Ben's Playlist - Monday, September 26, 2016

Ice Cream Time Machine – Todd and Cookie
My Favorite Sneakers – In The Nick Of Time
Run For The Sunshine – Sunshine Collective
Shake a Friend's Hand – Andy Z
So Gazed Upon – Cat Doorman
Unhuggable – Caspar Babypants
Washington, Dc – The Not-Its!

Ben's Playlist - Friday, September 23, 2016

Banana Bread – Caspar Babypants
Eyes on the Prize – Cat Doorman
Hamsterdam – Ratboy Jr.
Oh Island in the Sun – Aaron Nigel Smith
This Land Is Your Land – Alastair Moock & Friends
Up To Something Good – Sunshine Collective

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, September 22, 2016

Alligator Get-Together – Key Wilde And Mr. Clarke
Me On The Map – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could
Right Side of the Bed – Ratboy Jr.
Small Bird – Caspar Babypants
Take Me Away – Sunshine Collective
To and Fro –  Cat Doorman
Wind in Our Sail – Weezer

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, August 18, 2016

Clap Your Hands  – Red Yarn & Mo Phillips
Eyes on the Prize  – Cat Doorman Cat Doorman
Hammer  – Aaron Nigel Smith
Have You Ever Been Real  –  Dean Jones
The Only One   – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could
Rattlesnake  – Caspar Babypants
Run For The Sunshine  –  Sunshine Collective

Ben's Playlist - Monday, August 15, 2016

Crazy Mountain Road – Eric Herman And The Invisible Band Here Comes The Sun – Andrew & Polly Loving & Kind – Aaron Nigel Smith Loving Cup – Cat Doorman Take Me Away – Sunshine Collective Washington, Dc – The Not-Its!

Ben's Playlist - Friday, July 1, 2016

Here Comes The Sun – Andrew & Polly
Amnesia – 5 Seconds of Summer
Water Under The Bridge  – Adele
Take Me Away – Sunshine Collective
Sugar – Maroon 5
One Day By The Riverside – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could
Turned Out – Paul McCartney

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Don't Fence Me In – Andy Z
Crazy Mountain Road – Eric Herman And The Invisible Band
Sweetest Devotion – Adele
That Way – Chibi Kodama
Take Me Away – Sunshine Collective
Cow Cow Yippee – The Okee Dokee Brothers

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Ghost Riders in the Sky – Andy Z
Hello – Adele
Up To Something Good – Sunshine Collective
Ground Food – Ratboy Jr.
Laugh With Me – Chibi Kodama
Hammer – Aaron Nigel Smith

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Calling All the Kids to the Yard – Cat Doorman
Everything I Didn't Say – 5 Seconds of Summer
Take Me Away – Sunshine Collective
Rainbow Tunnel – Alison Faith Levy
Favorite Book – The Bazillions
NO – Meghan Trainor
What I Want – Eric Herman and the Thunder Puppies

Ben's Playlist - Friday, April 22, 2016

Calling All the Kids to the Yard – Cat Doorman
Start Of The End – The Dirty Sock Funtime Band
Amnesia – 5 Seconds of Summer
The Start of Things – Alison Faith Levy
Toothloser – Gustafer Yellowgold
Take Me Away – Sunshine Collective
New  – Paul McCartney

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, April 20, 2016

All the Pretty Horses – Cat Doorman
Other Days – Andrew & Polly
Up To Something Good – Sunshine Collective
Fun – Coldplay Feat. Tove Lo
Oh Island in the Sun – Aaron Nigel Smith
Ground Food – Ratboy Jr.

Ben's Playlist - Friday, March 11, 2016

Loving Cup – Cat Doorman
The Bullfrog – Red Yarn
I Dreamed I Could Fly – Eric Herman And The Invisible Band
Favorite Book  – The Bazillions
Take Me Away – Sunshine Collective
Jelly Beans! – Mista Cookie Jar & the Chocolate Chips

Ben's Playlist - Monday, February 29, 2016

Calling All the Kids to the Yard – Cat Doorman
All Around the Kitchen – Andy Z
Up To Something Good – Sunshine Collective
She Looks So Perfect – 5 Seconds of Summer
Hello – Adele
Listen To The Bob Hope  – Lard Dog & The Band Of Shy
Best Friend – In The Nick Of Time

Heart Beats Brings Love from the Heartland

As the Beatles said, "All you need is love."

And a song.

Mighty Mo Productions (forged on the banks of the Mississippi River) has launched itself into the season of love with its second anthology, HEART BEATS (Feel Good Songs for Families). The label's concept is simple – take a theme (love, good times) and build a strong foundation of kindie artists around it.

