Ben's Final Playlist of 2017 - Thursday, December 28, 2017

I Feel Better – Caspar Babypants
Solar Flares – Mo Phillips
Feels Like Summer – Weezer
That's My Style – The Bazillions
Me On The Map – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could
Must Be This Tall – Justin Roberts
Have Some Fun Out There – David Tobocman

Matt's Final Playlist of 2017 - Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Despacito (feat. Daddy Yankee) – Luis Fonsi
Hey Jude – Caspar Babypants
ABC – Jackson 5
One – Aaron Nigel Smith
Dodgeball – Justin Roberts
Dog Park –
Jack Forman

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song) (Featuring Sonia De Los Santos, Elena Moon Park, & José Joaquin Garcia) – Dan Zanes & Friends
Do You Talk To Yourself – Dean Jones
Forever Young – Andrew & Polly
Lost And Loving It – Kepi Ghoulie
Loving & Kind – Aaron Nigel Smith
What Lovers Do – Maroon 5 Feat. SZA
Your Happy Place – Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym Jam

We Deserve a Justice League of Our Own

DC Comics created a slate of superheroes almost 100 years ago. Marvel Comics and their characters are half as old. Yet seniority does not equate to supremacy when it comes to the cinematic achievements of their respective rosters.

Having recently seen JUSTICE LEAGUE, I walked out with more a sense of fatigue and frustration. The movie seemed to have been built to serve many masters and wound up pleasing no one. A tease here and there (Superman racing the Flash) but mostly a series of ponderous events tenuously tied together. Set pieces and action sequences so slipshod and seemingly random that you wonder why they even bothered to put "Superman" and "Batman" into this movie.

Whereas Marvel Studios, with its grand scheme and 10-year long-term plan, does exactly the opposite. Starting with an almost marginal player in IRON MAN, they have managed to foment expectations and give people what they want, while still intoxicating even the hardest hearts of critics. Whether it's all right, like THE AVENGERS or even half-right, like THE AVENGERS 2, Marvel has employed the right people at the right time delivering the right product.

My kids sat there blankly for most of JUSTICE LEAGUE. For the first 30 minutes, it's almost comprehensible unless you are a hardcore fan. Which my seven-year-old is not. Then when the "connective tissue" of the movie starts to come together, there are still tangents – like the unnamed Russian farm family – who serve little purpose and could have been eliminated in their entirety except for needing to be saved near the conclusion.

And the characters' personalities seem to have been determined by a focus group – Cyborg is angry and confused. Aquaman is a loner. The Flash is a motor-mouth kid with a chip on his shoulder. Wonder Woman is luminous and above the fray. Batman is, well, not Christian Bale. Superman is dead and loving it. Then alive and loving it. When they come together in different iterations, there is sporadic chemistry. But lots of glowering, followed by smirks and smiles when they save the day. Suddenly everyone's friends. Including a fist-bump and two scenes setting up the sequel.

Contrast this to what felt like almost organic interactions between the Avengers and their villains – the Hulk throwing around Loki in their first meeting. Then, a few films later, Hulk throws around Thor the same way and Loki gets to laugh at the turnaround. Even if you're not a hardcore fan, and you didn't see the first film, you understand his reaction from the relationships. None of that is given enough time to breathe in JUSTICE LEAGUE – and it's still over two hours long!

Understandably, since half the team doesn't have their own tentpole movies yet, JUSTICE LEAGUE is kind of a placeholder. But Henry Cavill has already played Superman in four films. Ben Affleck walked away from directing another standalone Batman film, so he's already bored with the role (if not with the money to star in it). I wanted to like JUSTICE LEAGUE. I badly wanted to walk out and say how it took me back to how I felt when I first read these characters decades ago. Ultimately though, it remained a tease... Just as SUPERMAN VS BATMAN was a tease. Warner Brothers better get serious about straightening their House of DC film division. I'm just one fan, but we've had another teasing with these iconic characters.

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, December 19, 2017

Cow Cow Yippee – The Okee Dokee Brothers
Have Some Fun Out There – David Tobocman
Jersey Dinosaurs – Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym Jam
Help Me Out – Maroon 5 & Julia Michaels
You're The Best Thing About Me – U2
Beautiful Trauma – P!nk

Quick Hits: Groovy Purple Fox, Para-Dox's Santa Song

When you think about San Francisco and music, people of a certain age (ahem) automatically drift to tie-dyed shirts and bell bottom jeans. Purple Fox and the Heebie-Jeebies do nothing to dispel this legend with the cover of their first CD, MY PURPLE FOX. However once you're inside, you learn that they're more about the funk. And there's even some vocoder on the title track.

Sounding very much like a West Coast version of AudraRox, Purple Fox raps "I Got Mad Style" with brassy horns and seems to love the concept of infinity, with two songs – "123 Infinity" and "I Love You, Infinity." There's a little Secret Agent 23 Skidoo in "Red Hot Lava" and the adjacent "Red Hot Hot Rod" will get your youngsters' dance engines revving.

There are 10 musicians credited with making the funktastic sounds of Purple Fox. But focal vocalist Josh Friedman is the main man (recorded in his studio). When you think of red and blue and white tinsel this holiday season, also think of a little tie-dye and some funky foxes.

MY PURPLE FOX is available from Purple Fox and the Heebie-Jeebies' website, Soundcloud, CDBaby, Amazon, and iTunes.

Something's going on with Uncle Dox...  Just in time for the holidays, he's decided to re-write Camila Cabello's "Havana" for the Christmas holiday. In its place... behold "Santa Claus." The video is here for all the enjoy. And for all who enjoy, a happy holiday daze for you. You can also get Dox's music at Bandcamp.

It's All Ridiculous Nonsense to Mil's Trills

Amelia Robinson is ridiculous. She also sings about nonsense. Now, in addition to all that, she is giving herself one hell of a Google search combination with the release of her third children's music CD as Mil's Trills with RIDICULOUS NONSENSE.

Amelia knows that too much curiosity killed the cat. But the coolest cats and kittens must retain a little curiosity about the silly world around them. To that end, RIDICULOUS NONSENSE delivers "Stale Bread," "Lost Sock," and "Swallowed A Bug."

Kids über-producer Dean Jones helms RIDICULOUS NONSENSE and provides serious fun and delightful unpredictability with noises and instrumentation. The funky "Globals" starts with a list of different "balls" before getting to its stated purpose. Then back to the balls. The CD finishes with the mellow punch of "You Are A Star" and "Love the Music," with sweet harmonies on the chorus:

I love the music
Right now we all could use it

It's tough being a kid and Mil's Trills tackles the hard topics on "Put Your Pants On" and "Make Some Noise," which begs for some czarist Russian dancers in its video. There's also the power of positivity with "This Is My Body," which bristles against the mantra of "eat healthy and exercise." You can't really body shame these days, but Amelia was part of Michelle Obama's "Partnership for a Healthier America" and really, if it's your body you can be proud of it, but do whatever you can to stay in shape. Rant over.

Based on what's going on in Washington, there's room for RIDICULOUS NONSENSE for all of us, down to the smallest tot. Amelia Robinson and Mil's Trills have signed on. Register your vote by clicking through and deliberating on how wonderful it is to be ludicrous and laughable and love your kids.

