These reviews by Fred Koch appeared in the July, 2000 issue of “Chicago Parent Magazine.” Reviewed in this column:
|
|
There's a interesting separation in the children's music industry between commercial and educational recordings. Commercial records are heavily marketed and widely available, so parents tend to be familiar with them. Not so educational recordings, which are marketed primarily to teachers to enrich their curricula and bring music into their classrooms. If your children don't come home singing these songs, you may never know they exist. So this month I want to share with you some of the best educational recordings aimed at the preschool set. After all, there's no reason why these CDs--already favorites in many preschool classrooms--can't also be enjoyed at home or in the car. One of my favorite new recordings is Say Hello To The Morning (Merriweather Records, 1999) the third recording by Kathy Reid-Naiman, a Canadian music teacher and collector of children's songs and rhymes. The first time I played this CD at my house, my 4-year-old, Matthew, and I played along, sang along and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The recording feels close and intimate, and Reid-Naiman's voice is warm and inviting. The attention to detail in the musical production makes Say Hello To The Morning outstanding. Reid-Naiman wisely recruited the production services of Ken Whiteley, the main musical force behind Raffi's earliest (and best, in my opinion) recordings for children. Whiteley is a master musician who plays a wide array of instruments and has a knack for seamlessly weaving all the musical colors together. Together with Reid-Naiman's knowledge of young children and her vast repertoire, they make a great team. No wonder this CD won a Parents' Choice Gold Award. Say Hello To The Morning has 35 tracks, including lots of fun and appropriate preschool material. It leans in the folk/acoustic direction with a nice mix of familiar and less well-known selections, catchy rhymes to act out, and plenty of opportunities for age-appropriate movement and play. Go Back to Top Greg & Steve are many preschool teachers' favorite recording artists. The duo has been recording consistently high quality music for young children since 1978, and sets the standard for integrating music and movement. So if you're looking for an activity-based CD that will get young children up and moving, you will enjoy their latest release, Kids In Action (Youngheart Records, 2000). My favorite song, and one which my young students requested daily at school, is the "Beanie Bag Dance." Its a rockin', bluesy groove that invites children to dance and move with their favorite Beanie Baby. We follow along putting the bean bag on different body parts and dancing around the room. Other standouts include "Get Ready, Get Set, Let's Dance," the Latin-influenced "Conga Line," and Greg & Steve's new twist on "Goin' On A Bear Hunt." All but two quieter songs ("Beautiful World" and the tender "New Beginning") are designed to inspire movement in a fun and rockin' style. Go Back to Top Another recording artist relying heavily on the rock 'n' roll formula is Mr. Al, a former teacher turned performer. Al spends a good part of the year touring the country presenting concerts for children and sharing his music with teachers at preschool conferences. One of his releases, Mr. ALa Carte (Cradle Rock Productions, 1998) is a collection of his most popular songs from recordings previously released by Melody House Records. Al re-recorded, updated and revised many of these songs for this new release. Al has a master's degree in early childhood education, so he understands the importance of movement for young children and the power of music to teach basic concepts. I've seen him in action; these tunes really get kids (and teachers) moving. His "I Like The Color Red," "I'm Happy" and "Clean Up Time" are standards in many preschools and daycare centers across the country. Another song, "You Gotta Have Hugs," kinda says it all. Go Back to Top One of the real pioneers in children's music is Hap Palmer. His latest, Early Childhood Classics (Hap-Pal Music, 2000) recently won a Parents' Choice Gold Award and is aptly subtitled "Old Favorites With A New Twist." This is an upbeat collection of some all-time favorite activity songs for young children, many updated with new, original lyrics and melodies. Palmer knows 3- to 5-year-olds well. (My son gave it a listen using my headphones and portable CD player and refused to give up the headphones until about the twelfth song.) Standouts include a neat "Circle Songs" medley as well as standards such as "Bingo," "The Wheels On The Bus" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes." Another feature found often in "educational" recordings are instrumental tracks that allow children to sing along without the vocalist--a kind of preschool Karaoke experience. Teachers love this feature. Early Childhood Classics includes 15 songs; tracks 16-30 are repeats with the vocals mixed out. As a parent and educator, I also appreciated the guide which was included with the CD, featuring lyrics and recommended activities for each song. Go Back to Top Because these recordings are marketed primarily to educators, you'll have to contact the companies for information on ordering. For information about Kathy Reid-Naiman's recordings call 905/841-1879, for Greg & Steve call 800/548-4063, for Mr. Al call 800/487-6725 and for Hap Palmer call 818/885-0200. Please feel free to drop me a note with your thoughts and recommendations. Send e-mail to 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 |
