These reviews by Fred Koch appeared in the December, 2000 issue of “Chicago Parent Magazine.” Reviewed in this column:
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| Music is meant to be a shared experience, a way to bring people together.
This is true of children's music, too. The best children's music can be
enjoyed by parents along with their children. I know of no better way to
connect with children than to "play" with music by singing and dancing along.
When parents and children are actively involved with each other and with
music, we learn about the world around us. When babies and toddlers move
and coo, we see the joy and power of music. When preschoolers sing their
stream-of-consciousness songs, we get a glimpse into what they are thinking
and observing. And when our children grow older, songs and music help them
sort out what's going on in the world and provide one of the few avenues
for them to explore their creativity and self-expression. I welcome this
opportunity to spotlight some of this year's outstanding recordings which,
of course, would make wonderful gifts. I've organized my picks into the
categories of "Quiet Times," "The Preschool and Kindergarten Set," "School
Aged (6 to 9)," "Older Kids (10 and up)" and "Soundtracks."
The Mozart Effect Music For Babies: Nighty Night (The Children's Group, 2000) is a carefully selected compilation of various artists performing Mozart's music. These dreamy pieces move comfortably between stellar performances by string quartets, wind ensembles, oboe quartets and clarinet quintets. I'm still amazed that Mozart composed his Symphony No. 11 as a 14-year-old! If you like the Kenny Loggins style of family music, you'll enjoy Counting Sheep (Sony Wonder, 1999) by country-and-western star Collin Raye. Don't be mislead by the C&W label; Counting Sheep is more eclectic than that. You will even hear the influence of The Beatles in a couple of songs. The title track, "Counting Sheep," sounds like it could have been penned by Lennon and McCartney, and the classic acoustic guitar piece, "Blackbird," works great here as a children's song. There's also a swinging little jazz song ("Cool Cat"); the feel-good, country flavored "I'm Gonna Love You;" and a nice mix of gentle, sleepy-time songs that will help ease the bedtime transition. This is one of those recordings that gets better each time I hear it. I'm a huge fan of Blue's Clues, and a big part of the reason is the music, which is conceived, written and performed well, and never plays down to its young listeners. In A Playdate With Blue (Kid Rhino, 2000) children are introduced to Blue's best friend, Magenta, in an interactive musical adventure that celebrates friendship. As in the television show, Steve leads the way with clues and songs that work beautifully together to help young listeners learn valuable lessons. Parents and children can interact and enjoy these musical activities together. Even after 20 or 30 listenings, A Playdate With Blue and other Blue's Clues CDs remain engaging and fresh. If you're looking for the perfect present to give your child's preschool or kindergarten teacher, pick up Say Hello to the Morning by Kathy Reid-Naiman (Merriweather Records, 1999). Get one for your own family, too. Kathy is a gifted, musical preschool teacher who has been collecting music activities for years. Her voice is warm and intimate and the material she shares in her recordings invites participation. Say Hello includes 35 tracks of singable songs and catchy rhymes, some familiar, some not, but all are engaging, meaningful and very appropriate for preschool children. Ken Whiteley, Raffi's first producer, serves as musical producer and arranger, so the acoustic-based music is top-notch. This is preschool music at its best, with plenty of opportunities for age-appropriate music play. Old Mr. Mackle Hackle by Gunnar Madsen (G-Spot Records, 2000) is a fresh, funny and inventive children's recording by the award-winning actor and co-founder of The Bobs, a highly acclaimed acapella group. The appeal to children of Madsen's catchy songs is easy to understand. He sings about some things that typically interest kids, such as dinosaurs, but does so with such originality and zeal that "Born To Chew (We Eat Meat)" makes other attempts at the subject pale by comparison. Madsen's vocal prowess is extraordinary and his musical grooves roam from pop and rock to country and even opera-esque. His approach is unique and intelligent; he's funny without being childish, and parents and children will be drawn into the fun of songs like the quirky "I'm A Little Twerp," the