RIDICULOUS NONSENSE is available on January 21 from Mil's Trills website, Amazon, Bandcamp, and iTunes.

Here is the video for the song, "Say Hey!"

Ben's Playlist - Friday, December 15, 2017

Cold (feat. Future) – Maroon 5
Must Be This Tall – Justin Roberts
Window – Gustafer Yellowgold
People Watching – Dean Jones
Calling All the Kids to the Yard – Cat Doorman
The Only One – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could
New Pair Of Shoes – The Bazillions

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, December 14, 2017

How Lucky We Are – Justin Roberts
Do You Talk To Yourself – Dean Jones
I Love The Night – Gustafer Yellowgold
Rock Island Line (Featuring Billy Bragg) – Dan Zanes & Friends
Visions – Maroon 5
It's A Wonderful Life – Kepi Ghoulie

Quick Hits: Billy Kelly, NY Family Music Showcase & Brady Rymer Videos

Children's comedian/musician (how's that for a specific hyphenate) Billy Kelly returns to Symphony Space this weekend with a whole spanking new show (and no spanking). Join Bill on Sat., December 16 at 11:00 am at Symphony Space’s Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre. Tickets are a mere $14 and $17.

PR maven Stephanie Mayers is promoting an all-ages family showcase on Sunday, January 14 at Manhattan's Rockwood Music Hall. Performing acts from her talent roster include Falu’s Bazaar, JoJo & The Pinecones, Billy Kelly (him again?), Lard Dog & The Band of Shy, KB Whirly, Gustafer Yellowgold, the Bilingual Birdies Band, The Pop Ups, and Michael & The Rockness Monsters. Tickets are available for the low, low price of $10 – per family!

Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could have a second Hanukkah video, "Rainbow Candles," that celebrates the holiday. It's direct from their recent CD, REVVIN' UP THE REINDEER. You can get that CD here.

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Peace Be To All – Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could
Forever Young – Andrew & Polly
Summer's Here – The Bazillions
Rainbow Tunnel – Alison Faith Levy
Rattlesnake – Caspar Babypants
Mystery – Dean Jones
To and Fro – Cat Doorman

Quick Hits: Saul Paul Raps Acoustic, Rymer Hails Hanukkah

Kid hop is hot. Secret Agent 23 Skidoo is the reigning Grammy award winner for children's music with his 2016 CD, INFINITY PLUS ONE. The Alphabet Rockers seek to make the subgenre a repeat winner with their 2017 nominated CD, RISE. And Austin, Texas rapper SaulPaul is next in line (although not a nominee) with his new release, WE DREAM IN 3D.

SaulPaul calls himself a musician with a message and WE DREAM IN 3D celebrates imagination (the title track), movement ("Texas Two Step" and "Do That Hula Hoop"), and family ("Mama"). The disc checks in a a crisp 27 minutes. The standout track, "Rise," features 11-year-old vocalist Alexia Finney, although closing tune "Si Se Puede (Yes We Can)" is right there with it.

There's a whole world in SaulPaul's music and a goodly portion of it is locked inside the heads of its intended listeners. If your kids have already enjoyed some kid hop or if you want a friendly "gateway" act, give 'em a little SaulPaul for the holidays.

WE DREAM IN 3D is available on Amazon and iTunes.

The pride of Long Island, Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could, greet the first night of the festival of lights with the video to their new song, "Hanukkah Rocks." It's another lyric video, but you get to singalong, so that's a bonus. Bring the kids – it's a reading test as well!

Ben's Playlist - Monday, December 11, 2017

White Whale – Kepi Ghoulie
One Day By The Riverside – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could
One After 909 – Caspar Babypants
Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song) (Featuring Sonia De Los Santos, Elena Moon Park, & José Joaquin Garcia) – Dan Zanes & Friends
Solar Flares – Mo Phillips
Fly Like A Bird – Dean Jones

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Fresh Spokes (Featuring Susan Lapidus) – Hot Peas 'n Butter
Do You Talk To Yourself – Dean Jones
New Pair Of Shoes – The Bazillions
Free Couch – Caspar Babypants
20 More Dollars – Chibi Kodama
Washington, DC – The Not-Its!
Dodgeball – Justin Roberts

Quick Hits: Holiday Songs from Laurie Berkner, LARD Dog, Uncle Dox

For adults, there's Oprah. The one-word wonder that everyone knows.

For the under-five set, there's Laurie. As in Laurie Berkner and the Laurie Berkner Band.

And for those kids (and their older siblings, relatives, and parents), there's a new holiday single, "Jingle Bell (Remix)" to be downloaded ($1.29 on iTunes).

 You can click through and hear the song. Or dance to the whole song. What can I say? It's one whole wholesome song, courtesy of the new "A Laurie Berkner Christmas Album." For that. you can click here.

LARD Dog and the Band of Shy are concluding their "Song of the Month" program with December's "Christmas Time Is A Wonderful Time." Kudos to LARD (Steven Erdman) and his cast of characters for walking the fine line between sublime and silly in 2017 with their songs. The year wraps up with a merry blast of 60s style power-pop done a la LARD. Where do they go in 2018? One can only imagine!

Uncle Dox is debuting free music singles this month, starting with "Snow Day." It's different than the other iterations of the song with the same title by several artists (Justin Roberts among others). The tune has a perky rap beat here with kids gleefully singing the refrain "Snow Day! Lets' celebrate!Bandcamp, Soundcloud, and Facebook.
"  You can get it complimentary of

Mitzvah Bus: Mister G's Good Deed

Multiculturalism allows this generation to enjoy a whole new array of musical tropes. Kwanzaa was not even a holiday when I was a kid. The big deal in any Jewish household was Hanukkah – and the big song was "I Have A Little Dreidel." Followed closely by "Hanukkah O Hanukkah." Followed closely by... well, it would take several decades until Adam Sandler concocted "The Hanukkah Song."

Christmas albums are still the norm (paging Brady Rymer and REVVIN' UP THE REINDEER). However an outlier crops up every now and then. Brady included a Hanukkah track. Joanie Leeds has recorded TWO secular children's CDs. Those are fun, inclusive, and won't produce as much eye-rolling as the Chabad-backed Mighty Mitzvah Kids. Into this mix throw Ben "Mister G" Gundersheimer – just don't throw him under his latest release, THE MITZVAH BUS.

Mister G has won a latin Grammy Award. His other 2017 CD, MUNDO VERDE/GREEN WORLD, was a multi-lingual ode to ecology and Planet Earth. So there's clearly a larger agenda as Ben circles the globe, walking English, Hebrew, Spanish, and Yiddish onto his bus. The semi-traditional sounding "Shabbat Shalom" succinctly sums up his thought process:

Shabbat shalom
Come on home, put down that phone
Shabbat shalom
It's been all week
Now it's time for a treat
Shabbat shalom.

According to Mister G, his most cherished bar mitzvah present was a guitar, which served as his gateway to music education. Now he's playing it forward by honoring his grandparents and recording the reggae-tinged "Hanukkah," "Challahlalala," "Latkes for Breakfast," and more. The songs go completely around the yearly spectrum, including the descriptive "Purim Party Song" and "Camp," which seems to serve as the placeholder for a summer single.

