Ben's Playlist - Monday, November 1, 2021

The Kiss Of Venus – Paul McCartney
'Cause I'm A Man – Tame Impala
Helicopter Leaves – Ants Ants Ants
Nest – The Harmonica Pocket
Who, What, When, Where, Why – The Bazillions
Taco Tuesday – The Lucky Band

More Than Kids Music for the Oot 'n Oots

The Oot 'n Oots don't consider themselves primarily children's musicians. The pride of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, the Cipes are a family band in the literal sense (a bunch of brothers and one daughter/niece) producing songs reminiscent of the gentle, whimsical soft rock released by Donovan and early Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd. Their latest collection, PONDEROSA BUNCHGRASS AND THE GOLDEN RULE contains a dozen tracks that espouse concepts we should all know, yet somehow forget to practice much of the time.

The Oots are interested in big, deep thoughts and address them with singalong choruses and power ballads. "Ponderosa Bunchgrass" opens Part 2 (it's side two of the actual vinyl version of the collection) with a girl who walked along her own path. Think Malala Yousafzai or Greta Thunberg. The Oots' frontwoman singer is Ruthie Cipes, who delivers strong vocals on tracks like "Thank You, Universe" and the spaghetti western theme, "Once Upon A Dream."

There's a heaping helping of Donovan (with a sprinkle of Buffalo Springfield) on "The Bird and the Monkey and Me." A mariachi band transforms "Teeny Tiny Horsey" from a novelty number into a spirited Tex-Mex tune. Since I'm busy name-dropping classic rockers, how about the Robert Fripp/Dave Gilmour-esque guitar solos on "The Golden Rule," disbursing its edicts of tolerance, kindness, and patience:

Hey, it's not opinion or a point of view

It's a simple universal truth

Treat others the way you want to be treated, too

Follow the golden rule

The Oots feel that by classifying them solely as "children's music," it diminishes the impact of their songs. As they point out, everyone was once a child – so their CDs are for current kids, former kids, and future kids. PONDEROSA BUNCHGRASS AND THE GOLDEN RULE emerges from the embers of the 1970s era of "family music" and fully inhabits their persona like a newly-refurbished log cabin...with piled-high shag carpet and groovy bellbottoms.

PONDEROSA BUNCHGRASS AND THE GOLDEN RULE is available from the Oot 'n Oots's website, Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Here is the video for the band's song, "Thank You, Universe":

Mama B & Uncle T At the Zoo, New Father Goose Video

There's always a market for kid's music for the very, very young. By that, I mean kids who are too young to discriminate between Sesame Street, the Wiggles, and whatever else finds its way onto mom's phone or into the family car's CD player. Teething kids might voice a preference for the tastiest CD label, but that's another story. 

Mama B and Uncle T (Jacq Becker and Travis Warner) have produced ZOOLOGY for this particular market segment. The songs are all animal-based, from "Giggling Gorillas" to "Pink Polka Dot Flamingo" to "Toucan-O-Rama." Plus there's a host of infant and baby animal noises, if only to incessantly drive home that ZOOLOGY is perfect fodder for local car rides and bedtime routines. Two of the tracks are even lullabies, "Goodnight Zoo" and "Sleep Tight." 

ZOOLOGY doesn't break new ground with its animal-based menagerie, however the songs are not meant for anthropologists. And if you didn't guess, the zoo is a metaphor for our larger homo sapien community. 

ZOOLOGY is available from Mama B & Uncle T's website, Amazon, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Here is the video for the duo's song, "Hippopatamus":

Father Goose has a new video for the song, "Why?" from his 2021 pandemic EP INVISIBLE. The song features son iRiE Goose, rappers Etcetera and Drsya, as well as a girl who is forbidden to sing in her home country. According to FG, for that reason he could not give her credit or show any images of her in the video. Goose doesn't pull any punches with his music, while realizing that his base is too young for socio-political debate. The song addresses a central question from children considered minorities in their community, "Why" in regard to racism and oppression. Liberally taking the approach, "When they go low, we go high," the chorus conspicuously includes the refrain:

Together we rise so high 
And keep on rising

You can find the song online at Soundcloud and Spotify. Here is the video for "Why?":

Halloween Everyday for Triple Rainbow; New Brady Rymer EP

Hey, did you have any inkling that Halloween is coming? Okay, don't start going off on a rant about commerce and commercialization. Kids care more about the costumes, the spookiness, and, of course, the trick-or-treating.

