Ben's Playlist - Friday, March 31, 2017

California Kids – Weezer
Cow Cow Yippee – The Okee Dokee Brothers
Do You Talk To Yourself – Dean Jones
Hammer – Aaron Nigel Smith
I Can See Clearly Now – Jojo & The Pinecones
Me On The Map – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could
Thank You for the Box – Andrew & Polly

Our Lucky Day: Lucky Diaz Back at Symphony Space

Two years makes a tremendous difference.

The last time I saw Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band, it was the summer of 2015 in Philadelphia at KindieComm. Matt was only 3 1/2 and although he's seen the videos I shot of the performers, he has virtually no memories of the event.



So when the group announced their East Coast 2017 tour would make a stop at Symphony Space, it was not much of a stretch to circle the date on the calendar.  We trekked uptown last Saturday and they did not disappoint. The five-person ensemble led a rousing full house through a selection of dance tunes (although not from their Spanish-language catalog).

The audience seemed familiar with the "greatest hits" slant of the 50-minute set. In fact, the band was pushing their GREATEST HITS CD (and nothing else, surprisingly) after the show. Ben was delighted to talk about Billy Joel, of all people, with Lucky. I guess I blame myself for wearing a "Billy Joel – Last Play at Shea Stadium" shirt.


The band enjoys playing the material and the banter seems friendly and focused. The interactions with the kids in the audience drew in the crowd, to the point that kids were crowding the aisles in attempts to win the dance contest. In that sense, a good time was had by all ages.

Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band are taking their act on the road to China in May. But have no fear, they will be back and touring the midwest in June and July, with a return engagement to Manhattan to play in Madison Square Park on July 27!

Quick Hits: Friday is Goose Day, Wayne Ready to Party With Kids

You can make it a good Friday, regardless of your faith.

Father Goose has released his new single, "Friday" and it's available for immediate download through iTunes.

Goose cuts a groove and guest performers (Elena Moon Park, Yami Bolo, and Itimo) join along. Father Goose calls himself the "King of the Dance Party" and he's set out to maintain that title, one song release at a time, this year.

Download "Friday" at iTunes.

I confess. Every now and then a children's musician crosses my desk with a long resumé who I've never heard about. That's the complexity of any genre but children's music in general. The majority of the performers do it for the music and for the kids. Fame and fortune do not magically land at the feet of every musician. And that's especially true when your audience truly believes the creatures in your songs, such as  "Willy the Wooly Mammoth," really exist.

Wayne Potash fits that description and his new CD, ROCK AND ROLL PARTY, is 16 tracks that will entertain and amuse young listeners. This time out, Wayne has re-envisioned the Who's "Boris the Spider" and the Aerosmith blues classic "Train Kept A-Rollin" for the post-diaper set.

Wayne seeks to teach some lessons along the way. The message gets a little muddled if you stop and think too hard though. I remember Sigmund and the Sea Monsters on Saturday mornings. Is that the inspiration for "Clawzy the Sea Monster," who "never tells a lie"? Otherwise, it's just a way to end the chorus with a rhymable tag.

You won't exactly come away from ROCK AND ROLL PARTY with a new appreciation for children's music. Wayne is not reinventing the wheel. Here's found a niche and an appreciative Massachusetts audience and is looking to expand his base. You can visit his site for samples of his other CDs as well.

ROCK AND ROLL PARTY is available March 31 from Wayne's website, Amazon, CDBABY, and iTunes.

Here's a video of Wayne singing "New Shoes":

Dana Jumps and Jams With Juniors

Aah spring, when children's recording artists seek to release new music to integrate into their live shows. This year is no different and I've received a trove of new CDs that I'll be writing about over the next month or two.

Starting at songs for basic listeners, Washington State's Dana Cohenour returns from a maternity break with her sixth album, DANA'S BEST JUMP & JAM TUNES. The 12 songs range from country to jazz to bluegrass. The tracks invoke animals ("Fish Tale" and "Barnyard Hoedown"), physical fitness ("Jump and Jive" and "Wiggle Workout"), and responsibilities ("Do My Part").

There's a tendency to shrug off performers who aim at the youngest among us. They aren't the most discerning critics. So Dana makes sure to lyrically target parents as well, as "Wiggle Workout" can attest...

Let’s take a breather, you know I’m older than you! 
Workin’ out gets sweaty and maybe smelly, too!
But that’s OK, we’re getting healthy as can be 
We eat things that are green, we even drink green tea! 

An educator as well as a parent/performer, Dana "road-tested" her material on her Music Playground students and is now poised to entertain new audiences. By new, I mean children under the age of 7. But those kids have parents as well. Otherwise, what brung ya here!?! Dana now falls firmly into that camp as well. DANA'S BEST features a Nashville studio full of top session players. She's busting to get back to work, which means getting kids back up on their feet. Listen, you can do it 24x7 or enlist Dana and take off an hour early. Your call. She's waiting.

DANA'S BEST JUMP & JAM TUNES is available on April 14 from Music Playground and Amazon.