THE MITZVAH BUS is part history lesson, part Hebrew tutorial, part holiday celebration, mostly whimsical, and entirely enjoyable. And like most children's CDs, it winds down with an appropriate good night song, here being "Lilah Tov," which translates into good night. And as long as I can go another year without having to explain "The Hanukkah Song" to my kids, it is a good night.

THE MITZVAH BUS is available at Mister G's website, Amazon, and iTunes.

Here is the video for Mister G's song, "The Bossy E":

Quick Hits: New Mista Cookie Jar, Brady Rymer Videos

Mista Cookie Jar has debuted his latest video, for the song "The Quest for the Missing Polka-Dotted Pink Sock." It's the saga of one man looking for his sartorial accoutrement. Spend three minutes with Mista CJ and see what he's been doing.



Brady Rymer and the little Band That Could continue to drop videos in support of their holiday CD, REVVIN' UP THE REINDEER. This week's offering is a lyric video for "Trim the Tree."

Quick Hits: Holiday Videos from Brady Rymer, Randy Kaplan & Kid Pan Alley

Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could have gone holiday music crazy! But fear not, it isn't an eggnog overdose – it's all to promote their latest CD, REVVIN' UP THE REINDEER. This week's video is "It's Christmastime," and yes, Virginia, you can expect a fully-decorated tree:


The non-profit organization Kid Pan Alley teamed with noted educator/children's music recording artist Randy Kaplan for the song "Santa's On Vacation." The lyrics were written by Tim Johnson  and Mrs. Allard’s 3rd grade class, Poplar Grove School. Randy put his distinctive spin on the material and they even created a photo/video for the song:

Matt's 7th Birthday CD

Hello – Adele
Ben – Zee Avi
ABC – Jackson 5
Papa Loves Mambo – Dean Martin
Despacito (feat. Daddy Yankee) – Luis Fonsi
Hava Nagila  – Ben Folds
 Hey Jude  – Caspar Babypants
Rolex – Ayo & Teo
Everything I Didn't Say  – 5 Seconds of Summer   
Dino-Soaring   – The Dirty Sock Funtime Band
Raining Tacos – Parry Gripp
Grapes   – Andrew & Polly
Dog Park – Jack Forman
Shrimp – Recess Monkey
 I'm a Gummy Bear (The Gummy Bear Song) – Gummifer 
The Duck Song – The Duck
Hello Goodbye – Caspar Babypants

Ben's Playlist - Monday, November 20, 2017

Island in the Ocean – Bob and Luc Schneider
I Feel Better – Caspar Babypants
Sunshine Sunny Sun Sunshine Day – Danny Weinkauf
What Kind Of Fruit – Dean Jones
Window – Gustafer Yellowgold
That's a Wrap – Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats
Inkpot – Kepi Ghoulie

Ben's Playlist - Friday, November 17, 2017

Crazy Mountain Road – Eric Herman And The Invisible Band
Have You Ever Been Real – Dean Jones
Brighter Side – Gustafer Yellowgold
That Way – Chibi Kodama
Feels Like Summer  – Weezer
It's A Wonderful Life – Kepi Ghoulie

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, November 16, 2017

Forever Young – Andrew & Polly
Calling All the Kids to the Yard – Cat Doorman
Hanukkah Rocks – Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could
Play That Song – Train
King of the World – Weezer
One After 909  – Caspar Babypants
Hammer – Aaron Nigel Smith

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Here Comes The Sun – Andrew & Polly
Summer's Here – The Bazillions
Bop Bodiop! – Cat Doorman
You Better Believe – Train
Tae Kwon Do – Bob and Luc Schneider
Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song) (Featuring Sonia De Los Santos, Elena Moon Park, & José Joaquin Garcia) – Dan Zanes & Friends
Banana Bread – Caspar Babypants

Quick Hits: Holidays Tunes and Micah and Me

Portland, Oregon's Micah and Me is a mix between Red Yarn and Hullabaloo. On their debut CD, MICAH AND ME IS HERE, the fatherly trio (Aaron Canwell, Ryan Chouinard, and Justin Deckart) share a mix of kindie classics ("All Around the Kitchen" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider") with flavorful originals ("Mosquito Waltz" and "My Creature").

Dads everywhere get together to  play music for themselves and their families. Micah and Me was lucky enough to live near recording artist/producer Johnny Bregar, who saw a kindred spirit that could guide them through the process of permanizing their works. One dozen polished songs later, MICAH AND ME IS HERE is here for audiences of (mostly) very young ages. Situated in Portland, but ready to entertain in your living room as well.

MICAH AND ME IS HERE is available from Micah and Me's website and Amazon.

Here is the band's entire performance earlier this year at the Fremont Theater (perhaps separating out a few songs in particular to highlight would help):



The holidays are upon us and so are seasonal movies and specials. Children's recording artist Trudee Lunden (aka the Green Music Lady) has penned lyrics for "Christmas Love Is Calling," a song included in the upcoming Universal home video release, "Santa Stole Our Dog!" (starring Ed Asner as Santa). Composer David G. Steele produced the song for recording artist Allison Orobia. You can find the song for purchase at Amazon and iTunes. Here is more info about the movie.

Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats released an EP of seasonal music, IT'S THE HOLIDAYS! and have made the song "Grateful" available for streaming through Thanksgiving. You can grab the song here at Soundcloud.

Ben's Playlist - Monday, November 13, 2017

Relax Your Mind (Featuring Neha Jiwrajka) – Dan Zanes & Friends
T.L.C. – Alison Faith Levy
So Gazed Upon – Cat Doorman
New Pair Of Shoes – The Bazillions
Blackberry Pie – Caspar Babypants
It's Snowing – Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats
Humans Are Still Evolving – Dean Jones

Quick Hits: Father Goose, Lard Dog & Brady Rymer

Father Goose pays tribute to Bob Marley with his new song, "I Wanna Love U." An upbeat reggae rave, the song features favorites Aaron Nigel Smith, Little Goose, and Josh and the Jamtones. Goose seeks to make the point that people with differing views can come together to make beautiful music. Hopefully... in the same way, people can get together to make a peaceful world. You can listen to "I Wanna Love U" by clicking through.

I voted for Lard Dog and the Band of Shy in this year's Fids and Kamily Awards. If you didn't pick up the CD, you can hear this month's free song, "The Kimbaloo," by visiting their website. I encourage you to sample the tune, and if so inclined, go for a deeper dive.

Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could continue their promotional bandwagon for their new CD, REVVIN' UP THE REINDEER. The latest offering is a video for the song "New Accordians." You don't have to go anywhere, I've got the video right here:

Matt's Playlist - Saturday, November 4, 2017

Sunday Morning – Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights
Time to Make the Donuts – Recess Monkey
Everybody Loves My Baby – Jazzy Ash
Cloud Skateboard – Mo Phillips
Sleeping Dogs – Randy Kaplan

Ben's Playlist - Friday, November 3, 2017

The Softest Guitar On The Moon – Caspar Babypants
Chain Reaction – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could
This Is How We Bring In The Sun – Justin Roberts
Bop Bodiop! – Cat Doorman
Rock Island Line (Featuring Billy Bragg) – Dan Zanes & Friends
Concentrate – Demi Lovato
Picky Eaters – Danny Weinkauf

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, November 2, 2017

How Lucky We Are – Justin Roberts
By The Light – Red Yarn
I Dreamed I Could Fly – Eric Herman And The Invisible Band
White Whale – Kepi Ghoulie
Peace Be To All – Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could
Tell Me You Love Me – Demi Lovato

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Small Bird – Caspar Babypants
The Only One – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could
One – Aaron Nigel Smith
That's My Style – The Bazillions
Sorry Not Sorry – Demi Lovato
My Magic Helicopter – Danny Weinkauf

Joanie Leeds, Nightlights Spook Up a Storm at Symphony Space

A kid with special needs will occasionally pull a rabbit out a hat. "The last time we were here was in March for Lucky Diaz," Ben told me as we entered the Thalia Theater at Symphony Space this past weekend. "I spoke to Lucky about Billy Joel." That was indeed true, but real life moves at such light speed that it took Ben's verbal Post-It note to bring back a sudden flood of memories.