Co-founder of the independent record label Tender Loving Empire Jared Mees decided to pen an anthem for kids to pledge their allegiance to All Hallow's Eve. A songwriter in his own right, Mees founded a kids' band called Triple Rainbow, drawing inspiration from his own kids, July (9) and Piper (4). They created 15 songs and produced 25 short films during the pandemic (to date). You can find their content via Instagram. 

Triple Rainbow has produced a video for their song, "Why Can't Every Day Be Halloween." It's danceable, singable, and totally kid-tastic. You can download and purchase "Why Can't Every Day Be Halloween" on Apple Music, Amazon, Spotify, and www.tenderlovingempire.com.

Here is the world premiere of their new song: 

 It's no exaggeration to say that I started writing about children's music because of Brady Rymer. His reps reached out to inquire about my interest in reviewing his latest CD, and the rest is history. Which brings us to the tenth anniversary of his landmark CD, Love Me for Who I Am, inspired by his work with kids on the autism spectrum and with other special needs. 

Instead of a reissue, Brady has released an EP featuring six dance remixes of tunes from the record, featuring Laurie Berkner (whom he plays bass for in the Laurie Berkner Band), British children's recording artist David Gibb (with whom he recorded last year's Across the Pond CD), as well as legendary Parliament/Funkadelic keyboard wizard Bernie Worrell. Revel in the capabilities and strengths of extraordinary children who attempt to live their best lives. You can grab Love Me for Who I Am on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon. 

 Here is Brady Rymer and David Gibb's remix video for "So Many Ideas," directed by Glen Hoffman and featuring some technical wizardry from editor Thomas Dexter:

Harmonica Pocket's Family For All

A lot has happened in the six years since the Harmonica Pocket last released a collection of songs. The Okee Dokee Brothers have moved into their particular space for gentle, nature- and family-oriented music and won a Grammy Award. But does that mean there isn't room for two acts with a similar sound and sensibility? That's like asking a child if they saved enough space in their stomach after dinner for cake AND pie.

Youth empowerment is the theme of the The Harmonica Pocket’s new collection, SING YOUR SONG. The great Northwest's Keeth Apgar has piled 13 songs onto your child's plate, an infectious mix of lighthearted originals and classic chestnuts "Stand By Me" and "Twinkle Twinkle (Little Star)." The socially conscious Apgar family also note that this CD was recorded with solar electricity at Apple Tree Studio.

Keeth's goal was to create an album for families that was also produced by his entire family. Ten-year-old Montana Apgar contributed the inspiration for "One Two I Love You" when he was four years old, first uttering the phrase and later devising the melody while walking around their house. Wife Nalla provides backup vocals on many of the tracks. The title song features vocalist Renee Stahl (Renee and Jeremy) and Johnny Bregar makes an appearance on the comical "Everything Is Everywhere":

My nose is in my ear, I said my nose is in my ear
My ear is on my chin, I said my ear is on my chin
My chin is in my eye, I said my chin is in my eye
My eye is in my mouth, I said my eye is in my eye

Keeth subverts the traditional kids' tropes towards audience interaction with "Itchy," an amusing song fragment that he can't even finish due to a persistent irritation. "I Can Be the Princess" stresses individuality and being the best version of what you want to become (or pretend to be). But in the end, you should always strive to be the best version of yourself. The Harmonica Pocket has concealed themselves (a synonym for pocket) for perhaps too long, costing themselves a potential generation of new listeners. As the Harmonica Pocket emerges from a lengthy slumber, the Apgars are encouraging children to SONG YOUR SONG. Welcome back to these voices from Washington State.

SING YOUR SONG is available from Harmonica Pocket's website, Amazon, Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Here is the video for the band's tune, "Wee A Tilly":

Falu Delights In A Colorful World

Is making music hereditary? For Hindustani performer Falu (Falguni Shah), it was always important to carry on the work of 11 generations of her family. Now based in New York but originally from Mumbai, India, the Grammy-nominated Falu has released her latest collection for children, A COLORFUL WORLD. It's a pleasant trek around several familiar concepts, delivered through Falu's sensibilities with impeccable production and a host of elite backup musicians.

