Friday Free-for-All # 11

Karen Jolicoeur & Bill Lewis, The Dream That You Wish

Manhattan-based vocalist Karen Jolicoeur delivers tender operatic lullabyes from sources as varied as Sweeney Todd, The Wizard of Oz, and Brahms, while throwing in a few old-school Disney songs and a couple of originals. Quietly and tastefully accompanied by pianist Bill Lewis.



Moey, Moey's Music Party

NYC mom, songwriter, and musician Melissa Levis rocks out with her band Alan Bennett (guitar), Roger Cohen (drums), and David Weinstein (bass & piano) on songs about manners, sharing, parents, sneezing, getting dressed, and being a kid in New York City. Think Sesame Street meets the Go-Gos!



Lemonsquare, Music For Fun

Alan Schlaifer and Louisette Geiss have created an extremely sunny collection of songs for the younger set, tunes about bathtime, rainbows, teeth brushing, blue whales, and eating veggies. Their sound is a little reminiscent of fellow Los Angelenes Ellen & Matt, and more of Schlaifer's music has been used in television and film through his Wade Street Music company.

I spy!

Here's this month's "what in the world?" I tried to make this one a little harder. Good luck!

Grownups are silly

So, it's only May and already there are five kids' albums out (or to be released) by major pop/rock/rap musicians and bands who have crossed over into the children's music arena. These are the ones I know of, so if there are more that should be included on the list, leave a comment.

Barenaked Ladies - Snack Time
Medeski Martin & Wood - Let's Go Everywhere
Prince Paul (w/ Chali 2na, Ladybug Mecca, Wordsworth, & Scratch) - Dino5
Lisa Loeb - Camp Lisa (June 3)
Natalie Merchant - as-yet-unnamed (Fall 2008)

Also, who would you like to see record an album of kids' tunes? Matthew Sweet would be one of the artists at the top of my list...

Turn off the TV

I am alarmed, at times, at the amount of time parents allow their young children to spend watching television. The ability to sit in front of a TV for hours on end is not a good indication of your child's attention span. In fact, too much TV can lead to attention problems as well as childhood obesity. In addition to this, there is also a link between TV watching and future bullying, according to the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. The statement released in April stated, " (O)ur findings suggest some steps that can be taken with children to potentially help prevent bullying. Maximizing cognitive stimulation and limiting television watching in the early years of development might reduce children's subsequent risk of becoming bullies." I wonder what wonderful Kindermusik activities you could use to maximize that cognitive stimulation? :-) You can read the full article here.

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo video

I'm tellin' ya, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo and crew are going to break out nationwide, and soon! Don't be surprised if you see and hear 23 and friends on a kids' show by this fall. Let's hear it for Asheville, NC!

"Gotta Be Me"

You've got mail!

Don't forget - Buy your "Forever Stamps" before May 12. That's when the price of First Class Stamps will rise to $.42. Forever Stamps are always good and can be purchased for $.41 each until the 12th.

Put on your Purple Toupee, the Pencil Rain's a-comin'!

That's right, I'm going to see a They Might Be Giants kids' show tomorrow with my wife and our little boy, and we're excited! So excited that I'm gonna skip a "Friday Free-for-All" and post a live performance of one of my favorite TMBG tunes, "Fingertips". Prepare to be awed.

"Fingertips"

The Drover's Dream

We just started a new summer camp, Zoo Train, for the toddlers. One of the songs we danced to this week is an instrumental song called Drover's Dream. It's one of my favorites! I have danced to this song at least a hundred times, but I never knew it was actually an old Australian folk song till today. It's a about a Drover (they rounded up sheep in Australia) who falls asleep on his night watch and dreams of a zany animal parade. There are several slight variations on the words, and you can find many different recordings on You Tube. Please be advised, that if you want to listen to this song with your child, the versions I found on You Tube contained the word "h*ll" at the end.

The Drover's Dream Lyrics

One night when travelling sheep, my companions lay asleep There was not a star to illuminate the sky I was dreaming, I suppose, for my eyes were nearly closed When a very strange procession passed me by First there came a kangaroo, with his swag of blankets blue A dingo ran beside him for a mate They were travelling mighty fast, and they shouted as they passed "We'll have to jog along, it's getting late"The pelican and the crane, they came in from off the plain To amuse the company with a Highland Fling The dear old bandicoot played a tune upon his flute And the native bears sat round them in a ring The drongo and the crow sang us songs of long ago While the frill-necked lizard listened with a smile And the emu standing near with his claw up to his ear Said, "Funniest thing I've heard for quite a while" The frogs from out the swamp, where the atmosphere is damp Came bounding in and sat upon the stones They each unrolled their swags and produced from out their bags The violin, the banjo and the bones The goanna and the snake, and the adder wide awake With the alligator danced "The Soldier's Joy" In the spreading silky oak the jackass cracked a joke And the magpie sang "The Wild Colonial Boy" Some brolgas darted out from the tea-tree all about And performed a set of Lancers very well Then the parrot green and blue gave the orchestra its cue To strike up "The Old Log Cabin in the Dell." I was dreaming, I suppose, of these entertaining shows But it never crossed my mind I was asleep Till the Boss beneath the cart woke me up with such a start Yelling, "Dreamy, where the heck are all the sheep?"

Thank you Sally, my Aussie mate!