So it was indeed seven months between concerts at one of our favorite city venues. In the meantime, we've seen plenty of live music, including a Long Island appearance by the act we traveling to see on Saturday – Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights. However this was a difference iteration of the ensemble, gone acoustic and celebratory-themed for the morning, with many children (and adults) in attendance wearing Halloween costumes.



One of the perks of being a kindie community insider (of sorts) is learning about a performance prior to its occurrence. So I knew that Joelle Lurie of JoJo and the Pinecones would be a special guest, joining Joanie for two songs at the end of the set... although I was badly out of position when she finally took to the stage to sing vocal for "Love Is Love" and the a cappella "Stoop." Joelle is one of the new wave of kindie jazz acts to emerge of late, which includes Lucy Kalantari, Jazzy Ash, and Lori Henriques.



Symphony Space's Just Kidding program has been delighting and entertaining youth from around the region for years. We've been going since Ben was less than three years old and he still delights in the talents on display, even if he is the oldest kid in the room. You can hear him answering some of questions posed to the crowd by Joanie in her introductions. The trio (Joanie, Scott Stein, and Jeff Litman) ran through a set list that went back to her first CD (the song "Ice Cream"). While there were a number of hands raised for first-time attendees to a Leeds' concert, a number of people were clearly veterans who knew Joanie's favorite color is green (the song "I Wanna Be Green"). Joelle has strong chops as well, and her voice blended right into the harmonies (as you can hear on the two videos), in addition to belting out verses on "Love Is Love."


The Just Kidding series continues next week with bilingual rock from Future Hits (11/4). Down the road are puppets, more music, and theater events. Click through and check the calendar.

Ben's Playlist - Monday, October 30, 2017

Summer's Here – The Bazillions

Lost And Loving It  – Kepi Ghoulie

Holiday Jam – Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could

Cloud Skateboard – Mo Phillips

The Great Divide – The Okee Dokee Brothers

Rainbow Tunnel – Alison Faith Levy

Drink Up  – Train

Symphony Space: Just Kidding 2017-18 Rolls With Joanie Leeds

Something always slips through the cracks during the autumn season. For me, it was the start of Symphony Space's Just Kidding Kids series. But we're remedying that situation today – and will be there Saturday, October 28 for the concert by Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights.

Just Kidding Kids is the long-running series of events that includes not only concerts, but theater and interactive performances. Coming up November 11 is a puppet show – Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers: Everybody Loves Pirates. Further along Elizabeth Mitchell (November 18), Billy Kelly (December 16), the Experiential Theater Company presents Journey to Oz (January 13), and a very special show featuring the 2017 nominees for Best Children's Album (January 27).

There's oh so much more – but there's a whole subsection of the Symphony Space website dedicated to the 2017-18 season. Click on through and check it out. We'll be there for some shows!

Here is my video of Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights performing "Ferry Nice" at last month's Kidstock:

Matt's Playlist - Sunday, October 22, 2017

Ben – Zee Avi
One – Aaron Nigel Smith
Grapes – Andrew & Polly
The Start of Things – Alison Faith Levy
Cheese World – The Dirty Sock Funtime Band
Hello Goodbye – Caspar Babypants
Hey Jude  – Caspar Babypants

Kid Pan Alley Lets Kids Write The Tunes

What if everybody could write a song? That seems like a grand concept, except that most people don't have either the equipment, the time, the experience, or the idea of where to start. Kid Pan Alley was founded to give children a safe harbor and a window into the world of music. Their new CD, ONE LITTLE SONG CAN CHANGE THE WORLD, is a collection of tunes written with classrooms of kids. It doesn't seek to change the world as much as let people know that things like this are even possible.

The Kid Pan Alley program promotes ideals such as teamwork, creative thinking, and respect for intellectual property (I wonder if they have a PowerPoint on Spotify royalties). We do this by keeping them engaged and giving them the power to create something unique, lasting and completely their own. ONE LITTLE SONGis about respect for others, the environment, the community and ourselves. The songs are recorded by the Kid Pan Alley band, which includes Grammy nominated vocalists.

Kid Pan Alley is the brainchild of Paul Reisler, and the program has been cultivating young minds since 1999.

ONE LITTLE SONG goes high in its concepts, but you can point the finger at the fevered little minds getting the opportunity to set the table. Songs cover "I Don't Think So, You're a Bully," "Don't Put Me Down, Or My Dog," and "True To Me." It certainly provides a wonderful vocal showcase for performers such as Lea Morris, Heath Francis, Ysaye Barnwell, Jason McGlory, Justin Hopkins, Vance Gilbert, and Alison Rapetti. But in reality, my kids have been exposed to so many songs with these concepts – by artists they are familiar with – that the treatments here didn't really engage them.

ONE LITTLE SONG is a neat little curio and probably worth a listen for the families of the kids involved. However music education in disparate forms continues to be an important curriculum and should be supported. To that end, Kid Pan Alley is a worthwhile project and definitely has its ear (and eye) on bringing children into the world of music.

ONE LITTLE SONG CAN CHANGE THE WORLD is available at iTunes, Amazon, and CDBABY.

Here is the video for the song, "Don't Put Me Down, Or My Dog":

Ben's Playlist - Friday, October 20, 2017

How Can You Tell If It's Going to Rain? – Andrew & Polly
You Better Believe – Train
What The World Needs Now Is Love – Lisa Loeb
Who, What, When, Where, Why – The Bazillions
That Way – Chibi Kodama
I Feel Better – Caspar Babypants

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, October 19, 2017

Thank You for the Box – Andrew & Polly
Banana Bread – Caspar Babypants
Hanukkah Rocks – Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could
Loving Cup – Cat Doorman
Picky Eaters – Danny Weinkauf
I Love The Night – Gustafer Yellowgold
Humans Are Still Evolving – Dean Jones

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Forever Young – Andrew & Polly
Do You Talk To Yourself – Dean Jones
2 If I Ever Was A Child – Wilco
Loving & Kind – Aaron Nigel Smith
New Pair Of Shoes – The Bazillions
Free Couch – Caspar Babypants
Window – Gustafer Yellowgold
To and Fro – Cat Doorman

Quick Hits: Kalantari Jazzed for Holidays, Cookie Jar Gets Socked

When I started this entry, there was a subliminal slip and I typed "Lucky" instead of "Lucy." That's appropriate for Lucy Kalantari, who returns with her ensemble, the Jazz Cats, for their timely-titled IT'S THE HOLIDAYS! EP.