Songs such as "Happy," " My Train," "Visit To the Farm," and "Crayons Are Wonderful" aren't groundbreaking in any ordinary way. Except they are being sung in English by an Indian performer, surrounded by a cadre of socially conscious professionals. The lovely "Lullaby for Nishaad" is a standout track if you need to put down kids who've tired of your other American contemporary artists. 

Falu emigrated to the United States more than 20 years ago and was appointed Carnegie Hall's ambassador of Indian music in 2006. Her authentic South Asian voice is one of the reasons she's been dubbed the "Hindi Kindie" and the title is appropriate in many ways. Music connects people across cultural and geographic divides. Falu has used her skills to bring her Jaipur musical traditions as far and wide as Lincoln Center and the White House. Puppet shows and Bollywood style dancing are components of the Jaipur styling. Modern parents who have taken their kids to kindie shows are familiar with those interactive elements (although synchronizing children to dance in step at a Bollywood level might be beyond even Falu). With A COLORFUL WORLD, Falu adds to her performance arsenal and gazes optimistically to a time when she returns to a full schedule of touring to share her latest offering.

A COLORFUL WORLD is available from Falu's website, Amazon, Spotify, Soundcloud, and Apple Music.

Hear Falu's song, "Rainbow":

Halloween Songs from Suzi Shelton & Fyütch and the Itty Bitty Beats

The autumn winds are beginning to increase and nighttime is falling earlier in the late afternoon. That can only mean one thing – children's music artists scramble to release new Halloween songs and videos!

Suzi Shelton and Fyütch have teamed for the delightfully danceable Sia-inspired "Party Monsters." Using an introductory device similar to Zacharle on "Monster Mash" ("I was working in the lab late one night....") the duo take a long walk down a Brooklyn street and stumble across a group of monsters celebrating in the late October night:

Went to the monster party
And danced until we dropped
The monster band was hoppin’ 
The music never stopped
It was a night to remember
Party Monsters you rock!

The tune originated in Suzi's online songwriting class, where Fyütch and his daughter Aura guested, and contributed spoken word elements. On Wednesday, October 27 at 4pm ET, Suzi is hosting a Halloween special on Facebook and YouTube where she and Fyütch will perform “Party Monsters.” Guests will include Esther Crow and her seven year old son Vincent plus ten year old creator and instagram sensation MakerGigi.

You can hear "Party Monsters" on Soundcloud and Spotify.

Lucy Hiku and Jenny Payne, otherwise known as New Zealand's Itty Bitty Beats, have also dropped "Halloween Dream," a vision of when spooky meets silly. The jazz-centric tune imagines cats wearing party hats, witches riding ostriches, ghouls wearing fancy jewels, and bats disco dancing with cats. Sounds like somebody has started eating their trick or treating candy a bit early, I must say.

Since forming in 2014, award winning Christchurch children’s music duo Itty Bitty Beats has celebrated four years in a row of being nominated for New Zealand children’s music awards, winning once for Best Children's Song and Best Children's Album. Jenny’s husband Rob Payne produces all of their music. The Beats' have released tunes that reaches emotional highs (Christmas in July) and lows (Baby Loss Awareness).

Hear the Itty Bitty Beats' song, "Halloween Dream" on Spotify and Amazon.

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, October 19, 2021

I Am There For You – Huey Lewis & The News
Sing Your Song – The Harmonica Pocket
The Moment – Tame Impala
It's A Wonderful Life – Kepi Ghoulie
I'm an Optimist – Dog On Fleas
Shine A Little Light – The Black Keys

A New Kids' View from G'Raph

It takes a little bit of pretzel logic to explain to kids how musician Raphael Groton branded himself "G'Raph" for his children's music recording. The multi-faceted musician is previously known for his jazz, latin, and funk compositions, as well as "international healing music," if that floats your boat in the bathtub. His new collection, HAPPILY EVER NOW, introduces Raph's love for soft funk ("Hands in the Water"), country ("I'm Not pErfect"), and blues ("Baby Blues"). If this is your first purchase of children's music, it may be an absolute revelation. For those who have already established a collection of preferred artists, not so much.