hilarious "Chicken Road," and "Tiny Mosquito," in which he sings from the mosquito's point of view. Jessica Harper is another talented performer who has successfully crossed over into the field of children's music. Her latest release, Rhythm In My Shoes (Rounder Kids, 2000) is a fun-filled, child-centered romp featuring some wonderful new original songs with that distinctive Jessica Harper vocal treatment. Harper provides the lead vocals as well as all of the lush background harmonies and rhythmic chants. In addition to her wonderful vocals and the groove-based music tracks of reggae/island style and lightly swinging jazz, the themes to her songs are inventive and authentic. (Her children inspired songs like "Girlquakes" and "A Day In The Life of Elizabeth.") Parents are bound to chuckle to the tongue-in-cheek "My Baby Is A Genius." Rick Scott has quickly emerged as one of my favorite children's performers. In Making Faces (Jester Records, 2000), Scott makes his educational songs so exciting that kids don't mind learning something. Now that's an artful teacher! As a parent and teacher, I appreciate Scott's attention to kids' emotional lives in songs such as "Do-Overs" and "Don't Know Blues." His hip-hop flavored tribute to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, "Yo Mo Concerto," will make the musical genius come to life for kids. Other original standouts include "Song For Australia," which introduces some fun facts about Australia and features a catchy, singable chorus. Scott is a master Appalachian dulcimer player, but plays it in an unconventional manner that makes it sound like a rhythm guitar. Combine this with his stellar band of musicians and original songs, and you have a great recording sure to be enjoyed by all. Ted Jacobs' The Days Gone By: Songs of the American Poets (Music For Little People, 2000) is a masterpiece. Jacobs has done far more than simply put music to some existing classic poems. He has woven the words and music together so seamlessly that it is hard to imagine that they weren't created together. The musical performances include a wonderful mix of folk and world music instruments, sung by vocalists who were carefully selected to bring out the essence of the lyrics of these timeless verses. This recording brings great poetry to life for kids, and can touch them deeply, opening them up for other experiences with the great poets. Go Back to Top At our house, we enjoyed the Blue's Big Musical Movie (Kid Rhino, 2000) soundtrack for weeks before we purchased the video. The soundtrack features the cast of characters from Blue's Clues along with the voices of Ray Charles (as G-Clef) and The Persuasions (as The Notes.) This is some great music, and what makes it even better (at least in a house of music lovers) is that music is a central theme in the movie. It teaches children about the basics of music: notes, rhythm, tempo and dynamics. Blue's Big Musical Movie has deeply affected my 4-year old son. He incorporates the songs into his play; tells me about quarter notes, rests and tempo; and draws and claps the rhythmic pattern from the Ray Charles segment. The recording stands on its own as a complete musical experience. Woody's Roundup (Walt Disney Records, 2000) is a rootin'-tootin' collection of songs inspired by the "Woody's Roundup" TV show in the movie Toy Story 2. Featuring the talents of the musical group Riders In The Sky, each song gallops along with musical authenticity, as if it were brought back from the original 50's cowboy music era. This is the second album based on Toy Story 2, and it includes some new songs for Bullseye, Jessie and Prospector as well as "You've Got A Friend In Me," "Act Naturally," (the song made famous by Ringo Starr) and a great version of "Home On The Range," performed to perfection in the cowboy style. Go Back to Top Most of these recordings are available at the major retail outlets and all of them are worth seeking out. For Say Hello To The Morning, contact Merriweather Records (905/841-0119); for Old Mr. Mackle Hackle, contact G-Spot Records (800/711-3627 or visit gunnarspot.com); and for Making Faces, contact Jester Records (604/736-7676 or online at rick-scott.com) for details on ordering information. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to share my thoughts on children's music this year and hope that we have provided some guidance for you as you sort through all the material that is available. Enjoy this holiday season and take time to share the gift of music with your family and friends. Happy Holidays! 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 |