Here is the video for Dana's song, "Jump and Jive":

Chibi Kodama: The Kids Are All Rock

Chibi Kodama is all about girl power. The band practically overdoses on pre-teen estrogen, despite the best efforts of titular head of the family John Cullimore. Long story short, he and his kids bonded over some age-friendly Weezer songs. And happily ever after, they've been producing Powderpuff Girlz power pop.

The Cullimore Family (John, wife Yvonne, and five daughters) have made music in this fashion since 2013. Their new CD, BETWEEN MAIN STREET AND NEVERLAND, smashes the line between listening to your parents and listening with your parents. The songs, including "Believe," "All That," and "Face and Fade" deal with the intra-personal dynamics of family and friendship, childhood fears, growing up, and why it's alright to just be yourself.

As the Cullimore clan expanded, the brood relocated to Knoxville, Tennessee. The girls are now facing a whole new series of challenges, which may seem pedestrian to typical listeners. Going from home-schooled to public school home rooms is indeed a new experience. The empowerment lyrics in "Me" serve as a mantra for anyone who steps foot into the social minefield of elementary and middle school for the first time:

I am not the sum of my mistakes
I am who I choose to make myself today
And I choose to see the world this way
Fresh and new with every step
Live this moment with forgiveness on your breath

Ben asked me "Where do I file Chibi Kodama?" and I had to explain that the band is a concept – there is no actual Chibi. It's akin to asking "Which one's Pink?" for the band Pink Floyd. BETWEEN MAIN STREET AND NEVERLAND (with guest producers including Jason Didner, Lucy Kalantari, and Heather Rosenberg Hirshfield among others) is uncommon rock for kids. That's not bad, it's different, and that difference makes Chibi Kodama kinda unique for the genre.

BETWEEN MAIN STREET AND NEVERLAND is available April 1 from Chibi Kodama's Bandcamp page, Amazon, and iTunes.

Here is the video for the album's title track:

Ben's Playlist - Friday, March 24, 2017

Bop Bodiop! – Cat Doorman
Expo Line – Andrew & Polly
From Here You Can Almost See the Sea – David Gray
Ground Food – Ratboy Jr.
Save Myself – Ed Sheeran
T.L.C. – Alison Faith Levy
2 If I Ever Was A Child – Wilco

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, March 23, 2017

How Can You Tell If It's Going to Rain? – Andrew & Polly
King of the World – Weezer
Oh Island in the Sun – Aaron Nigel Smith
Only One You  – Danny Weinkauf
Supermarket Flowers – Ed Sheeran
Unhuggable – Caspar Babypants

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Fly Like A Bird – Dean Jones
Rainbow Tunnel – Alison Faith Levy
Tae Kwon Do – Bob and Luc Schneider
What Do I Know? – Ed Sheeran
The Word – Caspar Babypants
20 More Dollars – Chibi Kodama

Lucky Diaz Lands at Symphony Space

Symphony Space continues its season of multiculturalism this Saturday, March 25 with an East Coast performance by Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band. We saw the band play as a trio at KindieComm in Philadelphia almost three years ago, so it will be a completely new experience for my six-year-old.

Centered around the musical stylings and chemistry of real-life married Lucky Diaz and Alisha Gaddis, the Family Jam Band has won a Latin Grammy Award (for Children's Music) as well as a local Emmy for their PBS kids' series "Lishy Lou and Lucky Too." They are taking their show on the road again and traveling cross-country for a stop on the Upper West Side.

Just Kidding Kids has emphasized a world beat this winter, with appearances by Sonia De Los Santos and Elena Moon Park, Nation Beat, and 123 Andres. They have saved some of the best for the end of the season, with the easily-embraceable and instantly accessible songs of Diaz and Company.

Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band are appearing for the Just Kidding Kids series on Saturday, March 25 at 11 am at Symphony Space. Tickets are $17 ($14 for members).

Here is my video of Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band performing "Viva La Pachanga" at KindieComm 2014 at Philly's World Cafe Live:

Ben's Playlist - Monday, March 20, 2017

Alligator Get-Together – Key Wilde And Mr. Clarke
Feels Like Summer – Weezer
The Grass Is Always Greener  – The Okee Dokee Brothers
One After 909  – Caspar Babypants
Perfect – Ed Sheeran
Picky Eaters – Danny Weinkauf
Rocketship – Stacey Peasley

Quick Hits: LARD Dog Goes Flatiron, Okee Dokees Go Countin'

LARD Dog and the Band of Shy are back with their third entry in this year's "Song O' the Month" project. "Ode to Flatiron" depicts the enduring architectural splendor of one of New York City's true landmarks. I have a personal connection to the Flatiron building, as I used to pass it every week in my trek to pick up my son from his afterschool program on the lower East side.

The psuedo-classical/crypto-Depression song features opera stylings by guest vocalist Rebecca Pitcher (who played Christine on Broadway in "The Phantom of the Opera"). "Ode to Flatiron" gives a mini-history lesson...look out Lloyd Miller, LARD Dog is nipping at your Deedle Deedle heels.

The preview page includes many factoids about the Flatiron Building. When it was built (1902), the Flatiron was considered one of the world's tallest structures... at 22 stories. And its location (23rd Street) is the basis of the saying "23 skidoo." Although there's no proof there were any spy organizations on the premises, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo included.

