Danny Weinkauf: Children's Music Shines Through

When you think about They Might Be Giants, you immediately think of the two-headed frontmen, the Johns (Flansburgh and Linnell). But the third tendril of that hydra should belong to bassist Danny Weinkauf, whose tenure with the band extends more than 20 years – and is the longest outside of the originators. TMBG just completed an international tour and Weinkauf was right there for every stop, although he's also excited about INSIDE I SHINE, the upcoming CD with his Red Pants Band.

"The recent tours with TMBG have been absolutely fantastic for many reasons," Danny explained. "On a world tour, we see so many great cities in Europe, Canada, San Juan, Puerto Rico... And next February we head to Australia!" Danny affirms it's amazing for TMBG to go to a place where the band has never played. "We find a whole new group of fans that know the music and sing along with such enthusiasm," he added.

Danny Weinkauf (sitting) and his Red Pants Band

Both Johns are hard-working and extremely prolific and last year brought back TMBG's "Dial-A-Song." Due to the volume of material that service goes through, in two of the past three years, they have released a new song every week of the year. "This is great for me as I get to record all these new songs and also play them in our live shows," Danny said. "TMBG is not a legacy act that just plays old songs."

In an interview with Marc Maron (you'll need to subscribe to his premium service to hear it), the Johns sounded off on the state of children's music and their decision to concentrate on adult ventures. "I don’t think there’s been an official departure for TMBG from children’s music, but the truth is they have a more than full career writing and performing their non-kids music, which takes priority for them," Danny said. "As for my children’s music, they are always 100% supportive of my projects. John F actually helps me promote my shows sometimes."

Considering Danny was on tour for most of the past several months, the release of INSIDE I SHINE seems to have taken some coordinated effort. "I bring a portable recording set-up on the road. I work on music for TV and commercials or write more children’s songs from hotels all over the world," he explained. "So writing and recording INSIDE I SHINE took about one year in total." Danny still records almost all of the music himself. "Then my wife Michelle and Tina Kenny Jones sing and that completes the sound of the band," he adds. "On this album, our live drummer Steve Plesnarski tracked a couple of tunes which was a treat for me, as I didn’t have to play ’em all myself!"

The band covers the Sesame Street classic "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon" on this CD, a tune written by Jeff Moss. "That song is kind of part of the American fabric; my grown-up friends remember it from their childhoods and their children know it as well," Danny said. "I actually heard a beautiful version by Jess Penner, looked up the song, and found that many bands had done ballad versions of it. I thought it might be fun to create a Red Pants Band rock version and that’s what we put on the album."

The release of INSIDE I SHINE is being sandwiched in between upcoming tour dates for TMBG in Canada and Australia. "We have a couple of Red Pants Band shows to celebrate the release at the Long Island Children’s Museum, which is celebrating their 25th anniversary," Danny said. "We're playing shows on November 17 and 18. After the full TMBG tour ends next spring, I hope to bring the Red Pants Band to as many towns as will have us."

Click here to listen to Danny Weinkauf and the Red Pants Band sing "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon." Visit the band's website here.

Frances England Livens Up LICM

A key difference between major touring musicians and kids musicians is the touring. The vast majority of children's recording artists are regionally-based and tour extensively within the surrounding real estate. It's similar to the old territorial days of pro wrestling, where the McMahon family "controlled" the East Coast tri-state area and Roy Shire ran the West Coast San Francisco area. Speaking of touring and San Francisco, SF resident Frances England made a NY swing this past weekend.



After two shows at Lincoln Center, England and musicians Stew Peck and Chris Chan dropped by the Long Island Children's Museum for a pair of performances. We made able to see the 2 pm concert along with a small contingent of attendees, muted no doubt by that afternoon's Super Bowl.



The timing was unfortunate, but the concert was intimate and fanciful. England's songs are up-close and personal, and that's exactly the experience that everyone received. From Chris Chan leading a conga line of children around the auditorium to kids shouting out their favorite toys and even one emboldened tyke attempting to abscond with her water bottle.

England spanned the scope of her recording career, with key selections from the Grammy-nominated EXPLORER OF THE WORLD and MIND OF MY OWN. There were even videos running behind many of the songs, which turned the concert into a full multimedia presentation (as you can see from the selections here).



The LICM does fewer children's music shows than other metropolitan venues. However that works, as location-wise they draw more of an audience from Suffolk and Nassau County then the New York city-based facilities. The theater remains a delightful, hidden pleasure to see a diverse selection of national musicians doing their "due diligence."



Coming in March to the LICM: Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band (Sunday, March 4 at 11:30 am and 2 pm)

Ring in the Holidays at LICM With Leeds & Nightlights

As the holidays boil to their inevitable eruption point, it's good to have the kids blow off some steam in a somewhat controlled environment. Such a space is the Long Island Children's Museum. Such an occasion is this weekend's holiday party featuring Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights.

An award-winning songwriter and performer, Joanie has also recorded secular music (translation = religion-specific) for Jewish children, some for the PJ Library. Her song "Family Tree" with Jonatha Brooke was honored as top children's song by the USA Songwriting Competition in 2013 (note to USA site - you need a clear link to past winners).

The LICM concert venue is small and welcoming. Kids can sit in a close-up "low" section or at a comfortable (not so) distance. Check my YouTube channel for performances there by Brady Rymer and Billy Kelly in past December visits.

The concert is almost a bonus, as your kids can also peruse the exhibits at the LICM, such as Bricks & Sticks (investigate, build, and shape a three-dimensional world using a variety of building blocks and interactive software), Building Boom with KEVA Planks, Feasts for Beasts (explore the amazing ways animals find and eat their food), and ToolBox (construct your own creations at the carpentry bench with hammers, nails, pliers, and more).

Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights present “Holiday Parties” Saturday, December 17 at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Fee: $9 per seat with museum admission ($7 per seat for LICM members), $12 theater only.

Here's a video of Joanie performing solo in Union Square Park this past summer:

Brady Rymer & Co. at the Long Island Children's Museum

It was a long weekend with lots of food and family. But where was the occasion to get off your feet and work off some of that inertia? We found it at the Long Island Children's Museum on Saturday, November 29 with an energizing performance from Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could.


We're seen Brady and company going back years, at our earliest attendance at Kindiefest (then called Stink for some reason). Since then, my YouTube videos with Brady's troop have been among my most-viewed. And when the kindie movement hit Port Washington a few years ago with Kidstock, it gave us a chance to introduce his music to our younger son.

Now things have come full circle. Our older son is "aging out" of children's music (although he still enjoys attending live performances) and our younger son is becoming a sponge for everything he hears. Our living room has become the home to his personal collection of guitars of all sizes, shapes, and imaginary (and real) playing. He came home from the show and promptly went about recreating it, down to the banter.


For the second show on Saturday, Brady was accompanied by drummer Larry Eagle and accordianist/singer Claudia Mussen. The trio comprises half of the band – but it was a low-key gig, and we didn't go into the small auditorium expecting to be blown out by the whole ensemble.


Once again, it was a personable family gig. The kids in the first row were up and dancing, the parents were relaxed, and everyone was entertained. And for a family show smack in the middle of the long Thanksgiving weekend, that's all you really want. Rock on, Brady and friends.