appreciate a world that is wise and fair, and generous hearted. This disc highlights the importance of self-confidence, and helps kids realize that even though they might not feel like it at times, they are important to others." Not a bad quality and any compilation with Peter Himmelman can't be all bad. Yet one can already imagine the lyrics when a song is entitled, "Arms Are For Hugging."

BIG BULLY, the first CD in the series, has great tracks from artists such as Renee & Jeremy, Milkshake, and the Hipwaders.

Recess Music has some lofty, yet reasonable expectations. And realistically, every kid could use 40 minutes of inspirational, non-religious themed music once in a while. In those instances, you could do worse than put your best foot forward once in a while.

U R Some 1 is being released on October 18 through Amazon, iTunes, and other retailers.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Friday, September 30, 2011

Dancing Crazy - Miranda Cosgrove
I Shall Sing - Grenadilla
Burning Coffee - They Might Be Giants
Dancing Queen - Glee
The Alternative Polka - Weird Al Yankovic
Lucy Lawcy - Keller Williams
Tommy Got In Trouble - The Bazillions
Action Hero - Fountains Of Wayne
I'm Your Moon - Jonathan Coulton
Fire Of The Sun - Rocknoceros

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, September 29, 2011

Good Morning Tucson - Jonathan Coulton
Amish Paradise - Weird Al Yankovic
Hometown Glory - Adele
The Only Exception - Paramore
Ruling Me - Weezer
Celebration - They Might Be Giants
Born On the Bayou - Etta James
Walk Of Life - Ben Rudnick
Buffalo Gals - Dog On Fleas
Wrong Thing - The Hipwaders
Paradise - Coldplay

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Saturday Night - Bay City Rollers
They Lady And The Tiger - They Might Be Giants
White And Nerdy - Weird Al Yankovic
Say It Loudly - The Not-Its!
All The Animals - Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights
Things Behind the Sun - Nick Drake
Harry Elefante - Rocknoceros
I'll Be Waiting - Adele
A Road Song - Fountains Of Wayne
Hello - Martin Solveig feat. Dragonette

Monday, September 26, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Jamberry - Ethan Rossiter & the Hartwells
Fire Of The Sun - Rocknoceros
Daydreams - Adele
Back To Black - Amy Winehouse
I Love Food - The Not-Its!
Metal Guru - T. Rex
Uncharted - Sara Bareilles
Lucy and Tighty - Okee-Dokee Brothers
Don't Stop It Won't Pop - Todd McHatton
Hi 5 Dance - Flannery Brothers

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Monday, September 26, 2011

I Gotta Feeling - Wilco
Goodbye, Bird - The Fastbacks
Snack Time - RTTs
Ooh La La (Play Me That Song) - Baron Von Rumblebuss
Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart - Fountains Of Wayne
You Can't Stop The Beat - Glee
In My Blue Jeans - Rabbit!
Ode To A Superhero - Weird Al Yankovic
Baby In My Pocket - Dean Jones
Sliver - Nirvana

Friday, September 23, 2011

Wigging Out Over 5th Beethoven's Wig Collection

Tickling the Ivories and Funny Bones

What's the most difficult thing about cultivating a child's interest in the arts? I would say it's getting them excited, whether it's playing an instrument, visiting museums, or listening to different genres of music.

We've had success with most genres, from rock to show tunes to parodies (we're seeing Weird Al in concert next month) to jazz. If you're thinking the biggest roadblock was classical music, you'd be mistaken. We have a few classical samplers and Ben has put them into a rotation for the car (every six CD rotation has at least one classical or easy listening CD).



The most frequent selections for that sixth slot? Anything from Richard Perlmutter's Beethoven's Wig series. We received the first two as a gift a few years ago, and Ben was intrigued. He had heard several of the "straight" versions of classic pieces from our limited samplers. The fact that someone was putting LYRICS to them, and especially FUNNY lyrics, was shocking. Simply shocking, to a seven-year-old.

This brings us back to my original premise, getting children excited about the arts. When I bring home a new CD (or receive it in the mail), Ben will clearly demonstrate an initial level of interest. Weezer? Happy. Ralph's World? Very happy. Beethoven's Wig 5: Sing Along Piano Classics? Jumping up and down, trying to pry it from my hands.

Perlmutter and company do not mess with their existing formula (one that Allan Sherman found much success with decades ago. The CD collects a variety of piano classics (Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Scott Joplin) and adds lyrics that turn them on their heads.

"Brahms Lullaby" becomes "I Can't Sleep," because there's a fly buzzing around in the bedroom. "Chopsticks" is "My Little Chicken." The CD builds to "A Voyage to the Moon," to the tune of Debussy's "Clair de Lune," complete with NASA sound effects. And Joplin's "The Entertainer" is turned into "A Piano Is Stuck In The Door":

They tried pushing it left and right,

But that poor piano was stuck in there tight.

They said "Hope that you're not too sore,

We've never seen this before,

A piano is stuck in the door."



I see Beethoven's Wig 5 getting immediately exposure in our car rotation - which will also help educate Ben's little brother Matt (10 months old) in the ways of classical music. And hopefully Matt will continue the tradition of selecting classical CDs, when he gets his turn down the road.

Beethoven's Wig 5 is available on September 27 through Amazon.com, cdbaby.com, iTunes, and other music retailers.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Friday, September 23, 2011

We Got The Beat - Glee
Palomino - Mates of State
Hometown Glory - Adele
Let Your Hair Hang Down - They Might Be Giants
Hello - Martin Solveig feat. Dragonette
Come To California - The Hipwaders
I Love Food - The Not-Its!
These Words - Megafaun
I Care - Bobby Bare

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, September 22, 2011

Building of the Road - Caroline Herring
Sing Your Own Song - John Wesley Harding
It's Not Unusual - Glee
Say, Say, Oh Playmate - April Smith & The Great Picture
I'll Be Waiting - Adele
Conservation - Rocknoceros
Action Hero - Fountains Of Wayne
A Complicated Song - Weird Al Yankovic
Gelt Melts - The LeeVees
I'm Just Thinkin' About What I'm Thinkin' About - Chip Taylor & the Grandkids
Celebration - They Might Be Giants

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, September 21, 2011

The Cave - Mumford and Sons
People Take Pictures of Each Other - The Kinks
Summertime - Ella Fitzgerald
Metal Guru - T. Rex
Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO ft. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock
Same Mistake - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
She Walks In So Many Ways - The Jayhawks
Willy Won't - Debbie and Friends
It's Hard To Be A Kid - Daddy A Go-Go
Super Sonic Rocket Bike - The Bazillions

Monday, September 19, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The Fox - Waco Brothers
The Kid With the Butterfly Net - Graham Parker
First Love - Adele
Back To Black - Amy Winehouse
Where You From? - The Baby Grands
Shoo Fly - Don't Bother Me - Sweet Honey In the Rock
Dream - Blue Sky Riders
Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
All The Animals - Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights
Hi 5 Dance - Flannery Brothers

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Monday, September 19, 2011

Super Sonic Rocket Bike - The Bazillions
What Are We Gonna Do? - Dramarama
What a Little Bit of Love Can Do - Jeff Bridges
Honest Face - Liam Finn + Eliza Jane
Grow Grow Grow - Nick Cope
Snack Time - RTTs
Sweet Harness - Sharks
They Lady And The Tiger - They Might Be Giants
Wild Thing - Troggs
eBay - Weird Al Yankovic

Friday, September 16, 2011

Poetry, Lullabies for Little Ones

Kid's Music That's Right, Said Ted

Composer Ted Jacobs was presented with a concept - turn the poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson into song. "I knew Stevenson as the author of Treasure Island and Kidnapped," he recalled. "The poems transported me back to my childhood. I felt that if I were to undertake this album, I had a significant responsibility to these words and especially to the author." The result were the 1999 and 2000 albums, A CHILD'S GARDEN OF SONGS and THE DAYS GONE BY.



Now Jacobs has returned to those poems once again. "Twelve years later, it is an honor to play in Stevenson's garden again," he said. His new CD, BACK TO THE GARDEN, presents another dozen orchestral celebrations turning Stevenson's prose into verse.

A self-taught piano and guitar prodigy (at age five), Jacobs became a staff writer at Sony Music, producing songs for various artists. His songs have appeared on SCRUBS, CHICAGO HOPE, and ACCESS HOLLYWOOD, among others. But he has returned to his Stevenson project for the simple pleasure it has given him to produce children's music.

Of course, reviewing a CD of poetry turned to song means that I quote the poems:

we may see how all things are,

seas and cities, near and far,

and the flying fairie's looks

in the picture story books.


It's good to have the ocassional CD for the newborn to six year old set. The 10 year old has his own tastes, but we need to create a selection of (age-appropriate) selections for the baby. Jacobs' newest release harkens back to simpler, more innocent times. And that strikes the right chord for us.

BACK TO THE GARDEN is available on September 20, although MP3 downloads are now listed at Amazon.com.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, September 16, 2011

Hi 5 Dance - Flannery Brothers
I'll Be Waiting - Adele
I'm A Vampire - Roy Handy & The Moonshot
Let The Good Times Roll - Harry Nilsson
Let Your Hair Hang Down - They Might Be Giants
Ode To A Superhero - Weird Al Yankovic
Paradise - Coldplay
Squirrels - Mister G
Those Mysteries - Sparks

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, September 15, 2011

A Complicated Song - Weird Al Yankovic
Jumpin' Beans - Frank Black
Kinder Words - Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Knock on Wood - Amii Stewart
Raspberry Beret - Hindu Love Gods
Slumber Party - In The Nick Of Time
So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star - The Byrds
What a Little Bit of Love Can Do - Jeff Bridges
What Is An Animal? - Marais & Miranda
You've Got a Friend In Me - Bonerama