Since it's only five tracks I can list them all – the spooky, peppy, "My Mommy Is a Mummy," which is currently charting on SiriusXM's Kids Place Live, "Grateful," "It's Snowing," "That's a Wrap," and the title track. With that brevity, the kids may still be opening gifts under the tree while the songs are playing.

Grab IT'S THE HOLIDAYS from Lucy's website and Amazon.

Mista Cookie Jar returns this month with “The Quest for the Missing Polka-Dotted Pink Sock." It's not exactly a Halloween themed piece, but is an epic tale of a grand pursuit for his missing foot dressing. The LA-based kid-hop maven delivers an auto-tuned ride to the mall:

You can flaunt that eyelet cuff.
You can rock that pastel tie.
Only you can tell yourself
how to put color in yo' sky.
Me, I like that pink & polka-dotted
pattern in my pupil.
It's the icing on my ensemble.
It's kinda super crucial. 

Who knew that wardrobe selections could be so empowering? "The Quest for the Missing Polka-Dotted Pink Sock" is available at CDBABY, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and YouTube.

Ben's Playlist - Monday, October 16, 2017

O-O-O Child – Lisa Loeb
Sunshine Sunny Sun Sunshine Day – Danny Weinkauf
Crazy Mountain Road – Eric Herman And The Invisible Band
Brighter Side – Gustafer Yellowgold
Have A Good Day – Lard Dog & The Band Of Shy
Not Today – Imagine Dragons

Brady Rymer's Holiday Rocks

The holidays are (almost) upon us and thus the festive music season has begun. First and foremost (so far) is Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could with their latest CD, REVVIN' UP THE REINDEER. Long Island native son Rymer and his ensemble sing of good cheer, great presents, and the excitement that accompanies the onset of winter for children.

REVVIN' UP THE REINDEER leads off with its period piece title track, with Andrews Sisters-style vocals (featuring bandmates Liz Queler and Claudia Glaser Mussen). "Holiday Jam" and "Hanukkah TIme" follow with the almost-obligatory references to other religious celebrations that seem to mysteriously fall around the same time of year.

The majority of the tracks settle comfortably around the traditional concept of December 25, with "Trim the Tree," "Untangling the Christmas Lights," "Can't Sit Still," "Christmas Peace," and "Christmas Wishes." The infographic for REVVIN' UP THE REINDEER would feature one big, honking "Christmas."

Every band member gets a chance to shine on REVVIN' UP THE REINDEER, from drums to keyboard to accordion on "New Accordions," naturally. The LBTC effortlessly segues through a series of musical stylings, from big band to zydeco to country to folk. "Peace Be To All" closes the CD with a little Jim Croce/John Denver 70s feel.

We've seen Brady and the rest of his troupe (Larry Eagle, Jeremy Chatzky, Seth Farber, and Dan Myers) at different venues multiple times and they always bring the crowd to their feet with accessible, professional, and thoroughly enjoyable performances. Brady can't contain his exuberance to one ensemble, as he divides his time and plays bass for the Laurie Berkner Band. It's pretty much a fait accompli that Brady & Company will swing through the holiday season with a number of gigs to promote REVVIN' UP THE REINDEER and jog happy eggnog memories. Whether you're ho-ho-home for the holidays or down for a live gig, Brady Rymer wishes "Peace Be To All," and to all, a rockin' swingin' solstice.

REVVIN' UP THE REINDEER is available October 20 from Brady Rymer's website, Amazon, and iTunes.

Here is the band performing "One Day By the Riverside" earlier this year:

Quick Hits: Videos from Salamanders, Dana & Friends

Recent winners of a Parents' Choice Gold award, the Salamanders have returned with a new music video, "Poppy," from their second album, Bubbles. I'm not big into country – but I'll make an exception for the Salamanders (from Missoula, Montana).



Dana Cohenour (Dana & Friends) are back with another new video, "Do Your Part." Dana hopes kids will be inspired to become more active environmentalists and pay more attention to the world around them. At least they'll jump in and help around the house.

Ben's Playlist - Monday, October 9, 2017

Bridges – Fifth Harmony
Fly Like A Bird – Dean Jones
Me On The Map – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could
Must Be This Tall – Justin Roberts
O-O-O Child – Lisa Loeb
Thunder – Imagine Dragons

Ben's Playlist - Friday, October 6, 2017

Be My Baby – Lisa Loeb
How Lucky We Are – Justin Roberts
Amistad (Featuring Dan Zanes) – Hot Peas 'n Butter
Relax Your Mind (Featuring Neha Jiwrajka)  – Dan Zanes & Friends
Who's Your Favorite Beatle – Lard Dog & The Band Of Shy
What Kind Of Fruit – Dean Jones

Lilting Lullabies from Lisa Loeb

When you think about some acts (think the Verve Pipe), if you don't know better you wouldn't think they were producing quality children's music in addition to being "day job" rockers. For other musicians such as Lisa Loeb, however, the process feels very much like a natural career progression.

Rather than give a whole career recap (that's what Wikipedia is for), I'll concentrate on the kids phase, which started incidentally a decade ago and has come full-circle to be a major component of her recording career, from CAMP LISA to NURSERY RHYME PARADE! to her latest CD, LULLABY GIRL (an Amazon Music exclusive).

A collection of 13 tracks both new and revisited, LULLABY GIRL takes the familiar ("Dream a Little Dream," "Rainbow Connection," and "All the Pretty Little Horses") and mixes with some new choices (Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop" and The Five Stairstep's "O-o-h Child," my favorite on the CD). Loeb also adds two new compositions, "Close Your Eyes" and the title track, which serve as hors d'oeuvres for the rest of the tunes.

Loeb traverses the easy-listening landscape for her selections, from the Disney songbook (a wistful take on "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes") to Burt Bacharach and Hal David (slowing down the classic "What the World Needs Now"). And the LiteFM setting turns "Inch Worm" into a full-on cocktail lounge number. She is served better on the more unconventional (for kids) tracks, as I've lost track of the number of cover versions of "Rainbow Connection."

Ultimately, there's always a place for an eclectic bedtime collection. I was constantly looking for something to swap out with Brahms and Shawn Colvin when Ben was tossing and turning. The road to Slumber Town is paved with good intentions. With LULLABY GIRL, Lisa Loeb is providing a new exit ramp, courtesy of Amazon Music.

LULLABY GIRL is available October 6 exclusively through Amazon Music.

Here is the video for "You Can Count on Me (Lullaby)," which is NOT on this C, ironically.

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, October 5, 2017

Unhuggable – Caspar Babypants
Lost and Found – Train
Put Your Money on Me – Arcade Fire
Island in the Ocean – Bob and Luc Schneider
Whatever It Takes – Imagine Dragons
Smile For Me – David Tobocman

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Down – Fifth Harmony
Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song) (Featuring Sonia De Los Santos, Elena Moon Park, & José Joaquin Garcia) – Dan Zanes & Friends
Believer – Imagine Dragons
Have Some Fun Out There – David Tobocman
Dreamers – Lard Dog & The Band Of Shy
Your Happy Place – Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym Jam

Ladysmith Black Mambazo Sings for Kids Worldwide

Lay's Potato Chips had a famous ad campaign 20 years ago with the tag line "Betcha can't eat just one!" The concept was simple – the product was so delicious, so intoxicating, so life-affirming, that nobody could limit themselves to just one. Which led to a bevy of blackout sketches and comedian jokes about chips causing stomach distress, so why WOULD anyone want more than one chip?

