These reviews by Fred Koch appeared in the April, 2001 issue of “Chicago Parent Magazine.” Reviewed in this column:
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| I may be a little biased, but I'm convinced that Chicago has the finest
children's musicians in the country. Think about it. First and foremost,
there's Ella Jenkins. Then there are Joel Frankel, Susan Salidor, Nelson
Gill, Jim Gill (no relation), Steve Rashid and even the Veggie Tales folks.
They all produce great children's music and all call Chicago home.
Now, there are two more names to add to the list: Ralph Covert and Justin Roberts. Ralph Covert's new release, Ralph's World (Mini Fresh, 2001) is engaging and original. Maybe you caught one of Covert's February performances at a local Borders store or know of him through his work at the Old Town School. Maybe you know of his rock roots as a long-time member of the popular local band, The Bad Examples. Maybe you've never heard of him. In any event, you should check out his very fresh, fun children's music. Yes, you. Sure, your children will adore this recording, but you, too, will have no trouble hearing it over and over again. Records like this don't come around often. A happy-go-lucky feeling permeates the entire recording. Covert really seems to be enjoying himself. His charm comes beaming through on the first song (and my favorite), "Freddy Bear The Teddy Bear." I can see kids playing along when he sings, "My right hand is all the boys I know/ and my left hand is all the girls I know/ When you put 'em all together they make a happy sound (clapping)/ That's the way the world goes 'round." You are also bound to enjoy "Take A Little Nap (The Disco Song)," a hilarious take-off on KC and The Sunshine Band's, "Do a little dance/ Make a little love/ Get down tonight." His "ABC's" is also fun--especially if you can sing the alphabet backwards. The recording features acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo, harmonica, Dobro, and fiddle in different combinations, over a rhythm section comprised of electric bass and drums. The kids sound great, too. Let's hope there's a follow-up to Ralph's World. Go Back to Top Yellow Bus (Hear Diagonally, 2001) is the second release by Chicago singer/songwriter Justin Roberts. His first release, Great Big Sun, is still one of my favorite recordings. Yellow Bus picks up right where Great Big Sun left off. Roberts has a knack for writing children's songs that are easy to listen to and fun to sing. He strums along to the songs with a sparse but supportive acoustic-based musical accompaniment. My son, Matthew, almost 5, knows how to get his favorite song to repeat on our CD player and he must have listened to Roberts' first song, "In The Car," at least five times before letting the recording continue. It is a singable little ditty with fun sounds kids will enjoy making. Other child-centered songs include "Thought It Was A Monster" and "Tickle My Toes." Roberts even takes on divorce with "Mom Is Sad." But it is his bedtime gem, "All Eyes On You," which tugs at my heartstrings. Go Back to Top Another excellent new recording, even though it doesn't have a Chicago connection, is All Wound Up (Rounder Kids, 2001) by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, featuring Brave Combo. Both Cathy & Marcy and Brave Combo are Grammy-nominated artists, and Brave Combo won a Grammy for Best Polka Album in 2000. But putting down a great polka groove is only one of Brave Combo's many talents. As their press statement correctly states, "No style eludes them." With pop, polka, hora, rock-and-roll, calypso, waltz and a variety of international ethnic dance rhythms, this is musical diversity at its best, and they move effortlessly from style to style. Cathy & Marcy sound great singing with Brave Combo; their own fine musicianship (Cathy on banjo and Marcy on guitar) blends seamlessly with the band's. I have quite a few favorites on this CD including the Latin-flavored "Funiculi, Funicula," the swingin' "Swing It, Baby, Swing!" and all of the wonderful folk interpretations, including the medley "Paddy on the Railroad/Dance Your Way To Texas." Children will certainly enjoy "I Will Never Clean Up My Room" and everyone will be dancin' to the percussive and playful "Chopsticks." It was a great move for Cathy & Marcy to team up with Brave Combo. The band takes the singers to musical places where they otherwise might not have ventured, and it's clear that they all have a good time along the way. Go Back to Top Also new and noteworthy, is Bright Spaces (Rounder Kids, 2001), a collection of songs contributed by various artists. All proceeds from this CD go to the nonprofit Bright Horizons Foundation for Children, an organization committed to improving the quality of life for children at risk. For this project, Rounder Records went to their stable and rounded up a veritable "who's who" in children's music. Artists include Raffi ("Something In My Shoe"), Arlo Guthrie ("Bling, Blang"), John McCutcheon ("If I Ran The World"), Sweet Honey In The Rock ("Still The Same Me"), and Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, who start off the recording with "Arthur's Theme Song." Check out this recording to support a great cause and get a great compilation at the same time. Go Back to Top As always, I am interested in what children's music you and your family are listening to, so feel free to drop me a line and let me know. My e-mail is fred@bestchildrensmusic.com. Or write to me in care of Chicago Parent. Fred Koch is an award-winning music educator and a nationally recognized children's musician. His new children's music website, www.BestChildrensMusic.com, provides recommendations and information about selecting quality children's music, as well as access to past Chicago Parent reviews. Koch lives in Lake Bluff with his wife and son. Go Back to Top |
