Brady Rymer and David Gibb: Together, Across the Pond

Everyone can agree that coronavirus has made the world a smaller place. Everyone is sharing the experience – and while mostly negative, there are some positives. For instance, collaborations that may not have occurred in the past due to insurmountable travel have become commonplace. Which brings us to SONGS ACROSS THE POND, a concept album about the transcontinental friendship between British children's musician David Gibb (Belper, Derbyshire, to be exact) and North American recording artist Brady Rymer (the pride of Southold, New York).

Both musicians are long-time favorites, "locally sourced" in their native cities. David's outreach to Brady turned into a road trip and EP, which evolved into a full 12-song album that began before a global pandemic shuttered the chance for dual live gigs performing together to promote it (that's being turned into virtual engagements).

SONGS ACROSS THE POND with the melodic "Across the Pond" (a reference to a little thing called the Atlantic Ocean) and moving through "Two Towns," a tribute to iconic attributes of each's communities. For kids whose only exposure to England is through 60s music, "Living in a Beatles Song" crams as many references as possible into a three-minute tune, including Penny Lane, twist and shout, drive my car, across the universe, Mister Mustard, strawberry fields, Mister Kite, Sgt. Pepper, all you need is love, etc.

Brady gives a large share of the spotlight to David, who is lesser known in the larger American market. Gibb takes full advantage, with the upbeat "Get Up with Me and Dance" and "Travelling David." The duo fluently trades off vocals, such as the title track and the British roads-inspired "Roundabouts." On "You Say This, I Say That," they contrast the vernacular of their respective countries, before agreeing "A friend is a friend wherever you go."

SONGS ACROSS THE POND is a nifty little summer curio, complete with a pair of iconic cover tunes, Sam Cooke's "Twisting the Night Away" and Cat Stevens' "If You Want to Sing Out." It's the ideal conversation starter to explain to your little ones what lies beyond the horizon. You can talk about the people who live there, across the pond, and how our worlds will one day meet again, in person, not through a computer monitor.

SONGS ACROSS THE PONG is available July 31 from Brady Rymer's website, David Gibb's website, Spotify, Amazon, and Apple Music.

Here is the video for their song, "Two Towns":

Red Yarn Debuts A Folkie American Bop

Red Yarn (Andrew Furgeson) finishes his first decade as Red Yarn in style – his wife and singing partner Miss Jessie join their critter pals to celebrate the release of his seventh CD, BACKYARD BOP, with a virtual live-streamed family concert on August 7.

There's a plaintive joy in the songs on BACKYARD BOP as well as the inherent contradiction of wanting to play outside versus the perils of the pandemic restricting children to the very limits of "My Own Backyard." The peppy "Neighborhood Park" seems a relic from another time. You can't help have mixed emotions from a child watching life "Outside My Window" from his room and also as the countryside whizzes by on a family car ride, among the only times some people gather in that particular indoor/outdoor setting:

If you keep your curtains closed
You'll miss that perfect picture show 
There's a big show outside your window
Real people living in sunshine and shadow
Turn off your TV, put down your dumb phone
Enjoy the big show outside your window

Andy started his journey as a simple purveyor of American standard folk tunes, recording lost classics from the great catalog of little-known and forgotten chestnuts of the flatlands. Along the way, he loosened the reins and incorporated original songs into the mix, creating a more well-rounded, contemporary folk experience for his audience. Über-producer Dean Jones began working with Andy nearly one year ago on BACKYARD BOP and their efforts have blossomed into a fully-actualized stage production that alas, coronavirus is depriving children from appreciating in person – including puppet regulars Mama Robin, a revamped Bob Rabbit, Molly Cottontail, and Rocky Raccoon (yes, named after a character from a song by some British boy band in the 1960s, but give Andy a break here). Red Yarn spins some tall tales and (yes) yarns to remind us that the homesteaders who invented this genre of music were the original "shelter at home" people.

Red Yarn will continue hosting weekly concerts on Facebook Live on Mondays and Wednesdays; that's where the August 7 virtual concert will also happen.

BACKYARD BOP is available August 7 from Red Yarn's website, Amazon, and Apple Music.