Best of all, you can stream the song or download it for free (for the pittance of your email address). Simply go here and read all about it, during the month of March. Who knows what April will bring from the Band of Shy.

The Okee-Dokee Brothers have a new song "Countin' On Me," commissioned by the Minnesota Zoo. The lilting tune has a preservation and conservation theme. With the current Trump administration preparing to dismantle many environmental regulations, now it a particularly good time to pay attention to such matters.

The Brothers (Joe Mailander and Justin Lansing) have a history with the Minnesota Zoo going back three years, to their first appearance at the opening of a nature play area. "Countin' on Me" describes three species native to the State that the Minnesota Zoo has restored or is working to restore in the wild – bison, butterflies and trumpeter swans.

The single is available for purchase on iTunes. All proceeds from the purchase of the single will support the Minnesota Zoo and its wildlife conservation efforts. The Okee Dokee Brothers will be performing a special single release party on Saturday, March 18 at the Zoo.

Ben's Playlist - Friday, March 10, 2017

Castle on the Hill – Ed Sheeran
Hold on to Your Dreams  – Mista Cookie Jar & the Chocolate Chips
Mama Don't Allow – In The Nick Of Time
Popsicle – Bob and Luc Schneider
Shake a Friend's Hand – Andy Z
Sleeping Dogs  – Randy Kaplan
The Word – Caspar Babypants

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, March 9, 2017

Born Again –  Red Yarn
Don't Grow Up To Fast – Keith Munslow And Bridget Brewer
Eraser –  Ed Sheeran
That Way – Chibi Kodama
The Ultimate Frisbee –  Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym Jam

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Because I Love You – Caspar Babypants
Calling All the Kids to the Yard – Cat Doorman
Here Comes The Sun – Andrew & Polly
Look At Those Clouds – Danny Weinkauf
Mockingbird – Red Yarn
Thank You (feat. R. City) – Meghan Trainor
This Is How We Bring In The Sun – Justin Roberts

Kids Smitten With Kaplan's Mitten Trippin'

What if your only problem with a children's recording artist was that they were too damn clever? By that I mean, putting in stuff that not only goes over the kids' heads, but goes by so fast that most adults would miss it. They stare blankly even after hearing it a few times, or tracking back a few seconds in iTunes to make sure something was heard correctly.

Aside from that kerfuffle, I have no reservations about Randy Kaplan's new CD, TRIPPIN' ROUND THE MITTEN. He's been a longtime favorite ever since my older son was my younger son's age – for the uninitiated, that's more than a decade. Randy's MITTEN runs close to an hour and is filled with wacky and wonderful stuff like "Supernude," about a clothes-adverse youngster and "Comb Your Ear," a wistful remembrance of a mutt from Kaplan's past.

Randy is not adverse to the occasional cover song as well and his choices are remarkably diverse. There's the 1950s novelty "Mr. Bassman" with a science-oriented epilogue, "Mr. Spaceman," where he explains time/space travel dynamics to his car-trip-tired son. And the recent Maroon 5 tune "Sugar" gets a kid-centric rewrite about confectionary concoctions.

MITTEN is full of Kaplan-esque wordplay and unique situations. "Cat & Mice" allows Randy to rap about all the rotten things he and his friend (the prototypical kid who lived down the block) are gonna do when left unsupervised. Hence, a rap that includes Stardust Memories, A Night at the Opera, and Star Trek. "In "My Frigerator Broke," a desperate Randy tries to use perfectly good food for other purposes under dire circumstances:

Got tuna fish in my pocket
Butter up my sleeves
Eggs tucked in my dungarees
Socks are full of cheese
You might call me crazy
But this is not a joke
My frigerator, frigerator, frigerator broke
My frigerator, frigerator, frigerator broke

MITTEN wraps with the apocryphal "On the Phone on the Toilet,"  the Kids Place Live favorite, a child's paean to parents living immersed in the age of social media, and "Mommy Love Song," one of two charming songs featuring lead vocals by Julie May. Randy is entering the eleventeenth year of adolescence and we're all the better for it. You may take better-planned trips, or family trips, but Kaplan's MITTEN is one of the funner trips you can take your kids on.

TRIPPIN' ROUND THE MITTEN is available from Randy Kaplan's website, Bandcamp, Amazon, CDBaby, and iTunes.

 Here is the video for his song, "Crew Cut":

Ben's Playlist - Monday, March 6, 2017

Amistad (Featuring Dan Zanes) – Hot Peas 'n Butter
Big Buncha Buddies – Keith Munslow And Bridget Brewer
Colors – OneRepublic
Fantastic – Lucy Kalantari
Mr. Bassman – Randy Kaplan
Old Mother Goose – Red Yarn

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, March 2, 2017

Babylon – David Gray
Crazy Mountain Road – Eric Herman And The Invisible Band
Love You Always – Lucy Kalantari
My Magic Helicopter – Danny Weinkauf
Sugar – Randy Kaplan
Your Happy Place – Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym Jam