Which leads me to the legendary Ladysmith Black Mambazo. For those who thought the group sprung into existence for Paul Simon's GRACELAND CD, the group came into being in the 1960s. The newest iteration honors the elders of South Africa and celebrates the joys of youth with their new children's album, SONGS OF PEACE & LOVE.

Nelson Mandela designated Ladysmith Black Mambazo as South Africa's cultural ambassadors to the world. They have re-recorded some of their classic material as well as some new tracks, all with introductions that set the tone for the songs, such as "Different Colors Mean Nothing To Me," "Long Walk to Freedom," and especially "Homeless," possibly one of the best collaborations when performed with Paul Simon.

Getting back to my original concept – I'm good with "Homeless." Or "Because I Love You." And for little kids, "Old MacDonald (Zulu Version)." But a whole CD of Ladysmith Black Mambazo was a bit taxing for me. I'd recommend randomizing SONGS OF PEACE & LOVE so the tracks (with intros) get mixed with other artists and genres. Unless you're a mad hardcore fan of world music and Ladysmith Black Mambazo in particular. After all, they're world famous world ambassadors.

SONGS OF PEACE & LOVE is available from Ladysmith Black Mambazo's website, Amazon, and iTunes.

Here is the audio (in video form) for "Homeless":

Ben's Playlist - Monday, October 2, 2017

Have You Ever Been Real – Dean Jones
Electric Blue – Arcade Fire
Tae Kwon Do – Bob and Luc Schneider
Rattlesnake – Caspar Babypants
Rock Island Line (Featuring Billy Bragg) – Dan Zanes & Friends
Kiwi – Harry Styles
Singing Together – David Tobocman

Quick Hits: Uncle Dox & Green Orbs in Cornfield, Father Goose On Friday

I've got issues with kids and crops. Ever since CHILDREN OF THE CORN and its infinite sequels, the prospect of tykes and tall stalks gives me the willies. Well, until Uncle Dox and the Green Orbs soothed my fragile nerves and got me back in the high weeds.

Their new song, "Cornfield" puts you out past the meadow in the farmland where the corn is green and the kids are happy. And no hidden menace is hiding in the dark, waiting to tear you limb from limb. Unless that's the Halloween sequel.

You can hear "Cornfield" on Apple Music, Google Play, and Soundcloud.

Summer was a busy time and a bunch of stuff slipped through the cracks. Among them was a track from Father Goose – a remix of "Friday." The song features a bevy of performers from Goose to Little Goose to Elena Moon Park to Yami Bolo and more.

FG is one of the artists who has chosen the path of releasing songs as they come to him, eventually fleshing out a vision that results in a full-length CD. In the meantime, the process keeps him current and engaged in the kid music community, as well as gives SiriusXM's Kids Place Live a steady stream of kid hop tunes to sample.

The "Friday" remix is available on iTunes, CDBABY, and Amazon.

Jack Forman Monkeys Solo Around the House

What happens when a popular group takes a recess? What happens if it's a popular children's music group like Recess Monkey? Well, in the best of all worlds, you at least get a solo album from one of the performers. In this case, the Monkey Man in question is Jack Forman, and the solo album is SONGS FROM THE MONKEY HOUSE.

If you think you know Jack, then you probably know he's an ex-elementary school teacher and current host of "Live from the Monkey House" on SiriusXM's Kids Place Live. Did I happen to mention his work on a baker's dozen Recess Monkey CDs and the more than 1,000 live shows they've performed? Resumé back in the drawer, Jack doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel with SONGS FROM THE MONKEY HOUSE, which are drawn in part from phone-in encounters with listeners (kids under the age of 13).

Jack is a Star Wars fanboy (I can attest from firsthand conversation) so the track "Yodeling Yoda" is a predictable, amusing curio. Less known was his affinity for Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," which serves as the basis for a kid's Survivor tale, "Candy Tour." I could almost sworn I heard Drew Holloway's voice singing "A Little Cheese" and its sister song, "Blue Cheese," however this CD is all Jack.

Jack doesn't have a kid's show for nothing. Let me reword that; Jack makes doing a kid's show look like it's no work. His conversations with first- and fourth-graders produce genuine emotion and laughter as the kids sometimes beat Jack to the punchline. SONGS FROM THE MONKEY HOUSE allows Jack to deliver some of his own, such as the double entendré "I Lost My Lunch" and jock-ular "Sportball Anthem," for the non-athlete in every household.

From a parent perspective, and especially as a reviewer, I gave the disc an extra spin to mentally separate Jack from his simian bandmates. Does it hold up? Or is Jack the Joey Fatone of Recess Monkey? Happily, I can declare that Jack is up to the task at hand, and his songs are a neat companion for the Recess Monkey oeuvre. Yes, that's a French word. Now go enjoy some rollicking Monkey music with your blue cheese.

SONGS FROM THE MONKEY HOUSE is available September 29 from Jack Forman's website (which directs you to Amazon).

Watch Jack live on "Talk Like a Pirate Day" on SiriusXM:

Lard Dog Offers Sweet Dreams

U2 makes important music; always has and always will. Green Day started making silly music, suddenly decided to make important music, and now wishes they could get back to their earlier, sillier days. Lard Dog & the Band of Shy specialize in silly music that sometimes sounds important. But it's always entertaining.

Steven Erdman (that's Lard Dog to you) has turned his multi-media background to children's music. Their second CD, DREAMERS, expands and deepens the tale of Belopia (where Lard Dog is from). The music is a gateway to the live experience, witnessed in the videos that forcefully suggest parents get their kids to a live performance ASAP.

DREAMERS opens with a blast of Tower of Power-sounding horns, positive affirmations and harmonies, and elegantly styled wordplay:

Hello my nation
The devil may care
Sophistication
Savoir faire 
Your time is now
The dread is done
Dance in the rain
Smile in the sun

Similar sentiments abound in "Don't Let the Boogah Bug You Out" (about as political a tract as Lard Dog dares to go) and "I Like," the hit single that you couldn't miss on SiriusXM's Kids Place Live this past spring. People from all walks of life find the Lard Dog message irresistibly earmwormy – sidekick singer HoneyBabe Lucky Feather) Kendy Gable vamoosed to pursue other musical interests in a southern clime this summer and was replaced by chanteuse/banker (HoneyBabe Raé Raé) Sharaé Moultre. If you want a good taste of Sharaé's abilities to carry her fair share of the nonsense, check out the historical recounting of "Rock In The Rockefeller," about what happened to Mexican artist Diego Rivera's mural for Rockefeller Center. Lard Dog gets uplifting on "Take The Road" and "Have A Good Day," not too much of a stretch on a CD that emphasizes the uniting concept of "slurp the noodle of life."

It's a testament to Steven's everyman nature that I was in the same tiny space with him – Red Hook's Jalopy in January (maximum capacity 78) and didn't realize it was him until he morphed into character. Looking back, I should have taken the Belopian Pledge and offered to remain forever frivolous. Now that I know better, I wholeheartedly concur that Life's A Real Dream! LARD for all!

