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These reviews by Fred Koch appeared in the September, 2001 issue of “Chicago Parent Magazine.”
Reviewed in this column:
InFINity - Trout Fishing In America
Welcome 2 Kenland - Ken Lonnquist
These reviews by Fred Koch appeared in the September, 2001 issue of “Chicago Parent Magazine.” Reviewed in this column:
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| The children's musicians I feature this month understand that their art,
livelihood and ultimate success depends first and foremost on the strength
of their songs. If they don't have that inherent magic, no amount of dressing
up will enable them to compete.
One of the more cutting-edge performers out there for kids and families is the musical duo Trout Fishing In America. If you know their music, you know what I mean, and if you haven't heard them yet, it's time to do some trolling. Their fifth children's recording swims into stores in September, and is cleverly titled InFINity (Trout Records, 2001). This new release is bound to be a hit with existing fans and will reel in some new fans, too. Trout Fishing In America is comprised of Ezra Idlet and Keith Grimwood. Their press release claims they haven't forgotten what it's like to be kids. Sure enough, their exuberance comes on strong from the very first song, "My Best Day," an upbeat and positive fantasy about a child's "best day." This song is exceptionally well-written. The words are meaningful without being trite or syrupy, and the music--a hybrid of Caribbean and South African styles--is uplifting, wonderfully capturing the mood of the lyrics. When I looked at the songwriting credit, I discovered that "My Best Day" was derived from a songwriting workshop with kids in Olathe, Kansas. Cool! "Are We There Yet?" describes a fun new game to play to pass time in the car: "Everything on your side of the car belongs to you/ Everything on my side of the car belongs to me." Set to a rhythmic, rollin'-down-the-road groove, the song is about good kids having good old-fashioned fun, and it promotes an interdependent spirit: "Looks like you got a new car dealership/ Come see me at my gas station before you take a trip/ There's money in your bank/ But you'll starve without my farm." Another of my favorites is "You Can't Go," about a kid who couldn't go out with his pals because he didn't do his chores at home. TFIA's trademark humor can be found in "Everything That's Made Of Wood," a little jazz number that reminds us about all the things that come from trees. Other standouts include "Happy That You're Here," "Dinosaur In Your Bathtub," "Sailing," and an updated, challenging "Simon Says." Idlet and Grimwood are gifted musician/performers who successfully cross over from adult to children's music because they insist on starting with a great song. They are uncompromising when it comes to their musical treatments, too. So if you've got kids in the 7 and up group and you're looking for some great music to enjoy with them, give InFINity (or another TFIA title) a listen. Go Back to Top A few weeks ago I received an e-mail from a mom, Sally Russell, passing along an article she had written for Minnesota Parent magazine about the music of Ken Lonnquist. Her passion for Lonnquist's work motivated me to visit his website and request some of his music. I received a bunch of music and a note from Lonnquist suggesting that I start with his Welcome 2 Kenland (Kenland Music, 1997). Wow, what a treat! Welcome 2 Kenland features 32 songs (over 73 minutes of music) and most of them are outstanding. The recording begins with a positive, singable song about "My Day." According to Lonnquist's bio, many of his songs come from personal experience. I kept that in mind as I listened to the funny "I Sold My Cat," the very cool "One Speed Bike," and a hilarious song about a sister named "Abigail." Lonnquist uses some songs to get a point across, as in "Time Vacuum," about television, and "Goofin' Around," about the importance of play. With all the music that Lonnquist puts out, I picture his house bursting with homemade music, every event providing potential song material. He writes all his songs, plays most of the instruments, and records all of it in a nice-sounding home studio. I really got a charge out of his comical "You're A Rhino" (which sounds like a Bryan Ferry song). My wife, Teddi, and I laughed out loud at "Happy Jose" and "Who's Bob Dylan?" Lonnquist's music is some of the freshest and most creative children's music I've heard in a long time. And with a pile of his CDs yet to listen to, it may not be long before I recommend another. Go Back to Top I suggest that you contact these artists directly for availability and ordering information. Call Trout Records at 888/439-8342 or visit them online at www.troutmusic.com. Call Ken Lonnquist at 608/249-7714 or visit www.kenland.com. Contact me with your comments and suggestions, or to share the music that you enjoy. 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 |