Quick Hits: New Video from Berkner and Brady; Wendy & DB's Big World

Long Island's Brady Rymer has been a proponent of special needs and children with disabilities over the course of his career as a kid's musician. His 2011 album, LOVE ME FOR WHO I AM, was dedicated to the concerns and triumphs of spectrum children and their families. Brady serves double duty as the leader of the Little Band That Could as well as bass player for the Laurie Berkner Band. For Autism Awareness Month, he and Laurie have teamed up for a version of his song, "Soft Things." Shot 'low tech' from their respective shelters-in-place, the video was edited by their children, Lucy, Gus, and Daisy.



Wendy Morgan and Darryl Boggs (Wendy and DB) are back with a new album of kindie empowerment songs from their base in Chicago. HEY BIG WORLD contains 15 mostly original songs covering the environment, childhood fears, rules, animals, and education.

A sprightly cover of "Let's Go Fly A Kite" turns any car ride into an instant singalong. "Giralephant" creates a fantastic new creature but also teaches a lesson about different and not fitting in. However, the next track goes right back to a more obvious message, "Stop For the Red Light." Wendy and DB have sincere concerns, know their audience, and delight in spreading their messages of love, inclusion, and peace. The CD is dedicated to DB's mother Addy, who passed away last year at the age of 95.  If you buy a physical copy of the CD (a novel idea these days), HEY BIG WORLD comes with an illustrated booklet with the lyrics to every song.

Ten percent of sales from HEY BIG WORLD go towards two charities – Jumpstart, which provides language, literacy, and social-emotional programming for preschool children from under-resourced communities and A Better Life for Kids, based on Ghana, Africa, which purchases food, medicine, and other essential supplies and equipment for the babies and children and funds education and literacy programs.

HEY BIG WORLD is available from Amazon and Apple Music.

Quick Hits: Rockness Elevates, Wendy & DB Celebrate Earth

Michael Napolitano from the Preschool of Rock is all grown up. Well, he's as grown up as any grown up doing children's music can be. Now he's taking his burgeoning Rockness Monsters out for a second spin with their upcoming CD, FUNNY FACES. In the meantime, the first single, "Elevator Song," is available for purchase. It's the equivalent of a toddler tease, in that it's mostly a novelty tune. But it gives you an idea of Michael's sensibilities and what he tries to accomplish (movement, encouragement, humor) encapsulated in, well, an Otis elevator.

You can purchase "Elevator Song" at iTunes and listen at SoundCloud.

Here is the FUNNY FACE preview video:


When Charity and the Jam Band produced EARTH, their ecologically-conscious CD a few years ago, I figured that might be the tail end of the trend. In fact, it was only a resting stop. Now Wendy Morgan and Darryl Boggs (Wendy and DB to you) have released their entry, HOME/EARTH.

The 13 tracks include the title song, "Bugs That Give Hugs," "Plant A Seed," and other message-laden tunes for the very young. "Girl Superhero" kind of breaks away from the central theme, although not far enough that its parent couldn't scoop it up before it got too far.

The Wendy & DB Band averages about 25 years of professional experience, so they have the production chops to skillfully deliver the material. And a total of 20 percent from the proceeds of sales of HOME/EARTH will go to the Jane Goodall Foundation, VH1 Save the Music, and A Better Life for Kids.

It's hard to root against people with such good intentions, whose goal is to entertain children in the Chicago region and perhaps raise some money for charity while they "work." Wendy & DB seek to make their musical world a place that children can relax while they learn. They want everyone to feel at home since it's everybody's HOME/EARTH.

HOME/EARTH is available at on April 22 from Wendy & DB's website, CDBABY, and Amazon.

The Return of Wendy and DB

There's a lot of be said about dependability. Young children relate best to things that involve familiar activities and themes. Wendy and DB (Chicago's Wendy Morgan and Darryl Boggs) have partnered to serenade area kids with their music, and their second CD, IT'S A DOO DA DAY continues their enthusiastic initiative.

The title track segues smoothly into "You Are My Sunshine." The other 11 tracks cover a checklist of children's standard concerns, from animals to family to imagination play. "It's OK Being You" delivers a variation of the "every child is special" theme, although thankfully toned down and moved into the realm of individual colors rather than individual traits.

With bandmates Dean Rolando, Geoffrey Lowe, and Dennis Calito, Wendy and DB are also involved in key charities such as vh1's Save the Music and A Better Life for Kids. It's their way of giving back to the community as well as promoting music awareness and appreciation.

Wendy and DB use their talents to perform dependable, happy music for kids. IT'S A DOO DA DAY will engage and entertain its younger listeners. And look – there's even a "Pink Flamingo" song, to boot.

IT'S A DOO DA DAY is available from Wendy and DB's website and Amazon. You can also follow them on Tumblr.

Here is a video of the band performing the song, "Pink Flamingo":

Wendy and DB Show Respect for the Kids

Positivity is well-respected as a character trait.

For children's music, it's practically a job requirement.

Some performers, however, make it their mantra to live by. As Wendy Morgan states on her website "I realized that I needed to make a difference in this world. We all need to help each other in whatever ways we can. I want to lead by example in my life by not giving up on my dreams and also inspiring others to move forward." Whew!

Wendy and Darryl Boggs recently released their debut children's music CD, POCKETS SEASONS RHYMES & REASONS. As you might imagine, it's chock full of positivity. Just listen to "People Are People":

People are people, black, white, tan, yellow, or blue,
People are people and I love you.
People are people, big, tall, short, small, between-sizes, too.
People are people and I love you.

Capice?

The CD is a collection of upbeat originals, as well as covers of "The Green Grass Grows All Around" and a novel take on "All the Pretty Little Horses." And hey! Lyrics come included in the CD packaging (if you don't order MP3s online).

If you want to give little ones positive (there's that word again) reinforcement and drill some basic concepts, then Wendy and DB provide a sensitive base. You can easily build from "Friends" to the rough and tumble of Justin Roberts.

But the biggest perk of buying this CD is knowing that a portion of the proceeds go to VH1 Save The Music to help bring music education into the lives of kids who can’t otherwise afford exposure to the world of music. There's another reason to (dip into your pocket) and spend some money this season. And it rhymes.

POCKETS SEASONS RHYMES & REASONS is available through Wendy & DB's website, Amazon, and CDBABY.

Here is the video from Wendy & DB's song, "Pockets Seasons Rhymes & Reasons":