DREAMERS is available on September 29 from House of Lard, Amazon, and iTunes.

Here is the video for the band's single, "I Like":

Quick Hits: Mista Cookie Jar, Dilly Dallies, and Father Goose

Mista Cookie Jar (and his nieces Esme and Isa) go totally EDM over pandas in his new song and video, titled "Pandas." If you're into EDM and/or totally cuddly creatures, here's your chance to join the panda-monium (sorry, I just had to).



The Dilly Dallies are back with their second CD of family music, WALKING AROUND WITH GIANTS. Stay-at-home parents Steve Slater and Jenn Ekman (not married to each other, but separated at birth by seven days) display their multi-instrumentation on the ukelele, bass ukelele (yes it's a thing), glockenspiel, vibraphone, marimba, cowbell, kazoo, vibraslap, and many more. You can get the CD from their website, Amazon, and iTunes.

Here is the Incredibles-esque video for their song, "Superhero":



Father Goose returns with a song about despair and recovery. Not a real pleasant topic, especially when it comes to children. But "In the Mirror," featuring vocalist Patricia Verdolino, goes in depth about his worries for his health and his family when he dealt with kidney and heart failure and being put on life support – twice. FB has more upbeat music in the hopper, and that will be featured in the next quick hits post in a week or so. You can get "In the Mirror" from iTunes, CDBABY, and Amazon.

Sing Along on Gustafer Yellowgold's Brighter Side

Whimsy will only get you so far with kids. You need genuine innovation and sincerity, otherwise you're up the creek without a binky. Novelties and gimmicks have a lifespan, which is why it's rare for something fresh to catch on and succeed with generation after generation of youthful audiences. I'm not talking about Sesame Street, with its corporate machine attached to it. I'm not talking about the Wiggles, who are into their eighth cat life (and second set of talent) and at least their third American hosting service. I'm talking about Gustafer Yellowgold, him being from the sun, and certainly the enemy of every spell-check mechanism in creation.

Created more than a decade ago by musician/illustrator Morgan Taylor, his little jaundiced space visitor is now the subject of eight releases. The latest, BRIGHTER SIDE, has the distinction of being the first released as CD-only, with videos being issues periodically on his Youtube channel.

The Gustafer Yellowgold fable recounts an adolescent-like creature raised on the sun who comes to live on Earth, with a pet eel and many quirky friends and episodes. Honestly, describing any single part to a newcomer requires patience and a sense of humor. "Gustafer likes to jump on cakes." "Oh, so he plays with his food." "No, it's just a pastry fetish. But not a fetish really."

BRIGHTER SIDE is divided into night and day songs, filling in some background about "Hot Nights" that inspired Gustafer to abandon him homeworld and best friend, "Ellen Lemon." His journey (recounted in "Ride A Line o'Stars") gives Gustafer the chance to sing "I Love the Night." And he encounters the villainy of "Baconstein," who is not to be confused with DARK PIE's "Cakenstein." This mellow fellow Yellowgold is part Harry Nilsson, part Schoolhouse Rock, and all-around fun.

Gustafer Yellowgold has remained engaging, quirky, and fresh. We stumbled across the live show 10 years ago at the Museum of the Moving Image and came away singing the songs. A decade later, the songs on BRIGHTER SIDE show how Taylor manages to fully delineate a world populated by evil bacon and ageless aliens, even as it defies easy explanation. But perhaps that's the reason Gustafer Yellowgold is celebrating his second decade on Earth, jumping on yet another cake in celebration.

BRIGHTER SIDE is available from Gustafer Yellowgold's website, Amazon, and iTunes.

Here is the video for "Lucky Day" from the CD:

Inside Mister G's Green World

Mister G looks forward to a cleaner bilingual world. Or at least a world where people can communicate through music. For his eighth CD, MUNDO VERDE/GREEN WORLD, Mr. (and Mrs.) G (Gundersheimer) deliver a speedy (27 minute) discourse with "Agua/Water," "Patas en el Aire/Paws in the Air," the title track, and so forth.

A Latin Grammy winner, Mister G partnered with Mom's Clean Air Force, the National Resources Defense Council, and Voces Verdes in the release of the CD. To promote the environmental aspect of MUNDO VERDE, he is headlining a concert on Capitol Hill on September 27. This is clearly a passion project of The Gs to achieve cleaner air, land, and waterways.

A veritable host of musicians contributed to MUNDO VERDE, including Oscar Stagnaro (Peru), Mauro Refosco (Brazil), Arturo O'Farrill (Cuba), and Marlow Rosada (Puerto Rico). MUNDO VERDE carries two important message – People come from different cultures and may speak different languages but we all share the same planet. So not only should we be tolerant of each other's differences, we should celebrate them, while lending a hand to save our resources. Sî, mundo importante.

MUNDO VERDE/GREEN WORLD is available September 15 at Mister G's website and iTunes.

Here is the video from the title track, "Mundo Verde":

Kidstock 2017: Enter the Garden (part 2)

When I greet performers, as I did at last weekend's Kidstock in Clark Botanical Garden, I generally ask if there's something they'd like me to specifically record. This gives them a way to showcase material that might not be available online.

The Dirty Sock Funtime Band asked me to record "I Love It," as perhaps they haven't seen a decent version on YouTube. I was more than happy to oblige. "Just give me a sign or say something from the stage," I said. And lo and behold they did it again, mid-song... "Say, didn't we want video of this song?" Mike asked, as I scrambled to get out the camcorder...



Before the music started and during the breaks, the kids and I took several nature walks around the complex. Maybe it was shyness or perhaps just the chromosomes but neither of them had any interest in the dance school or movement instruction. Eventually, after refilling our water bottles, we'd find ourselves back in the chairs for each act.



As I said in the previous blog post, this was a late-arriving crowd. So they started to fill in during the DSFB and the place was at near capacity for Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights. Full disclosure – I played a part in booking the band for this appearance. There's been at least one female act at every event (except the first year), from Elizabeth Mitchell to Bari Koral to Milkshake. Ms. Leeds and the lads became the first to indeed "headline" the event, tho.



Another factor that worked in the Nightlights' favor was the weather. Temps and humidity were brutal to the earlier acts. While Joanie definitely suffered some schvitzing, the skies became overcast (and later drizzly). But in the meantime, she got in her full set and (finally) got a bunch of kids to move forward for some dancing in front of the stage.



Ultimately, Kidstock 2017 gets a thumbs up, although I was feeling trepidation as late as a week ago. The garden setting is different from the beach and the layout would not be conducive to a larger audience trying to view the musical acts. For a festival of this nature, tho, it was alright to get the kids to commune with nature, at least briefly.



For the second Kidstock, the town of North Hempstead printed up t-shirts and sold them. For the next four years, staffers walked around the grounds handing out t-shirts to children. Matthew wore one that he was given two years ago and finally grew into. Apparently the shirts are now all gone. They are collectors' items. Hopefully this year's edition was not the end of the line for Kidstock, too.

