These reviews by Fred Koch appeared in the July, 1998 issue of “Chicago Parent Magazine.” Reviewed in this column:
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As I was outside today planting my vegetable garden, I was reminded that summertime is the time to enjoy homegrown delights. Chicago has its fair share of homegrown children's performers. The most well-known, of course, is Ella Jenkins. But this month I thought I'd share the music of a new crop of Chicago area singers and songwriters for children. Their songs are about typical childhood subjects, but each of these artists has a unique creative edge. Jim Gill Sings The Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes (JGM, Inc., 1993) was named a 1994 Notable Children's Recording by the American Library Association and received a 1993 Parents' Choice Award. Jim calls his songs "music play." Many are activity songs that work well at school or at home. Gill knows his stuff when it comes to music and drama, but that's not all. With a master's degree from the Erikson Institute, he also knows what makes kids tick. "Silly Dance Contest" is an often-requested favorite of my 5- and 6-year-old students, as well as the toddlers my wife works with. It's a follow-the-leader movement game with lots of room for kids' creativity. Other fun songs include "Hands Are For Clapping," the traditional "Alabama, Mississippi," and a very silly "The Banana Boat Song." Go Back to Top His second release, Jim Gill Makes It Noisy In Boise, Idaho (JGM, Inc., 1995) has even more fun songs to enjoy. Just when I think that all the great songs on a certain topic have already been written, I hear one that is totally new and original. This is the case with "Oh Hey, Oh Hi, Hello," a funny and creatively written "hello" song that's a favorite with my first grade students. It begins, "In the great state of Ohio/ From Cincinnati to Toledo/ They never simply say hello/ They sing 'Oh hey, oh hi, hello.'" Each verse suggests a new way to sing the chorus, depending on the setting: "When they're in the library/ They sing it very quietly" or "Outside in a great big crowd / They sing together very loud." The children have the most fun with "Under water in a swimming pool/ It sounds very unusual." Other standouts include the movement game, "List of Dances;" "Yow!" a well-crafted and hilarious song about what people say when in pain; a remake of "Skip To My Lou" titled "Stick To The Glue;" and the tale of "The Night We Made It Noisy In Boise, Idaho." The music on both recordings is very well-produced, which can be credited Steve Rashid at Woodside Avenue Music Productions in Evanston. Go Back to Top Another singer/songwriter and children's entertainer you may have seen in the Chicago area is Joel Frankel. He has been receiving wonderful reviews for his creative, fresh and quirky songs. Billboard Magazine's Moira McCormick called his second release, I Can't Sit Still (Crunchy Records, 1997) "one of the most delightful, original children's cassettes we have come across in recent times!" I agree. One of my favorite Frankel tunes is "Charlie Is A Spoon," a song about the life of a kitchen table spoon. Not many people would choose a spoon to be the subject of a song, but this seems to be Frankel's point. The clever lyrics go: "He has a friend named Mack the Knife/ Who says there's a song about his life/ Lying next to Charlie's cheek/ In a napkin they play hide and seek." There's also the cute and intimate, "I Just Got A Present," an echo song between Joel and the young Layla Frankel about the anticipation and wonder of a wrapped present. Go Back to Top But my favorite Frankel recording is his first, Don't Sit On A Cactus (re-release: Crunchy Records, 1997). Again, it's his unique point of view that helps him create his own distinctive style. The first song, "Howdy How How," is a perfect example. With a touch of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and a dollop of Frankel's charm, it begins with a child wondering how a puppy becomes a dog, and ends: "Yes, I'm lying in bed just trying to figure/ How on earth I'm going to get bigger./ Well, if I reach for the sky with my hands held high/ That's how I'll become a bigger guy." What a great line and what a wonderful concept for children! Other great songs include "We Go Together" (featured in the Tom Hanks movie "Big"), "I'd Be A Bee" (up-tempo music perfect for buzzing all around), "Tails" (about a child who feels sad because his favorite animals all have tails and he doesn't), and "Rocking Horse" (promoting a stable life, in cowboy-western musical style). Throughout, Frankel is clever, original, and seems to be actively listening to children. He has clearly worked with kids, not just written songs for them. Go Back to Top In December, I was part of a panel on children's music, sponsored by the Grammy-awarding National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS). Afterwards, a soft-spoken young man approached me with a CD and asked if I would listen to it. I agreed to, but despite my good intentions, his recording ended up on the growing pile of CDs I fully intend to listen to...someday. Thanks to the theme of this column, I finally did listen to Justin Roberts' Great Big Sun (Hear Diagonally Records, 1997). I was very pleasantly surprised. The title cut, "Great Big Sun," is a feel-good, early morning song. "Little Raindrop" is a wishful gardening song with a dose of silliness, a very singable chorus, and a Jimmy-Buffet-style music track. Shifting to a rocking, garage-band style, "Do You Wanna Go?" is about going on a car ride. Roberts even finds a new way to present the ABCs. But it's with the "Three Lil' Pigs," a well-crafted and original interpretation of the classic tale, that you can really hear Roberts' songwriting talent. Go Back to Top To order Great Big Sun, send $14 (includes shipping) to Hear Diagonally Records, P.O. Box 1279, Evanston, IL 60204. To find out where to purchase the Gill and Frankel recordings, call Gill at 708/763-9864 and call Frankel's Crunchy Records at 773/588-3353. Go Back to Top |