In the mid-2000s, my older son started to get into children's music. Before long, I entered the reviewing phase of my writing career. We began to assemble CDs of his favorite music as "goodie bag" gifts at his birthday parties (starting at age three). Subsequently, people would mention what they played for their kids – whether it was endless Sesame Street or Beatles CDs. They just simply didn't know of any alternatives. One set of parents were delighted to receive the new collection, telling me "We just leave the last one in the car and play it on a loop. Now we have something to swap it out."

I became acquainted with semi-professionals (they played weekend gigs at weddings and parties) who dabbled in children's music, as well as "Mommy and Me" types who used their years of musical education to record a CD they could hock at their classes. One of my friends from college bragged that he and a colleague produced a cassette tape that included such memorable titles as "You Can Pick Your Friends, But Don't Pick Your Nose." Whenever I see or hear a title along those lines, it's become my Niagara Falls. It's waving a flag in my face, and the face of anyone who takes children's music seriously – that you are willing to use the most base concept to drag a chuckle from parents and a mirthful giggle from the youngest of listeners. When HAPPILY EVER NOW featured a track called "Don't Pick Your Nose," I forcibly stifled years of accumulated bile.

Raph comes by his children's music in an honorable fashion. His four-month-old son was involved in a near-fatal car accident in 2002. Strumming guitar bedside in the intensive care unit at the hospital, he became aware of the healing power of music. There's a viability to Raph's recordings, and his focus comes from a place of honesty. He just needs to get past some of the facade that makes HAPPILY EVER NOW merely a serviceable first impression to the genre.

HAPPILY EVER NOW is available from G'Raph's website, Amazon, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Here is the video for Raphael Groton's song, "Hands in the Water":

See (and Hear) Louis & Dan and the Invisible Band

You don't need a college education to make pleasurable, amusing children's music, but it helps in the case of Louis & Dan and the Invisible Band. Humor and children's music is an uneasy mix. It's fairly common to hear performers talking down to kids, which aggravates parents and turns off their target audience. But when it's done correctly, such as on Louis and Dan's new collection, SMORGASBORD, the results are laugh out loud funny.

College professors (and neighbors), Louis and Dan spent their pandemic year polishing eight new tunes that run the gamut from amassing all holidays under one umbrella ("Happy Day!") to the astounding number of musicians that hail from their base – Minneapolis – without mentioning the most famous of them all ("Minneapolis, the Musical City"). The diversity of related and unrelated clan members is their topic on "What Is a Family?" featuring vocals from local folk musician Helen Forsythe. Louis's globetrotting mother, Joy, inspired the travelogue tune, "Joy to the World." There is also the most specific rap-oriented deconstruction of financial advice, "Mind Your Money," with lyrics along these lines:

At any age, you can save a small amount.
Just make your folks open up a joint account.
Save a dime a day for a year
That's baller. You're saving $36 dollars (hollar)!

Parents who have followed children's music for any length of time are accustomed to lullabies closing out the CDs. "I'll Take Myself To Bed" is a deceptively drowsy entry sung from the perspective of a kid reminding his folks that one day he won't require their help doing evening wind-down activities. The literal definition of a smorgasbord is "variety." As promised, Louis & Dan convey a convoy of comedic proportions with their latest SMORGASBORD.

SMORGASBORD is available from the Invisible Band's website, Amazon, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Here is the video for the band's song, "Minneapolis, the Musical City":

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Stars – Ants Ants Ants
The Less I Know The Better – Tame Impala
Summer's Here – The Bazillions
Fanga Alafia – Aaron Nigel Smith
Finally – Franz Ferdinand
The Golden Rule – The Oot 'n Oots
Doppelganger – Dog On Fleas

Ben's Playlist - Monday, October 11, 2021

Reality In Motion – Tame Impala
PJs All Day – The Oot 'n Oots
Loving & Kind – Aaron Nigel Smith
Inkpot – Kepi Ghoulie
Go – The Black Keys
Taco Tuesday – The Lucky Band
It's a Miracle – Dog On Fleas

Laurie Berkner Livestreaming Halloween Concerts

COVID has cost children many things, including family gatherings and holiday celebrations. Although the advent of vaccines looked to improve those conditions, start/stop procedures based on breakthrough infections and anti-vaxxing advocates have made it challenging for performers seeking to return to normal (whatever that will become).

