These reviews by Fred Koch appeared in the January, 2001 issue of “Chicago Parent Magazine.” Reviewed in this column:
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When children's music was in its infancy in the mid-1950s, its roots were mainly in folk music. There were two main reasons for this. First, folk music was very popular at that time. And second, folk music invites listeners to participate, which must have made it a perfect model for children's music, too. For these reasons, folk artists such as Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, and Peter, Paul & Mary helped establish the legitimacy of children's music as a new genre. Now, a new crop of children's artists are working to preserve their folk music roots and to introduce this musical form to today's children. Phil Rosenthal is one of the leaders in this effort. He fell in love with folk music as a youngster. When he became a parent, he noticed that there wasn't much folk and bluegrass music available for his children. So he set up a recording studio in his home and started his own record label, American Melody, dedicated to acoustic music for children and families. Rosenthal released many recordings, which you can easily sample because Rounder Records has just released a Phil Rosenthal collection, Folksongs and Bluegrass for Children (Rounder Records, 2000), a compilation of songs from six of his American Melody albums. There are a lot of great songs here. You will hear classic children's folksongs such as "Six Little Ducks," "The Paw Paw Patch," "Aiken Drum," and "Riding In The Buggy," as well as the children's classic, "Teddy Bear's Picnic," and Rosenthal's version of Woody Guthrie's "Jig Along Home." But best of all are Rosenthal's original songs. My 4-year-old song immediately loved "The Train Song." My favorite is "The Mouse," a song about a little mouse who doesn't have time to stop and visit with other animals because she's scurrying back to her nest where her five little babies are patiently waiting. This collection of the best of Phil Rosenthal is filled with the pleasing sounds of acoustic instruments (guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, acoustic bass, harmonica and occasional percussion). It's great for listening or singing along. Dance On A Moonbeam (Telarc, 2000) was the final recording project of the late American banjo master, Bill Crofut. This CD of songs and poetry for children and families was conceived as a charitable venture from the onset. All the artists contributed their work so that the royalties could flow back to the Simple Gifts for Children Fund, a non-profit organization Crofut established to distribute funds to worthy children's causes. Crofut's eclectic musical interests include folk, classical, jazz, African and even Asian music. He has also collaborated with modern poets, setting their verse to music as a way of introducing young children to poetry. A fitting tribute to his life's work, Dance on a Moonbeam, is a collection of traditional folk songs along with Crofut's musical adaptations of the works of Robert Louis Stevenson, e. e. cummings, Shakespeare (read by Meryl Streep) and others. Joining Crofut on this recording are vocalists Dawn Upshaw and Frederica von Strade, musician Chris Brubeck, The London Symphony Orchestra, a wonderful group of children (Chorus Angelicus) and others. The 28-page booklet is also outstanding. It lists all the lyrics and musicians, and offers commentary on the origin and background of each song. The recording begins with "While You Sleep," featuring Bill's voice backed by a sparse musical accompaniment. It then segues into Streep's reading of The Merchant of Venice. ("How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!/ Here we will sit and let the sounds of music creep in our ears.") Other standouts include "Alligator Hedgehog" (the Shaker alphabet song put to music and sung by Crofut), the classic tale, "The Fox," sung by Ben Luxion (a soloist with the Munich Bach Choir), and Crofut's musical adaptation of Edward Lear's "The Table and The Chair." There's also a beautiful Joseph Haydn arrangement of "All Through The Night," featuring recorder, cello, viola and the voice of Julianne Bard, leading into another Shakespeare reading by Streep. Putting together Dance on a Moonbeam was, for Crofut, clearly a labor of love, reflecting his determination to leave a musical legacy. That he did so in the interest of charity only adds weight to the project. Dance On A Moonbeam is a real treasure. Go Back to Top The Old Town School of Folk Music has recently released Songs For Wiggleworms (OSFM, 2000), a collection of songs for young children. The production is simple, often featuring only a guitar, a vocalist and some kids. As a result, you almost feel like you're in one of the school's Wiggleworms classes. (The musicians and the kids on the recording are from Old Town School programs.) The 28-song CD includes such traditional fare as "Wheels On The Bus," "Itsy Bitsy Spider," "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and "She'll Be Coming 'Round The Mountain," along with some get-up-and-dance numbers like "Rockin' Robin" and "Twist and Shout." But my personal favorite is "Leah Counts To Ten," featuring the adorable Leah Rose Orleans, an Old Town Wiggleworms student. Proceeds from the sale of Songs For Wiggleworms will be used to support scholarships for needy students at the Old Town School. Go Back to Top
Rosenthal's Folksongs and Bluegrass for Children should be easy to find in the retail outlets. For more information, visit www.rounder.com or call 800/220-5557. You also should have no trouble finding Dance On A Moonbeam in stores, but for more information visit www.danceonamoonbeam.org. Purchase Songs For Wiggleworms, at the Old Town School's Little Strummer store on Armitage Avenue in Chicago, or call 773/751-3410. Readers, keep those comments and recommendations coming. My e-mail address 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 |