Here is the video for the song, "Jump For Joy":

Mista Cookie Jar Presents A Pair of New Projects

Mista Cookie Jar (CJ Pizarro) turns 40 this month. Which means he's spent one-quarter of his life entertaining and engaging with children, sharing his music online and in person (despite only performing virtually since March). But keeping busy is a Mista CJ hallmark and this 2020 sweltering season has been no exception. Among his projects is a collaboration with YouTuber Trevor Walls on a "Socially Distanced Summer Anthem." It's a funky and funny song, and your tweens and teens will certainly sympathize. CJ met Trevor in 2013, when the lad was 11 years old. From humble beginnings come awesome alliances. From CJ's home in California to Trevor's pad in Vancouver, Canada, the video hits all the sights, sensations, and sadness that youths are going through as they cycle the five stages on their way to acceptance. Trevor hopes to make it as a comedian/musician, so kudos to him as he starts the journey.



With temperatures on the rise (both literally and figuratively), kids need an opportunity to blow off some steam. Mista CJ has also debuted a new single, "Don't Gotta Be Cool," with sheltering-friendly lyrics that describe our social climate with alacrity:

Sometimes we use our outside voices
inside when we’re having fun
So now’s the time
to let ya soul speak out
I’m proud that you’re my number one

It's shocking that four months have passed since the last original tune from CJ and his band of confederates (no relation to the ongoing flag controversy). This sudden outpouring shows that CJ is back and stoked to share these new adventures we're all experiencing together.

You can click through to Bandcamp and buy Mista CJ's entire discography of 42 LPs and singles for a mere $53 (a savings of 20 percent). If you're unfamilar, you can also hear samples, discover the funky beats, and hear the evolution of the popular LA-based kindie favorite.

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Alligator – caspar babypants
Boy with a Hole in his Heart – Danny Weinkauf
Clown Shoes – Ratboy Jr.
Doppelganger – Dog On Fleas
Little Dobby Does It – Jack Forman
Stars – Ants Ants Ants
Wake Up Little Susie – The Everly Brothers

Quick Hits: Will Parker Imagines, Suzanne Jamieson Bounces

Well, we're all still stuck inside and looking for something fantastical to get our imaginations working. Musician Will Parker has taken the lead in that direction with his new album, IMAGINELAND. Will (and his collaborative partner Sam Fuller) introduces a world of characters – many of whom come alive during his virtual shows (in-person shows will wait for post-pandemic conditions). These personas include "Nomadic Gnomes," "Unicorn On a Unicycle," and "Pizza Knights." Ensemble performer Michelle Benton takes the lead on "Rainbow Mermaid Detective Jones," certainly one of the most specifically-dedicated fantasy character identities.

The storyline running through IMAGINELAND is that the inventive world is in trouble because people are not believing in fantasy anymore. Throughout the live shows, the audience is enticed to sing and dance along, climaxing with a collaborative improvised song, stressing the importance of imagination making the world a better place. Parker's point is precise and paramount – people, please picture pleasurable places. Now, use your imagination for something fun.

IMAGINELAND is available from Will Parker's website, Bandcamp, and Apple Music.

Here is the video for Will Parker's song, "Unicorn On a Unicycle":



Just when I thought The Pop Ups and Twinkle Time had locked down the upbeat kindie pop sound, along comes Suzanne Jamieson (produced by the Pop-Ups). While her first family release focused on lullabies, Jamieson pulled a 180 and now wants kids to be completely awake and active for her sophomore collection, entitled BOUNCE.

As her own kids aged out of toddler and pre-k music, Jamieson sought a suitable segue before they moved into traditional pop music. Worried about inappropriate lyrical content as well as lack of positive messaging, she worked with Jason Rabinowitz and Jacob Stein (those Pop-Up guys) to utilize their pop synth sound and create the 11 songs on BOUNCE. A child of the 1980s herself, Jamieson used her background as a certified yoga therapist and readings from texts on happiness and philosophy  to develop the personality and vitality of this collection.

Much like fellow Californian Twinkle, Jamieson infuses her power pop with positivity and self-determination. There's a party going on, but there's also stuff to think about as well. "Lemonade" is about making the best of a potential bad situation. "Grateful," featuring the Alphabet Rockers, asks listeners to consider the good things around them. "Luna" is a "bump in the night" song that also assures children that their emotions are just as valid as grownups, especially true in the world of a global pandemic. Your soon-to-tweens might enjoy a dose of tailor-made, feel-good music like Suzanne Jamieson's BOUNCE (And for the parents, there's always the other Jameson).