Out of an abundance of caution, kindie queen Laurie Berkner has cancelled the rest of her 2021 in-person concerts. She and the Laurie Berkner Band are bringing back livestreaming with two special Halloween concerts on Sunday, October 31 at 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM ET. Bassist Brady Rymer is confirmed for an appearance and band members Susie Lampert and Bobby Golden may also pop by to say "boo" and jam with the Boss Berkner.

Attendees can expect to hear Laurie sing a brand new Halloween song, "I Picked One Pumpkin." Over the course of her career, Berkner has recorded a bevy of costume-related tunes, so there will also be renditions of her popular holiday favorites, "What Am I Gonna Be (for Halloween)?," "The Superhero Mask Song," "Monster Boogie," "The Cat Came Back," and "Choc-o-lot In My Pock-o-lot." 

Kids can expand their Berkner Halloween experience with the children's book based on her song, "Monster Boogie," illustrated by Ben Clanton. It's all about conquering "things that go bump in the night" and dancing away your fears. "Monster Boogie" is available from the Simon & Schuster website.

"Doors" open one hour prior to the performances at 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM ET on Sunday, October 31, 2021. There will be pre-show games and activities to engage the youngest viewers. "Meet and Greet" opportunities are available if ordered in advance, at a cost of $80 (including the livestream). Each $20 family ticket includes access to one or both livestreams for one device and an exclusive "welcome" video from Berkner. You can click here for the preview page and ordering information.

Here is Laurie Berkner's video for "What Am I Gonna Be (For Halloween)?":

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Lucy Kalantari Jazzed For A New Kids' World

Well, our troops are home from Afghanistan after 20 years. So much for an attempt at nation building in somebody else's country. Speaking of nation building, that's the focus of Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats' new EP, WHAT KIND OF WORLD (from 8 Pound Gorilla Records).

After winning two (yes, two) Grammy awards, Kalantari is flexing her lyrical muscle. There's no filler among the five tracks on WHAT KIND OF WORLD and plenty of guest stars to move the band's messages. The first track, "Friendship Party," features Jazzy Ash and Joelle Lurie (JoJo and the Pinecones) and touts the pre- and post-pandemic fun in seeing (and being with) friends. COVID has affected all of us and the Jazz Cats were not exempted. Trombone player Ron Wilkins suffered the virus, but required a tracheotomy and spent a month in a coma. "Round and Round" celebrates the flexibility and courage it takes for get through a crisis, individually and collectively.

The title track, “What Kind of World?” is a  power ballad about – wait for it – international building. SaulPaul guests on vocals with a kindie choir including Little Miss Ann, Flor Bromley, Joanie Leeds, Julie Be, Snooknuk, Sonia de los Santos, and Lachi, an electronic music star and disability advocate. Wait, there's more – a string section composed of Elena Moon Park, son Darius, Erich Schoen Rene, Charisa the ViolinDiva, and Paul Laraia:

What kind of world do you wanna see?

What kind of world do you want it to be?

Ask yourself these questions from time to time.

Check in and see what you find.

Kalantari is in the forefront of the evolution of children's music, as the kindie movement of the past two years has reached maturity. Some artists are satisfied to produce lullabies, holiday songs, and other comfortable material. But there are societal customs to confront and stereotypes to challenge. On the EP closer, "Art," the Jazz Cats acknowledge that human life if fleeting but the art we leave behind can affect generations of listeners. Kalantari is utilizing her music to help children envision a better world. That's something we can all get jazzed about.

WHAT KIND OF WORLD? is available from Lucy Kalantari's website, Amazon, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Here is the video for the band's song, "Friendship Party," featuring Jazzy Ash and Joelle Lurie:

Ben's Playlist - Monday, October 4, 2021

'Cause I'm A Man - Tame Impala
PJs All Day - The Oot 'n Oots
One Of The Boys - Huey Lewis & The News
Anything Can Be A Hat - Ratboy Jr.
White Whale - Kepi Ghoulie
Village d'Ãtoile - Dog On Fleas