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, September 19, 2017

I Dreamed I Could Fly – Eric Herman And The Invisible Band
The Softest Guitar On The Moon – Caspar Babypants
Soar  – Mo Phillips
Drink Up  – Train
Summer's Here – The Bazillions
Feels Like Summer  – Weezer

Kidstock 2017: Enter the Garden (part 1)

For seven years, the Town of North Hempstead has had mostly sunny skies for its annual Kidstock children's musical festival. This year, they added daylillies. After six events in North Hempstead Beach Park, Kidstock was shifted to Clark Botanical Garden for its 2017 edition. The change was mostly successful, as the scaled-down gathering featured three groups, Bach 2 Rock to promote music education, and wrapped up with the National Circus Project.



The beach location beckoned to many families with youngsters and the $10 parking fee was not a deterrent. It also got them to the park early, so that the first few acts played to larger crowds that emptied out. This generally meant that whoever had second (midday) placement became the de facto headliner. Call it the cranky toddler syndrome – most under-fives will empty their gas tank and melt down after 2-3 hours. Schedule a five-hour festival? Something's gotta give.



The principle was in operation here, although in reverse. Maybe because the event was in a different location, maybe because it was free, maybe because any number of variables. But this was a late-arriving crowd, which meant Bach 2 Rock opened to crickets (literally, since this is a botanical garden) and Alex and the Kaleidoscope opened to a mostly-deserted sun field. "You forgot the fans for the performers," Alex Mitnick joked to the technician at one point, while drinking copious water.



We arrived about 20 minutes early (the consequence and good fortune of the event shifting from late August to mid-September) and set up our chairs. The event had several vendors (mostly area dance and art instructors) as well as a food area set up in the parking lot – meaning attendees had to park across the road and take a hike into the garden. There are benches in numerous locations, all great for watching nature but only one near the stage area – and it was promptly "seized" by one grandmother and her family. There was a "Dance Zone" in front of the stage, which is fine when it's cloudy but deadly in the midday heat.



The crowd did begin to gather during Alex's set and was mostly in place for the Dirty Sock Funtime Band. A high-energy quartet, Matt kept asking "Where is Mr. Clown?" Sadly, this was a clown-free performance. "Perhaps he's at the Juggalo March in DC," I wanted to joke, but I doubt a six-year-old would have understood.



Whether it was the clown-free performance or the sun blasting down near the stage, but Matt chose to sit and watch quite contently. Ben, on the other hand, was the ideal participant for a concert. He spoke up, knew the songs from the introductions, and sang along. When Mike Messer (Dirty Sock frontman) jumped from the stage to engage the crowd (hiding in the shade), Ben was the lone exception in the sun ready to shout a line into the mic.

Part 2 to follow...

Ben's Playlist - Monday, September 18, 2017

Needed Me – Rihanna
Sunshine Sunny Sun Sunshine Day – Danny Weinkauf
Electric Blue – Arcade Fire
01 Gonna Be Great – David Tobocman
Who, What, When, Where, Why – The Bazillions
I Feel Better – Caspar Babypants
It's A Wonderful Life – Kepi Ghoulie

New Videos from Gustafer Yellowgold, Mariana Iranzi & Dana and Friends

There is only one Gusfer Yellowgold. No really, just Google him. Baconstein is coming! The eighth Gustafer Yellowgold CD/DVD, BRIGHTER SIDE, has been released. And with it comes the third video, featuring the so-named evil foe of the title character:




Mariana Iranzi is back with new music – she has issued the first video, "Carocol," a tale of a happy snail, from her upcoming CD, PRIMAVERA:



Dana (Cohenour) and Friends is back with a new video, for the kid's favorite, "Follow the Leader." It's for the wee little ones, but here it is:

Lead Belly Lives Again, Courtesy of Dan Zanes and Friends

If the kindie movement was a car, Dan Zanes occupied the driver's seat for more than a decade. The former New Hampshire-born rocker turned his attention to children's music in 2000 with ROCKETSHIP BEACH and nothing's been the same ever since. But Dan was not content to work the same mine for very long and kept leading audiences down different avenues; from sea shanties (SEA MUSIC) to Carl Sandburg/Mark Twain (PARADES AND PANORAMAS) to show tunes (76 TROMBONES) to latin rhythms (¡NUEVA YORK!).

It's been a while (four years) since the last Dan Zanes and Friends CD. A lot has gone on, including Dan and his fiancé Claudia Eliaza pioneering a sensory-friendly folk opera, "Night Train 57" that debuts in Washington, DC in October. But Dan returns to his roots – as a seven-year-old in Concord – when he got his first library card and checked out a Lead Belly LP. His new CD, LEAD BELLY, BABY! gathers a host of notables to perform together and play homage of the songs of Huddie Ledbetter.

Lead Belly was dubbed "The King of the 12-String Guitar," however LEAD BELLY, BABY! is not looking to commemorate every song as if preserved in amber. These are lively arrangements, with "Cotton Fields" done in Spanish harmonies by Sonia de Los Santos and Elena Moon Park with additional vocals by José Joaquin Garcia. Every generation has its slang and catch phrases and Lead Belly captured the colloquialisms of his times, in songs like "Whoa Back Buck":

Whoa Buck – gee by the lamb
Who made the back band
– oh, Cunningham

Took my gal to the country store
I bought my gal some calico
Taking my gal to the party, oh
Thinking we can dance,
Will it settle our souls?

Smithsonian Folkways is releasing the CD, bringing the music of Lead Belly full circle. As a foundational artist of Folkways Records, Ledbetter passed away in 1949 right before the Weavers turned his "Goodnight Irene" into a worldwide sensation. But his children's music is the focus here, from "Skip To My Lou" (with Chuck D and Memphis Jenks) to "Boll Weevil" (with Aloe Blacc and Pauline Jean).

"Serious" intent is deadly when trying to get children to "appreciate" music. Dan Zanes and friends have spent the better part of two decades finding low-key gateways to introduce young audiences to important figures from the near- and far-flung past. There's a 40-page booklet that will allow adults to answer most general questions without scrambling for Siri or a search engine. Using Zanes' cachet and goodwill, LEAD BELLY, BABY! sets a place at the welcome table for a pioneering spirit in folk music, Huddie Ledbetter. 

LEAD BELLY, BABY! is available from Smithsonian Folkways, Dan Zanes' Bandcamp page, Amazon, and iTunes.

Here is my video of Dan Zanes and Friends playing "Welcome Table" at KindieComm in 2014:

Preview: Kidstock Returns, New Venue

Long Island's children's music festival, Kidstock, returns on Saturday, September 16. This year, the event moves to Clark Botanical Garden in Albertson after six years at North Hempstead Beach Park.

I've attended Kidstock every year with my kids and they thoroughly enjoy the show. While primarily there for the music, they like the atmosphere, the clowns (the National Circus Company), and between-act educational pieces from Port Washington's Bach to Rock.

This year's Kidstock features two returning acts and one newcomer – Alex and the Kaleidoscope, Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights, and the Dirty Sock Funtime Band. We're familiar with all these groups (and broken bread with one of them), so this is almost a homecoming.

We've seen the Dirty Sock Funtime Band twice – indoors and outdoors. In looking at their website, their live appearances are sporadic at best these days, so take advantage of this opportunity.


Joanie Leeds is making her Kidstock debut but has appeared on Long Island before. This is a nice open setting (and good weather is expected), so turn out for this free concert experience. The press release is here if you need further information.