These reviews by Fred Koch appeared in the July, 2007 issue of "Chicago Parent Magazine." Reviewed in this
column:
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Summer is the perfect time to get out and experience all the great live music Chicago has to offer. From Ravinia to Grant Park and all of the neighborhood festivals, we are truly blessed to have such a world of music in our own backyard. So I encourage all of you to take advantage of the rich and diverse musical culture that Chicago has to offer this summer. Some of us will be hitting the road this summer bound for destinations well beyond the lights and excitement of the city. And what better way to help pass the time (and keep our minds off the price at the gas pump) than to have some great music along for the ride. So with that in mind, here are a few recommendations that are not only child-centered enough to keep the young ones engaged, but musically hip enough for music savvy parents. ANIMAL PLAYGROUND by Various Artists, Putumayo Kids, $14.98, www.putumayokids.com; ages 3-7. I happen to be a big fan of compilation CDs. Putumayo World Music has brought music to my ears that I am certain I would have never known about. So it was a smart move for them to create a line of CDs for children. Animal Playground may be my favorite Putumayo Kids release to date. And not just because the recording kicks off with Chicago’s own Wee Hairy Beasties and their "Animal Crackers." This animal-themed CD is full of great ethnic grooves and songs from around the world. Many will be new to you and some will have a familiar feel to them like the track from Italy, "Nella Vecchia Fattoria" by Quartetto Cetra, which you will recognize as "Old MacDonald Had A Farm." Other highlights are "No More Monkeys" by Asheba (Trinidad), "Cantiga do Sapo" by Zé Renato (Brazil) and the smooth Latin-jazz groove (featuring a great bass part played on the tuba) of "L’Otorhinocéros" by Les P’tits Loups du Jazz from France. One song you will certainly recognize is the South African group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s version of "Mbube (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)." As I have mentioned before, the great thing about the convergence of music and the Internet is that we can now listen to music samples of most recordings before we decide to buy the CD. So be sure to go to putumayokids.com to hear some the music samples of Animal Playground. Go Back to Top HOOTENANNY by Johnny Bregar, Brickyard Music, $13.50, www.johnnybregar.com; ages 3-7. First of all, do not be turned off by the title of this CD. This is not an old-timey, folksy recording for kids. Johnny Bregar has one of my favorite voices in children’s music and though the instrumentation is mostly acoustic, it definitely can rock. Bregar mixes it up with a combination of traditional songs and well-written, well-produced original alt-kids-pop pieces. If you have heard Bruce Springsteen’s Grammy award winning CD, "The Seeger Sessions" you will certainly love Bregar’s version of "Old Dan Tucker." Other standouts include the New Orleans spiced "Miss Mary Mack," a swingin’ "Wishy Washy Washerwoman" and "Don’t Fence Me In," a Cole Porter song from the ‘30s later popularized by Roy Rogers. Be sure to stop by Bregar’s Web site and take a listen. You may end up buying his first CD, "Stomp Yer Feet," too. Go Back
to Top Other picks for summer listening: IF YOU EVER SEE AN OWL by The Terrible Twos. The kid’s music project from The New Amsterdams—all original songs, great vocals. www.theterribletwos.net. Go Back
to Top Fabulous acoustic music from one of my favorite Canadian artists, Rick Scott and his trio of merry music makers. Who can resist a song called "Papa Do Wah Diddy?" www.piedpumkin.com. Go Back
to Top MOZART EFFECT: MUSIC FOR DADS AND DADS-TO-BE by Various Artists Although I don’t buy into all the Mozart effect/music makes you smarter hype, I do enjoy (strictly on a musical level) the Mozart Effect CDs. Great Mozart music from a variety of artists is reason enough to look into this CD. www.childrensgroup.com. Go Back
to Top Fred Koch lives in Lake Bluff with his wife and son and is an award-winning music educator, children's musician and producer. His website, www.BestChildrensMusic.com, helps parents, teachers and librarians select quality children's music. The website also includes an archive of all Koch's past reviews published in Chicago Parent. Please e-mail notes and comments to fred@bestchildrensmusic.com.
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