HEART BEATS dives back several years for existing tracks, utilizing favorites such as Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could's "Light of Love," Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights' "Give Me a Hug," and Josh and the Jamtones' "L-O-V-E." As I noted to Ben (15) during our first play-through, we have either seen (or met) eight of the 12 artists represented on the disc.

The brain (or heart) child of veteran children's musician Jim Mr. Stinky Feet" Cosgrove, Mighty Mo Productions (MMP) seeks to provide a breaking ground for regional performers. Los Angeles-based Andrew & Polly and Sunshine Collective make their MMP debuts with catchy choruses and harmonies. Local artists Rissi Palmer and Katydid continue to make inroads, one song at a time, building interest for listeners who want to reach out and hear more of their music.

MMP has timed HEART BEATS to appear just in time for Valentine's Day (as well as the February school break). Just right for 30 minutes of distraction/down time for overwhelmed parents to catch a breather and settle down the brood for a break. We're not talking about romantic love, more of a "love is all around you" vibe. Positivity and unity abound. Certainly a welcome respite from what I've been personally experiencing, but that's besides the point – the kids are always going to be my primary concern. And HEART BEATS re-affirms that wherever your children are, is where the love is always going to be.

HEART BEATS (Feel Good Songs for Families) is available from Mighty Mo Productions' website, Amazon, and iTunes.

Two years ago last week, we ventured to Symphony Space and heard Josh & the Jamtones perform "L-O-V-E" live. Here is my video from that show:

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, December 6, 2016

The Bright Side Of Me – Alastair Moock & Friends
Take Me Away – Sunshine Collective
She Looks So Perfect – 5 Seconds of Summer
All Around the Kitchen – Andy Z
Fun – Coldplay Feat. Tove Lo
Hey Jude – Caspar Babypants

Ben's Playlist - Monday, January 4, 2016

All In A Day – Alastair Moock & Friends
Somebody Somewhere – Sunshine Collective
Voodoo Doll – 5 Seconds of Summer
My Teacher's An Alien – The Bazillions
Adventure Of A Lifetime – Coldplay
Tomorrow's People  – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could

Ben's Playlist - Friday, December 4, 2015

Sourwood Mountain – Red Yarn
Let The Records Play – Pearl Jam
Hamsterdam – Ratboy Jr.
Take Me Away – Sunshine Collective
Word Crimes – Weird Al Yankovic
Better (Featuring Laurie Berkner) – Tim Kubart

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, November 12, 2015

Bile Them Cabbage  – Red Yarn
Backyard – Riff Rockit
Up To Something Good – Sunshine Collective
Rooms – Tim Kubart
Everything I Didn't Say – 5 Seconds of Summer
Sittin On A Cloud – The Whirlygigs

Ben's Playlist - Friday, October 23, 2015

Amnesia – 5 Seconds of Summer
Everybody Out There – Paul McCartney
If I Could Fly – Riff Rockit
Look, Think, Guess, Know – Tom Chapin
Right Side of the Bed – Ratboy Jr.
Take Me Away – Sunshine Collective

Kindie Quick Hits: New Hot Peas N Butter, Sunshine Collective, Andrew & Polly Vids

New York's own Hot Peas N Butter want your kids to get up and learn. In other words, educate your mind while you're on your feet. Groove and grow. Have I made myself clear? PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER (Volume 7, no less) has catchy beats, positive messages, and a guest appearance by Dan Zanes ("Amistad") as an added selling point.

Band leader Dan Lapidus and partner Rich Mercurio craft their his kids music with thought and foresight. Add a Latin beat and you've got a recipé for "Fresh Spokes," a bicycle safety tune that gets three versions (original, acoustic, and dance remix) on this collection.

"Here at Last" comes at an odd time – an ode to hanging on to old friends as summer begins, just as the new school season arrives. But a fun tune indeed. It is followed swiftly by similarly-themed "Graduation Day," another "I can't wait, it's here!" themed-anthem. Perhaps the release of this CD was pushed back a few months; children's music is a year-round responsibility and I'm not going to quibble – your kids can enjoy these tunes whenever they choose.

PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER is available on September 25 from Hot Peas N Butter's website, Amazon, CDBABY, and iTunes.

Sunshine Collective has released a new video to promote their recent children's music CD of the same title, "Up To Something Good":



Fellow Los Angelinos Andrew and Polly celebrate the release of their CD, ODDS & ENDS with the release of this new video for their song, "Balphabet":