BOUNCE is available from Suzanne Jamieson's website, Amazon, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Here is the video for the title track of Suzanne Jamieson's new album, "Bounce":

Ben's Playlist - Friday, July 17, 2020

Anything Can Be A Hat – Ratboy Jr.
I Can't Believe I Ate the Whole Thing – Jack Forman
I Spy – Ants Ants Ants
Loving & Kind – Aaron Nigel Smith
Perfect Day – Danny Weinkauf
pickle holiday – caspar babypants
Summertime Soul – David Gibb & Brady Rymer

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, July 16, 2020

Buenos Dias – The Lucky Band
fuzzy buzzy buzzing bug – caspar babypants
I Had to Pee (On a Ferris Wheel) – Jack Forman
Living in a Beatles Song – David Gibb & Brady Rymer
Village d'Ãtoile – Dog On Fleas
Who, What, When, Where, Why – The Bazillions
Your Love is a Metaphor – Danny Weinkauf

Rymer/Gibb Say Hey There; Raffi's Baby Beluga at 40 (with Yo-Yo Ma)

Next week marks the debut of SONGS ACROSS THE POND, a concept album about the transcontinental friendship between British children's musician David Gibb (Belper, Derbyshire, to be exact) and North American recording artist Brady Rymer (the pride of Southold, New York).

The duo have released a video of their song, "Hey There," featuring fans of both artists (following strict stay home orders) holding up homemade signs. You can listen to the song on Brady's Spotify page and watch the video here:



You can talk about children's music without mentioning Raffi, but you can't do it for very long. The internationally renowned entertainer and advocate released his iconic album "Baby Beluga" 40 years ago and helped spark both a public appreciation of a threatened species and Raffi’s own climate activism. Just since 2015, "Baby Beluga" has been streamed more than 25 million times on Apple Music and Spotify, and more than two million copies of the album have been sold since the original release on July 10, 1980.

To celebrate the anniversary, Raffi has released a recorded-at-home offering of “Baby Beluga” accompanied by cellist Yo-Yo Ma. This unconventional pairing includes a new verse for adults: “Now you’re grown and you’re on your way, making waves in the boundless bay, with your shining light and your dreams alive, for the ones you’ve brought this way. Grown up beluga, grown up beluga…”

The video debuts on the official Raffi You Tube channel, and the audio will follow as a digital single on all services later this month. Profits will benefit The Climate Mobilization, a grassroots group working to restore a safe climate, and which has contributed to more than 1700 Climate Emergency Declarations around the world.

Raffi also invites #BelugaGrads and children of all abilities to submit their drawings for an upcoming “Baby Beluga” music video. Sketches of belugas or anything else they find inspiring are welcome. Go to BabyBeluga40.com for more information about how to submit artwork.

Stream Baby Beluga on Spotify, Amazon, and Apple Music.

Here is the video with Raffi and Yo-Yo Ma:

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, July 8, 2020

All Star – Andrew & Polly
baby's driving a car – caspar babypants
Backstroke Raptor – Story Pirates
El Corazon – The Lucky Band
Hey There – David Gibb & Brady Rymer
One – Aaron Nigel Smith

Sharon, Bram & Friends Talk Peace; Erica Rabner Says "Mask On"

Children's music is all about shared experience. How else are kids going to discover music if it's not shared with them? That creates a next generation that begins to create and share their works and so on. "Talk About Peace" was written by Joe Hampson – a Canadian folk singer in The Travellers who was married to children's performer Sharon Hampson (of Sharon, Lois, and Bram acclaim). While not as well known in the United States, the trio were celebrated for their body of work and inducted into The Order of Canada, their country's highest honor.

That trio recorded "Talk About Peace" for their 1980s television program, "The Elephant Show." More than 25 years later, the song has been re-recorded (using Zoom technology) by Sharon and Bram and Friends – including Josh Lovelace, improv expert Colin Mochrie (Whose Line Is it Anyway?), actor Aaron Solomon (who played Johnny Cash in Million Dollar Quartet), and Canadian children's music duo Splash'N Boots.

After the retirement of Lois and Bram, Sharon was encouraged (by Bram) to keep recording and performing with her daughter, lyricist Randi Hampson. Sharon and Randi now sing the songs of Sharon, Lois & Bram through Facebook Live Singalongs every Thursday at 1:00 PM. ET on the Sharon, Lois & Bram Facebook page.



Singer Erica Rabner is one of the many performers using her voice to help children under the importance of wearing masks. Her new song "Mask On" promotes community safety and the role of personal protection equipment in keeping your loved ones safe. Erica is currently planning a music video to boost “Mask On” into the popular consciousness, featuring people of all ages and backgrounds.