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Angry White Boy Polka - Weird Al Yankovic
Candylion - Gruff Rhys
The Cave - Mumford and Sons
(Drawing) Rings Around the World - Super Furry Animals
Fire Of The Sun - Rocknoceros
Flashlight - Fuzzy
The Fox - Waco Brothers
Hey, Josie! - The Hipwaders
Someone Like You - Adele

Monday, September 12, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Conservation - Rocknoceros
I Feel So - Box Car Racer
I'm A Vampire - Roy Handy & The Moonshot
Octopus - Artichoke
Ooh La La (Play Me That Song) - Baron Von Rumblebuss
Pretty Girls (Feat. Travie McCoy) - Iyaz
Snack Time - RTTs
Summertime - Ella Fitzgerald
When We First Met - Hellogoodbye
Wondered What'd It Be Like - Stan Ridgway & Pietra Wexstun

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Monday, September 12, 2011

Daydreams - Adele
Ferris Wheel - Kindercastle
Ginger Snaps - Dean & Britta
Harry Elefante - Rocknoceros
Jumpin' Beans - Frank Black
New Shoes - Paolo Nutini
So So Good - The Good Miss Padgett
Super Sonic Rocket Bike - The Bazillions
Tears Dry On Their Own - Amy Winehouse

Friday, September 09, 2011

Rocknoceros: The Line Between Silly and Smart

Songs About the Colonel and His Animal Friends

Twenty years of friendship can do strange things to people. For Rocknoceros, it meant the time had come for a concept album about friendship. Coach Cotton, Williebob, and Boogie Woogie Bennie have been fixtures on the Washington, DC children's music scene since 2005. After three acclaimed CDs, the trio is attempting something more ambitious: a CD with a companion book.

COLONEL PURPLE TURTLE inhabits Soggy Bog with his friends, including Harry Elefante, Rocky the Dog, Truman Coyote, and Pirate Harvey. All of them get their own song and we learn about them and their place in Soggy Bog.



The CD straddles the fine line between silly and smart. The title character "wears a violet toupee under his magenta beret." But there's also a track called "Echolocation" that explains animals use sonar to emit calls out to the environment and listen to the echoes of those calls that return from various objects near them.

COLONEL PURPLE TURTLE shows animals living in harmony, aware that their contributions are important and impactful. "Conservation" covers the affects of wasting water and preserving our natural resources. "Fire of the Sun" urges listeners to use sunscreen for protection because "despite harmful UV rays, we'd not survive without its blaze."

The CD succeeds as a stand alone, without the book. If this is your first exposure to Rocknoceros, you'll feel bemused as your children are amused. COLONEL PURPLE TURTLE is available at retail outlets on Tuesday, September 13.

Thursday, September 08, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Friday, September 9, 2011

Big Blue Whale - Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights
First Love - Adele
Honest Face - Liam Finn + Eliza Jane
I Shall Sing - Grenadilla
Kinder Words - Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO ft. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock
What's the Name of That Song? - Sesame Street
White And Nerdy - Weird Al Yankovic

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, September 8, 2011

All The Animals - Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights
Bluegrass for Breakfast - Okee-Dokee Brothers
Candylion - Gruff Rhys
The Cave - Mumford and Sons
The Kid With the Butterfly Net - Graham Parker
The Rockford Files - Mike Post
Sweet Harness - Sharks
Things Behind the Sun - Nick Drake
Willy Won't - Debbie and Friends
Wrong Thing - The Hipwaders

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Craigslist - Weird Al Yankovic
The Daylight Strong - The Figgs
Hey, Josie! - The Hipwaders
I'll Be Waiting - Adele
Jumpin' Beans - Frank Black
Laser Show - Fountains Of Wayne
Sliver - Nirvana
Snack Time - RTTs
Time Out To Rock - The Not-Its!

Monday, September 05, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Buffalo Gals - Dog On Fleas
Building of the Road - Caroline Herring
Celebration - They Might Be Giants
Dream - Blue Sky Riders
Gee Angel - Sugar
Let The Good Times Roll - Harry Nilsson
Saturday Night - Bay City Rollers
So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star - The Byrds
Someone Like You - Adele
Your Favorite Book - Recess Monkey

Sunday, September 04, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Monday, September 5, 2011

Because I Said So - Keller Williams
Come Up, Horsey - Victoria Williams
Flying - Recess Monkey
Hi 5 Dance - Flannery Brothers
Metal Guru - T. Rex
Mr. Bassman - Sondre Lerche
Nemeses - Jonathan Coulton
Octopus - Artichoke
Song of the Passaic - Fountains of Wayne
Summertime - Ella Fitzgerald
White And Nerdy - Weird Al Yankovic

Thursday, September 01, 2011

Ben's Playlist - Friday, September 2, 2011

I Care - Bobby Bare
I'll Be Waiting - Adele
Little Brown Dog - The Missing Piece
Pumped Up Kicks - Foster The People
Shake Me Down - Cage the Elephant
Slumber Party - In The Nick Of Time
Super Sonic Rocket Bike - The Bazillions
Those Mysteries - Sparks
Up Up Up - Givers