Quick Hits: New Father Goose EP; Video from Esther Crow & Lucy Kalantari

When you're the self-proclaimed "King of the Family House Party," it's important to acknowledge that there are homes all over the world. Even though Father Goose has planted his flag in the New York area, he is expanding his base. That means a new EP,  INVISIBLE, with collaborators from a literal United Nations: Jamaica, Singapore, Mexico, India, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Netherlands, and Africa.

Sidelined from doing live show in performance spaces due to the coronavirus, FG spent his pandemic crafting a gamut of songs with his rotating touring crew, making music that could be viewed remotely. But it turns out he had a bigger goal in mind. Goose used Zoom and cloud sharing to deliver danceable melodies with positive messages that enforce social responsibility and community engagement. 

FG puts words into the mouths of a young generation that feels "Invisible" while adults repeat the same mistakes, over and over. "Why" addresses deniers of systematic racism, as people of color seek to "keep on rising," despite challenges from existing class structure (and even a police siren to drive home the point), with a chorus that refrains, "Is it the color of my skin?" There are no easy answers for these tough questions, but FG uses music as his forum to offer possibilities so kids won't feel invisible.

You can also view the video for "Invisible" here, as well as stream the entire EP on YouTube:

Schoolhouse Rock exists only on the Internet (and in our collective memories). Children's musician and ethicist Esther Crow recently enlisted double Grammy winner Lucy Kalantari to duet with her on "Bees, Beavers, and Bats," which now has its own educational video, courtesy of animator Elana Fox (yes, Fox and Crow fighting on the same side). The song, from Esther's album ALL TOGETHER NOW, touts the importance of the animal kingdom in relation to biodiversity, centering on the three tune title characters. The song was arranged under the watchful eye of über-producer Dean Jones (who plays drums on the song). You can follow Esther Crow on Spotify and watch the video for "Bees, Beavers, and Bats" below: