Live children's music has returned to Symphony Space, but with a twist. While the performers are on stage inside the venue, their concerts are conducted via livestream (for free!) to family audiences around the world. We're all hoping for a return to normalcy and this compromise allows "Just Kidding Kids" to deliver its eclectic agenda of artists.
The oldest resident Native American dance company in New York, the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers, pay a visit on On Saturday, January 29 at 11 AM. The troupe was founded in 1963 by a group of ten Native American men and women (all New Yorkers) descended from Mohawk, Hopi, Winnebago and San Blas tribes. They are keeping alive the traditions, songs, and dances learned from their parents, while added to their repertoire from other Native Americans living in New York as well as others who were passing through. While the event will be livestreamed, sign up here to receive updates and an email alerting you that the link has been posted on Symphony Space's event page.
Latin Grammy nominee Sonia De Los Santos returns to the venue on Saturday, February 19 at 11 AM to promote songs from her latest album, ESPERANZA ("hope" in Spanish), along with music from her past releases. During the pandemic, De Los Santos conducted a series of "En Casa Con Sonia" solo concerts and is no stranger to the "art" of livestreaming shows. Click here for the event sign up sheet for her concert.
The music of East Asia is showcased by Elena Moon Park and Friends on Saturday, March 12 at 11 AM. Children with a curiosity about how alike people are despite our cultural differences may enjoy the welcoming folk rock sound of Park's ensemble. Click here and event an email for the livestream event.
Here is the video for Elena Moon Park's song "Flower Dance":
Thirteen years ago, my son Ben started to listen to music while he ate breakfast. I would throw on a Sesame Street CD or one of the homemade "birthday CDs" comprised of pop tunes and the Wiggles. I also printed out the playlist from iTunes – and Ben would mull it over, looking at the cover art and telling me which songs "lacked" representative illustration. I never imagined that years later, those early selections would lead to more than 750 event previews, live event and music reviews, and interviews, as well as commentary about children's music and more.
I'll get to the historical perspective, but most importantly for artists who have contacted me in the past two months – I am done for 2019. If your video, song, or album had a 2019 release date, I apologize but the shop is closed for the year. I will be forward-thinking from this point on. More to the point, I am also phasing down my children's music portfolio. It's been coming for the past year, as Ben has long aged-out of the demographic. But his younger brother prefers modern pop (think Imagine Dragons) and sighs heavily if I suggest bringing new, unplayed kids CDs on our road trips. You see the number of posts dropping, year over year. That's not by accident.
In the oft-told tale, family acquaintance Uncle Rock (Robert Burke Warren) began recording children's music and we bought his first CD. When "Rock and Roll Babysitter" was played on Bill Childs and Spare the Rock (STR) radio show and podcast, that inverted the paradigm. Suddenly we were immersed in the "kindie" (kids independent) explosion. Sure, Ben was seeing Dan Zanes, Tom Chapin, Justin Roberts, and even Ralph's World at Symphony Space. Now there were a myriad host of others and he began to develop his own tastes, scanning the STR song list and selecting tracks for me to purchase and save.
The inaugural Stink kid's music showcase was in 2008 but we missed it due to a scheduling conflict. In 2009, we made a point of attending the event, held at Jalopy in Red Hook, Brooklyn. First was a Ralph's World concert at Symphony Space in the morning. We walked in, ran into Ralph Covert, and said "We'll see you later in Brooklyn." Five hours later, I was next in line to use the bathroom at Jalopy. As Ralph exited the facilities, I said "As I was saying..."
Stink marks the first time that I broke out the camcorder (later iPhone) and began recording artist performances. This was our first experience with Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could but certainly not the last. Nine years later, we'd see Brady at a show at the Quogue Library and Ben would feel comfortable enough to walk to the mic and sing along.
Ben sings with Brady Rymer, July 2018
Leading into Stink, I started to publish Ben's playlists on this blog. I set up the Blogger page to "save" articles written for a Queens weekly newspaper that stopped publishing. Conveniently, I could now dedicate the blog to children's music. The first playlist (May 1, 2009) was an eclectic mix of kids (The Jimmies) and pop (Whitney Houston, Jack Johnson, and Weezer). I hadn't learned how to coordinate my social media and I don't think I was even on Facebook yet. About six months in, I wrote a "mission statement," called "Music for Kids, Not Children's Music," to more fully explain my methodology.
Artists started to contact me directly via email but I wasn't doing regular reviews until after Kindiefest 2010 (the renamed Stink). Once or twice a month, I ran a review. Kindiefest shows, and later Kidstock in Port Washington – became big occasions to shoot performances videos for my YouTube channel. Things exploded in 2012 as multiple PR people began deluging me with CDs and offers to attend New York-based events. Ben now had a toddler younger brother and these concerts were often inappropriate for him, so we would pass. Instead, I concentrated on reviews. By September of that year, I was up to weekly articles.
Fast-forward in 2018 when I added GeekDad to the chore list – publishing an astounding 72 pieces in 52 weeks. And turned down stuff along the way, but not enough. Finally I hit full capacity. The part-time hobby became burdensome. I found myself previewing stuff and realizing my kids would not be interested. But I wasn't interested either. So why was I bothering? Because I had given my word. And thus my time was no longer my own.
Fids and Kamily is sunsetting because of real-world challenges. I fully understand that there are currently more opportunities and pipelines for children's music such as Spotify and Soundcloud, yet there are fewer reputable outposts to review those offerings. Early into my GeekDad tenure, I explained to site managers that my reviews are concise because parents have limited time. Therefore, I don't pad my articles with CD track listings.
I also don't want to feel resentful towards the artists I'm reviewing. On more than one weekend, I've sat down with a stack of upcoming releases to "knock out" 1-2 articles. Late this year, I had a bottleneck of reviews for CDs being released the same day, with holiday videos and songs pushing back Dog On Fleas from October 18 into early December. That opened my eyes to saying "no" more, for my own sanity.
I'm not going to stop writing. I'm not pressing Ben to make playlists every morning and he routinely skips them on his own. I'm writing more adult-centric material (you can follow me at Medium). There will be some reviews and one-off pieces on this site as well, although I don't know if I'll hit 3,000 articles (I'm just under 2,900). Have a great holiday season. Enjoy your family. Eat in moderation. Breathe. See you in 2020. Stay healthy.
There's a reason it's called the Gustafer Yellowgold Show. Creator Morgan Taylor leads a quartet of performers accompanied by videos that interact with him. With the lyrics on-screen, audiences can participate by singing any, or all of the songs – provided they're old enough to read.
Morgan brought his troupe back to New York's Symphony Space for the 14th year in a row, making him the titleholder (Tom Chapin used to hold that distinction) for consecutive appearances. An eager crowd seemed familiar with their favorites, and were amused at the newest songs, including "Hot Malt Eagle," from Gustafer's number one Audible.Com kid's audiobook, "I'M FROM THE SUN."
Our history with Gustafer dates back to 2007, when we made a trek to the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria. The draw was honestly old Pink Panther cartoon as well as the live Gustafer Yellowgold performance, which wound up being a turning point in seeking out live children's music around New York City, such as the Long Island Children's Museum and other venues. While we've returned to the AMMI, they have stuck with mostly recorded programming for kids and sunsetted live music.
Morgan is fiercely protective of his content, and rightly so. When your currency is self-produced videos, the last thing you want to see online are multiple copies of live performances, drawing away from your own material (which includes links to live shows and merchandise). For that reason, you'll need to click through to his YouTube page to see full videos.
The Peter Jay Sharp Theater remains a comfortable, relaxing place for family shows. While you always gamble on crying children and poopy babies, we seem to have hit a good patch at Symphony Space. Upcoming shows include a singalong to the Dick Van Dyke classic film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on Saturday, February 10 and 123 Andres on Saturday, February 17.
Simon and Garfunkel sang about the New York winters in "The Boxer." However, blame climate change or El Nino of whatever you want, it was mild temperatures that welcomed the Okee Dokee Brothers from Minnesota to Manhattan last Saturday, January 5.
Childhood friends Joe Mailander and Justin Lansing have made a name for themselves (and won a Grammy in the process) with their rustic, modern take on traditional American roots music. Their return to Symphony Space as part of the Just Kidding Kids series drew a near-full house of rapturous fans who seemed to know the words to their favorites, from "Slumberjack" to "Blankets of Snow."
The OG OD's avoid making audiences OD on messages. There is a gentle conservation theme through their material regarding the magnificence of nature. Videos played behind a few of the tracks also celebrate participation, whether it involves water and boats or boots and forest snowfalls. Like icicles slowly melting on a pine tree, the hour-long concert was over before most young observers realized. And back into the rain (although not the cold) they went.
Joe and Justin have dedicated the most recent CD, WINTERLAND, to their beloved and endangered winters, which are warming fast as a result of climate change. To help ensure their fans can enjoy a lifetime of snowy winter exploration, the Okee Dokees are donating 10% of all WINTERLAND sales to Askov Finlayson’s Keep the North Cold initiative, which supports leading-edge climate solutions in the North and across the country. Read more about their important mission here.
The Just Kidding Kids series continues with "Beats, Rhymes, and Breaking" (featuring breakdancing performances) on Saturday, January 12 at 11 AM and 2 PM (click here for tickets) and "Go Home Tiny Monster," a puppet play about a family of monsters on Saturday, January 19 at 11 AM and 2 PM (click here for tickets).
The self-named rustic duo the Okee-Dokee Brothers bring their high altitude (from Colorado) ecological euphoria to Symphony Space on Saturday, January 5. Joe Mailander and Justin Lansing are touring in support of their latest CD, WINTERLAND.
WINTERLAND features 16 original compositions themed loosely around being home for the holidays with the family. Their return as part of the Just Kidding Club series has an 11 AM start time in the Peter Jay Sharp Theater ($17 tickets for non-members).
As I wrote in my review of WINTERLAND way back in November, the album "demonstrates how to sing educational tunes about the great outdoors and nature without overwhelming the fun and singalong quality of the material." They will also perform songs from the rest of their catalog, including the Grammy-award winning CAN YOU CANOE?
Joe and Justin have dedicated WINTERLAND to their beloved and endangered winters, which are warming fast as a result of climate change. To help ensure their fans can enjoy a lifetime of snowy winter exploration, the Okee Dokees are donating 10% of all WINTERLAND CD sales to Askov Finlayson’s Keep the North Cold initiative, which supports leading-edge climate solutions in the North and across the country. Read more about their important mission here.
You can purchase tickets for the Okee Dokee Brothers' show at Symphony Space on Saturday, January 5, 2019 at 11 am by going here.
Here is the video for their song, "Blankets of Snow":
Is there life elsewhere in the galaxy? From the perspective of somebody under four feet tall, the answer might be "yes, on the sun." That makes complete illogical sense if they are familiar with Gustafer Yellowgold, the creation of New York-based musician/performer/illustrator Morgan Taylor.
Created wayback in 2004 in a fit of whimsy, the little "sunling" fell to Earth and began having adventures (with his pet eel, among others) in a series of enchanting multimedia shows (one of which we witnessed at the Museum of the Moving Image in 2007). What was not to like about fanciful children's music accompanied by lyrics-subtitled videos? Ben (then 6) was singing "I'm From the Sun" pretty much the entire drive home.
From there, Morgan produced a series of CD/DVD releases, a 2017 Grammy-nominated CD (BRIGHTER SIDE), and now an Audible exclusive children's audiobook, an origin tale entitled "I'M FROM THE SUN." The nearly-four-hour story also includes all the songs (13 brand new ones and three reprises, produced by Wilco's Pat Sansone), which serves as a separate entity altogether.
Judging the music by itself, Gustafer Yellowgold has remained a perennial favorite of Ben's (it's perfectly coincidental that Gustafer's older brother is also named Ben). Despite the age gap between Ben and his younger brother, the kids are both looking forward to bonding over Morgan's creation at his February 2 performance at Symphony Space (tickets on sale here). The tunes on I'M FROM THE SUN include the title track as well as the War-soundalike "Low Rider" inspired "Hot Malt Eagle," the trippy "Ellen Lemon," and the anthemic closer "Feel Your Shine."
It took my younger son Matt and I quite a while to wade through I'M FROM THE SUN. Thirteen chapters (at one chapter a night, on average) broken up over several weeks, even at 1.25x speed, took some time. The story is a prequel to the "Gustafer on Earth" material, centering on the Yellowgold family's tenuous finances running a raisin carvery, Gustafer's secret dislike of raisins, and a climactic race as part of the Tiger Face holiday festival. Along the way, Morgan delivers messages about finding your own voice, bullying, and personal responsibility.
To this point in time, Gustafer Yellowgold has been a one-man operation. While that works well in a stage setting, it was initially challenging to separate the distinct voices of the many characters – all voiced by Morgan. But the story is engaging, the puns are tolerable, and we even listened to the final race and aftermath in one setting, at Matt's request. So I'M FROM THE SUN clearly hit its demographic in that regard.
Morgan gives himself at "out," as the audiobook ends with a cliffhanger that will segue into another DVD/CD or a second audiobook. Either way, Gustafer Yellowgold lives to see another day, another incarnation, and to jump on more cakes (it would take too long to explain). The sun has yet to set on the Yellowgold empire and youthful audiences should be prepared for more post-ecliptic epics.
I'M FROM THE SUN is available exclusively from Audible. You can get tickets for The Gustafer Yellowgold Show at Symphony Space on Saturday, February 2 from Symphony Space.
Here is the video for "Hot Malt Eagle" from the new Gustafer Yellowgold audiobook, I'M FROM THE SUN:
Justin Roberts and the Not Ready for Naptime Players returned for their (mostly) annual performance at Symphony Space on Saturday, November 3, part of the Just Kidding Kids series of weekly events for children and families. Now that Justin is a new father (really new, like less than one month new) it's going to be interesting to see how he adjusts his touring schedule in the future. Not to mention that he has diversified into books (two currently out with another pair on the horizon), so the release of another CD in the near future is a question mark.
Despite mild temperatures and an erroneous forecast of showers, it was an easy commute however we've definitely seen fuller, more boisterous audiences in the Peter Jay Sharp Theater. Luckily those in attendance did finally spark and begin to participate, as shown in the videos.
After nearly 20 years in the business, Justin and his band (Liam Davis, Gerald Dowd, Jacqueline Schimmel, and David Winer) have the patter and interaction down to a science. Yet it still appears fresh and fun, with the band seeming to genuinely enjoy the opportunity to entertain a tentative batch of hardened New York City kids.
As ever, setlist maven Ben remarked at which songs the band were not playing, as well as which ones he didn't recall the band playing at previous shows. Matt, on the other hand, reacted as if he was hearing some of these songs live for the first time – and admitted he did not remember seeing the band a few years back at the New Victory Theater. And that's why he tags along, to provide a fresh set of eyes to help me see every band. Justin signed off with a hopeful "We'll see you again," and we'll hold him to that promise.
Performances continue at Symphony Space every Saturday morning. Next up: Legend of the Banana Kid (Western Puppets on November 10) and Moona Luna (Spanish/English music on November 17).
Children's music favorite (and new father) Justin Roberts returns to Symphony Space in New York on Saturday, November 3 with a show (11 am). I've written plenty about Mr. Roberts and his engaging, amusing catalog. But with a new baby in the mix, there are going to be fewer opportunities in the short-term to see him in concert. So make an effort to get out the door and see him this go-round. Buy your tickets with a 10% discount ($17 each for non-members) using code Kidding10 (case-sensitive) here.
Here's Justin and the Not Ready for Naptime Players performing "Lemonade," the title track from his Grammy-nominated album:
Once your kids have calmed down and need a little rewinding, Mista Cookie Jar's got his groove back and it's in the song "Spirit Animal." Shocking that CJ might be feeling a little midlife crisis, but he's marveling at the fabulous little person sharing a residence with him:
How do you barely have any life experience and you’re already a zen master? I don’t get it. You are...the coolest.
Find "Spirit Animal" at Mista Cookie Jar's Bandcamp page as well as his website.
Hard to believe that Symphony Space is 40 years old. That's an amazing milestone and makes the facility a legitimate city landmark.
Tickets are now on sale for all events for its 2018-2019 season, including the Just Kidding Kids family series. In addition to concerts, there are also theater and literary events, such as Thalia Kids' Book Club Camp with author Katherine Marsh (Nowhere Boy) on Saturday, September 22 and the National Dance Institute Team Celebration on Saturday, October 27.
Mindy Thomas and the Pop-Ups
But the heart of the children's program has been the breadth of the musicians. We've been attending going back 15 years to seeing Dan Zanes, Tom Chapin, and Ralph's World. It's been a musical education not only for my children, but for myself. It opened doors to appreciation of different cultures and lifestyles. For me, it also turned into an entire venture (which you happen to be reading).
Tickets range from $17 for non-members to $14 for members. (Wow in the World tickets are $20 for non-members, $17 for members). For information on the entire season, visit Symphony Space's website.
In commemoration of Autism Awareness Month, Long Island's own Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could have released two singles – a party mix of their inclusion anthem, "Love Me For Who I Am" and a brand-new cover of the Diana Ross classic, "I'm Coming Out."
"Love Me For Who I Am" was the title track of Brady's 2011 CD, which stemmed from a conversation with a special needs student (story is here). Longtime proponents of rights for disabled children, Brady and company have always stressed the point that music is a hallmark of inclusion.
Personally, my family has a decade-long history with the Rymers, starting at Kidstock in Brooklyn many years ago and continuing through 2018. Brady and Bridget graciously moved over so me and my kids could sit together at January's "Best of Childrens Music" Grammy showcase at Symphony Space. Long may they rock!
With the threat of a wimper of winter weather wandering across our area, it was time to trek into Manhattan this past Saturday to see The Bazillions' triumphant debut at Symphony Space as part of the Just Kidding Kids series. Lead singer Adam Marshall pooh-poohed the prospect of "a couple of inches of snow," pointing out that the band hails from Minneapolis, where "a couple of inches of snow is what we call November."
Married educators Adam and Kristin Marshall were joined in this scaled-down performance by guitarist Mike Senkovich. They played to a packed Nimoy Theater (literally SRO) that seemed to alternately amaze and excite the trio, who went through tunes from all four of the band's CDs (according to Ben, who is my source for such fact-checking).
The Bazillions have used "educational rock and roll" as their mantra, although they attempted to push a more general "fun for all" family motif, picking their spots to actually teach without preaching. To that end, we had "Q and U," with audience participation (including a birthday girl whose party helped fill the auditorium) and "Silent E" (not the Tom Lehrer version).
Old favorites "Tommy Got in Trouble" and "Career Day" from their debut CD, ROCK-N-ROLL RECESS, helped anchor the set. But the Bazillions have never strayed far from their bread and butter (or is that peanut butter), so the songs all sounded fresh and fine, especially to one fan who traveled all the way from Buffalo, New York to finally see the band in person.
One of the most entertaining parts of going to a children's music concert is watching the reactions of kids who are clearly attending a live show for the first time. Many just sit in shock – amazed that such a thing actually occurs, not just on TV. Others dive right in, scrambling for a toy shaker or scarf, so they can join in the fun. But it's an unforgettable short-term memory that helps wire them for other musicians (and live arts) down the road. I don't know for sure how many kids qualified at the Bazillions – but many more were too happy to shout the names of their favorite action stars for "Superhero Rock Band." And many more will be happy to return for a different concert on another day.
Chuck Berry once sung about "School Days" and learning the golden rule. Continuing in that tradition of rock and roll and learning something in the process, The Minneapolis-based family band (headed by married teachers Adam and Kristin Marshall) The Bazillions are making their way to New York's Symphony Space this Saturday, February 17 at 11 AM. It's part of the Just Kidding family program and helps the band promote their fourth CD, ROCK-N-ROLL YEARBOOK – a years' worth of family curriculum in 12 songs (and 35 minutes).
As I wrote when I reviewed ROCK-N-ROLL YEARBOOK in 2016:
The Bazillions know the kids they're targeting will grow up and away from their music. However they want the information to penetrate those developing noggins. And the best way to do that is with music that sticks in the cranium like a pervasive earworm. Um, of the best kind. And I mean that in the best possible way. Give your child a sandwich and they'll ask you to cut off the crusts. Give your child ROCK-N-ROLL YEARBOOK and maybe they'll ask for guitar lessons. Live and learn, right?
Just Kidding is consistently one of the best music series for children in the metropolitan area. If you're around on Saturday, February 17 at 11 am, drop by Symphony Space and say hi. Click here to buy tickets. Enter code Yearbook2018 at checkout for $3 discount on general admission tickets!
Full confession: I thought this blog post would serve as a reminder for people to buy tickets to this event. However I have since learned that it is sold out. A SOLD OUT children's music event in Manhattan! This is a milestone, people. As such, it will serve as a reminder that such things do happen in this generation.
Symphony Space's Nimoy Theater will be hosting a Best of Family Music showcase on Saturday, January 27 at 11 am. With the Grammy Awards returning to New York City this weekend, it's an opportunity to hear from four of the five acts nominated for "Best Children's Music Recording." I was privileged enough to review all five; the four appearing this weekend are Justin Roberts (Lemonade), The Alphabet Rockers (#RiseShineWoke), Lisa Loeb (Lullaby Girl), and Gustafer Yellowgold (Brighter Side).
Yes, you won't get to hear Ladysmith Black Mombaza. But I've already had that experience quite a while back (Paul Simon retrospective show at the Theater at MSG) and honestly a showcase appearance of 10-15 minutes is about all I could take of them.
SiriusXM Kids Place Live's "Absolutely Mindy" Thomas and "Animal Farm" host Kenny Curtis will emcee the program. It's a good opportunity to mingle with the performers (who will likely be signing stuff and taking photos) and let your kids see that musicians are reg'lar people. And also build the notion that if they ever want to play music, some day people may come and see them. Or maybe nominate them for an award.
Like I said, the showcase is sold out. But there's still time to get tickets to upcoming Just Kidding Club events, including musical performances from Alastair Moock (February 3), The Bazillions (February 17), and the Not-Its (March 3).
Children's comedian/musician (how's that for a specific hyphenate) Billy Kelly returns to Symphony Space this weekend with a whole spanking new show (and no spanking). Join Bill on Sat., December 16 at 11:00 am at Symphony Space’s Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre. Tickets are a mere $14 and $17.
PR maven Stephanie Mayers is promoting an all-ages family showcase on Sunday, January 14 at Manhattan's Rockwood Music Hall. Performing acts from her talent roster include Falu’s Bazaar, JoJo & The Pinecones, Billy Kelly (him again?), Lard Dog & The Band of Shy, KB Whirly, Gustafer Yellowgold, the Bilingual Birdies Band, The Pop Ups, and Michael & The Rockness Monsters. Tickets are available for the low, low price of $10 – per family!
Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could have a second Hanukkah video, "Rainbow Candles," that celebrates the holiday. It's direct from their recent CD, REVVIN' UP THE REINDEER. You can get that CD here.
A kid with special needs will occasionally pull a rabbit out a hat. "The last time we were here was in March for Lucky Diaz," Ben told me as we entered the Thalia Theater at Symphony Space this past weekend. "I spoke to Lucky about Billy Joel." That was indeed true, but real life moves at such light speed that it took Ben's verbal Post-It note to bring back a sudden flood of memories.
So it was indeed seven months between concerts at one of our favorite city venues. In the meantime, we've seen plenty of live music, including a Long Island appearance by the act we traveling to see on Saturday – Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights. However this was a difference iteration of the ensemble, gone acoustic and celebratory-themed for the morning, with many children (and adults) in attendance wearing Halloween costumes.
One of the perks of being a kindie community insider (of sorts) is learning about a performance prior to its occurrence. So I knew that Joelle Lurie of JoJo and the Pinecones would be a special guest, joining Joanie for two songs at the end of the set... although I was badly out of position when she finally took to the stage to sing vocal for "Love Is Love" and the a cappella "Stoop." Joelle is one of the new wave of kindie jazz acts to emerge of late, which includes Lucy Kalantari, Jazzy Ash, and Lori Henriques.
Symphony Space's Just Kidding program has been delighting and entertaining youth from around the region for years. We've been going since Ben was less than three years old and he still delights in the talents on display, even if he is the oldest kid in the room. You can hear him answering some of questions posed to the crowd by Joanie in her introductions. The trio (Joanie, Scott Stein, and Jeff Litman) ran through a set list that went back to her first CD (the song "Ice Cream"). While there were a number of hands raised for first-time attendees to a Leeds' concert, a number of people were clearly veterans who knew Joanie's favorite color is green (the song "I Wanna Be Green"). Joelle has strong chops as well, and her voice blended right into the harmonies (as you can hear on the two videos), in addition to belting out verses on "Love Is Love."
The Just Kidding series continues next week with bilingual rock from Future Hits (11/4). Down the road are puppets, more music, and theater events. Click through and check the calendar.
Something always slips through the cracks during the autumn season. For me, it was the start of Symphony Space's Just Kidding Kids series. But we're remedying that situation today – and will be there Saturday, October 28 for the concert by Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights.
Just Kidding Kids is the long-running series of events that includes not only concerts, but theater and interactive performances. Coming up November 11 is a puppet show – Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers: Everybody Loves Pirates. Further along Elizabeth Mitchell (November 18), Billy Kelly (December 16), the Experiential Theater Company presents Journey to Oz (January 13), and a very special show featuring the 2017 nominees for Best Children's Album (January 27).
There's oh so much more – but there's a whole subsection of the Symphony Space website dedicated to the 2017-18 season. Click on through and check it out. We'll be there for some shows!
Here is my video of Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights performing "Ferry Nice" at last month's Kidstock:
The last time I saw Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band, it was the summer of 2015 in Philadelphia at KindieComm. Matt was only 3 1/2 and although he's seen the videos I shot of the performers, he has virtually no memories of the event.
So when the group announced their East Coast 2017 tour would make a stop at Symphony Space, it was not much of a stretch to circle the date on the calendar. We trekked uptown last Saturday and they did not disappoint. The five-person ensemble led a rousing full house through a selection of dance tunes (although not from their Spanish-language catalog).
The audience seemed familiar with the "greatest hits" slant of the 50-minute set. In fact, the band was pushing their GREATEST HITS CD (and nothing else, surprisingly) after the show. Ben was delighted to talk about Billy Joel, of all people, with Lucky. I guess I blame myself for wearing a "Billy Joel – Last Play at Shea Stadium" shirt.
The band enjoys playing the material and the banter seems friendly and focused. The interactions with the kids in the audience drew in the crowd, to the point that kids were crowding the aisles in attempts to win the dance contest. In that sense, a good time was had by all ages.
Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band are taking their act on the road to China in May. But have no fear, they will be back and touring the midwest in June and July, with a return engagement to Manhattan to play in Madison Square Park on July 27!
Symphony Space continues its season of multiculturalism this Saturday, March 25 with an East Coast performance by Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band. We saw the band play as a trio at KindieComm in Philadelphia almost three years ago, so it will be a completely new experience for my six-year-old.
Centered around the musical stylings and chemistry of real-life married Lucky Diaz and Alisha Gaddis, the Family Jam Band has won a Latin Grammy Award (for Children's Music) as well as a local Emmy for their PBS kids' series "Lishy Lou and Lucky Too." They are taking their show on the road again and traveling cross-country for a stop on the Upper West Side.
Just Kidding Kids has emphasized a world beat this winter, with appearances by Sonia De Los Santos and Elena Moon Park, Nation Beat, and 123 Andres. They have saved some of the best for the end of the season, with the easily-embraceable and instantly accessible songs of Diaz and Company. Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band are appearing for the Just Kidding Kids series on Saturday, March 25 at 11 am at Symphony Space. Tickets are $17 ($14 for members).
Here is my video of Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band performing "Viva La Pachanga" at KindieComm 2014 at Philly's World Cafe Live:
One of the benefits of having a child with almost total recall is being able to ask a question with the confidence of receiving an absolute answer. When I asked Ben how many times we had seen Justin Roberts, there was a split-second of calculation (I don't remember the exact number, but it was impressive). Just counting venues, there's Symphony Space and New Victory Theater as well as World Cafe in Philly.
We returned to Symphony Space on Saturday, December 10 for a performance by Justin and the Not Ready for Naptime Players. The last time Justin played there (November 2015), it was a stripped-down three-man show with Liam Davis and Gerald Dowd. Going further back (April 2015) was our last show with the full band. So we were stoked and ready to see full-band versions of songs from the latest CD, LEMONADE.
The band brought out some rarely-played songs, such as their ballad "Wishing You A Holiday" and a rocking "Jingle Bells." Since it was coincidentally Justin's birthday, "It's Your Birthday" drew special significance from the crowd.
I would normally shoot 3-4 videos from the one-hour show. That's been my procedure at this venue and other facilities for the last 10+ years. However midway through my third recording, I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Excuse me, sir..." This has happened before. The ensuing conversation can go two ways, either "You're blocking my child's view" or in this case, a staffer informing me that "house management prohibits videos except of your own child enjoying the show."
I don't know who instructed him to shut me down but I didn't protest. I matter-of-factedly stated I've recorded songs before – for my blog – including this performer and this venue. Then I turned off the camcorder and enjoyed the rest of the performance. Which was very entertaining.
The show wrapped with the band doing an encore. "We're from Chicago and we're quite happy with how the baseball season ended," Justin said. Then the band launched into a spirited rendition of "Pop Fly." A reminder that as we prepare for winter, spring training is just around the corner. And summer music and sunny songs are just a playlist click away.
It might be December but the sun is still shining warmly on Justin Roberts. With multiple awards, a second children's book coming in January, and an acclaimed new CD (his 13th), the vaunted recording artist is keeping busy.
Justin recently received plaudits as one of the "top 10 kid's CDs" for 2016 from Ohio's School Library Journal. The rarified air on the list includes Lisa Loeb, Frances England, Recess Monkey, the Okee Dokee Brothers, among others (but not Secret Agent 23 Skidoo).
To support his latest CD, LEMONADE, Justin has released a new video for the song "Me and My Kangaroo" (viewable below). It's a speculative discourse between a fantasy marsupial and his daydreaming mammal manufacturer.
Justin has embarked on a winter tour that will bring him to New York's Symphony Space on Saturday, December 10 and the Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School in Pennsylvania on Sunday, December 11. Further out, Justin and his Not Ready for Naptime Players will trek to Malibu, Des Moines, and Birmingham. Click here for more tour dates.