"My goal is to make masks more fun and turn a source of anxiety into a source of pride," explains Erica, who spoke with a number of like-minded educators, parents, and health care professionals. You can find Erica's Google Form to submit yourself/your children for the "Mask On" video and listen to the song here:

Erica Rabner · Mask On

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Clown Shoes – Ratboy Jr.
It's A Wonderful Life – Kepi Ghoulie
Lazy Boy – Franz Ferdinand
Taco Tuesday – The Lucky Band
That's What a Song Is – Jack Forman
Two Towns – David Gibb & Brady Rymer

Ben's Playlist - Monday, July 6, 2020

Across the Pond – David Gibb & Brady Rymer
Cut the Cheese – Danny Weinkauf
Finally – Franz Ferdinand
Helicopter Leaves – Ants Ants Ants
It's a Miracle – Dog On Fleas
New Pair Of Shoes – The Bazillions
The Sun Comes Up Again – Jack Forman

Quick Hits: Berkner's Handwashing Heroes and Party; Sprout Touts Jefferson

If you do a search online for popular children's music artists, Laurie Berkner always comes up near the top (if not the top). Her fan base is immense, her songs are inventive, and her connection to her audience has grown over nearly 20 years. Laurie starts the month of July with "The Superhero Handwashing Song," and an accompanying video (more conceptual than anything else, featuring still images and borrowed footage from previous videos).

The era of coronavirus means taking extra bathroom precautions for health reasons. Laurie addresses those issues in a direct, effective manner (hey, less than one minute and 20 seconds). As she explained, "It can be hard to come up with a way to keep a young child...at the sink long enough to safely wash their hands. Ask your little superheroes to fly over to the sink and then turn on the song. Just by following along they will be dancing - and have fully clean hands - in only one minute!"

The Laurie Berkner Band will be hosting a "Dino Beach Party" on Sunday, August 9 at 5 PM ET ($20 admission). This will be the second in Laurie's summer concert series and the first with her whole band (Brady Rymer, Susie Lampert, and Bob Golden) appearing in some capacity. Click the title link for more information.



Just in time for the Fourth of July, Jonathan Sprout is releasing new kid's music, in the form of the song "Happiness." You can watch that video here. But more directly related to the actual national holiday and our founding fathers, Jonathan has the song "What He Wrote," talking about Thomas Jefferson, who drafted the original Declaration of Independence, which was signed coincidentally on July 4, 1776. This tune has been around for a few years, and was co-written by fellow kid's music composer Dave Kinnoin. Together, "What He Wrote" brings history to life with music and rhyme:

We hold these truths to be self-evident
All men are created equal. And on it went.
Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness...
He spelled democracy and nothing less.
He made it crystal clear 
So all the world could hear.

Story Pirates Debut Creator Camp in July

Put your creative kids' minds to work this July with the Story Pirates virtual Creator Camp. Yes, they do improv music and stories. But now the Story Pirates are breaking the fourth wall and making kids do all the work, sort of.

Random House Children's Books is partnering with the Story Pirates to bring best-selling kids' authors and illustrators into the creative process and take questions from campers. Attendees will then download story sparks and related activities to try at home. Curated book bundles are included as part of camp registration. While the material will be age-appropriate, suggested ages are 5-12. Camp sessions are held Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

It's almost hard to believe that the Story Pirates has evolved from a live sketch comedy show based on stories written by kids, performed by friends in a Harlem school auditorium. From their debut in 2004, they launched a radio show, the number one podcast for kids and families, a live coast-to-coast tour, a middle-grade book series, and two albums of music.

Each week of their July camp features virtual visits from best-selling children’s book authors and illustrators, interactive livestream activities led by the Story Pirates. Topics include illustration, cartooning, time travel, and space. Not to give any performer short shrift, but parents may be most familiar with Danica McKellar (Wonder Years, The Times Machine!), Lincoln Peirce (Big Nate comic strip) and Judd Winick (well, me at least from The Real World).

Sessions start on Monday, July 6 and run through Friday, July 31. Attendees may attend any and all sessions. Each week costs $195 with a $50 add-on package. Those interactive, small-group “cabins” sessions are led by Story Pirates’ expert teaching artists. They are held to 20 campers per group,  grouped by age and grade level with material geared specifically for them. For more information, visit the Story Pirates website.