Baby Loves Jazz (and Disco and Hip Hop)

I'm not a fan of jazz. I never have been. I can talk about other kinds of music all day, but when it comes to jazz, I know very little. When I was pregnant and my husband wanted to play Miles Davis for our son, I happily stretched the headphones over my belly and let the baby listen, while I watched TV. As a music student, I steered away from all things jazz. My strength was sight-reading , not improvising, and jazz is all about improvising. Somehow, in all my years of music education, I never learned to appreciate jazz.

So I was not looking forward to Baby Loves Jazz: Go Baby Go, the first in the Baby Loves Music series. Even though I knew it was a cousin of the hot new trend, Baby Loves Disco (which I have not experienced, but have heard enough about that I am fairly certain I will love it), I was still wary of the jazz element. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. I loved this CD.

It includes jazz "covers" of traditional children's songs that had me singing along, dancing with my toddler, and truly enjoying myself. The vocals (including some amazing scat) by Sharon Jones and Babi Floyd are crazy-fun, and the band is incredible. These are all accomplished jazz musicians, so the sound is authentic and true; but because they are familiar songs, the jazz was more accessible to me. Songs like "Working on the Railroad" and "The Wheels on the Bus" are jazzed up to the point where you will never sing them to your child the same way again.

Many of the tracks incorporate children singing along or responding to the music, but this is handled well. The kiddies sound engaged and spontaneous rather than painfully coached, and that makes a tremendous difference. The only downer for me was that the songs are interspersed with brief commercial-like introductions of various instruments (trumpet, piano, etc.), which interrupted the groove of the album and seemed unnecessary.

I wonder if it's because I'm not a jazz aficionado that I was able to enjoy this so thoroughly. I would love to hear from any of you who do know and and love jazz - do you and your baby love this?

Creator Andy Hurwitz has a vision for developing an entire Baby Loves Music empire, including CD's, live performances, videos, and books, as a way for parents to expose children to a variety of musical genres, without "dumbing down" the content or the presentation. Plans for future CD releases in the series include Baby Loves Salsa, Baby Loves Hip Hop, and Baby Loves Reggae. Baby Loves Disco, a daytime dance club experience for kids and parents that has been covered on the blogs and in the news is also on the list of future CD titles.

If the creators of Baby Loves Music had consulted me earlier, I would have given them one piece of advice: Make cover art that doesn't look so much like something from the Baby Einstein media family. The art, combined with the name "Baby Loves...." makes the look of this so similar to the Baby Einstein identity, I'm afraid it may scare off some parents who have watched one too many Baby Einstein videos. Unfortunately, this cover art carries through the liner notes/storybook, through the Baby Loves Music series of books and the videos that are being developed. So I guess there's no turning back.

But in spite of the visual identity that Baby Loves Music has created, I think the strength of the music and the live performances will prevail, making this a popular new way for parents and children to enjoy music together.

I've Got to Blog About the Shoes

So I've been following BlogHer this weekend -both at the BlogHer site and with some of my favorite bloggers who have posted updates and photos. I've come across a few other bloggers who are blogging about not being at BlogHer. I also found several different run-downs of the session on Mommy Bloggers, including this great one from CityMama. I love that this session was called "Mommy Blogging is a Radical Act" and that there was a lot of discussion about empowerment. I love that there were bloggers live-blogging all the sessions so I could fill my head with all kinds of great new ideas. And I especially love that next year's BlogHer conference is in Chicago. What an amazing city.

One thing I didn't love so much was the BlogHer post I saw Friday night with a Flickr slideshow about what shoes attendees were wearing. That was followed by another photo-essay post about purses, bags and backpacks. Here is an organization and a conference that are supposedly all about empowering women and helping them to find their voices through blogging, and two of their prominent live-from-BlogHer posts are about shoes and handbags.

(So not being at BlogHer has given me too much time to think too hard. Please don't think that this post comes out of some deeply-rooted BlogHer conference envy, or that I've lost my sense of humor and fun in this summer's heat. These are the things I think about when I spend too much time on the computer. Had I been at BlogHer, I very well may have been agreeable to pose for one of those photos - oooohhhh, yes, look at my cool shoes! and my excellent bag! But since I wasn't there, I had the time and the perspective to think too hard. This has bothered me since Friday night, and I have really struggled with how to express this without alienating a whole bunch of people.)

Let me clarify a few things. I am not radically against all things feminine or girly. I wear make-up. I shave my legs. I get my eyebrows waxed. And at the same time, I respect my friends who choose not to do these things. But I do not usually talk openly about makeup or shaving or waxing (or shoes and handbags) in situations where I want to feel empowered, where I'm trying to make an important statement or impression, or where I want to be taken seriously by both women and men.

So it seemed to me that the BlogHer homepage, on the weekend of the BlogHer conference (attended by hundreds and hundreds of mostly women bloggers) was sending a very confusing mixed message, saying, Women are an important force in the blogging world, and people should sit up and take notice of what we have to say and take us seriously, while at the same time squealing, And OMG, look at our cool shoes! And purses!

And then we wonder why, as women (or as moms, or even as bloggers), we are not being taken more seriously.

In fact, while the posts about shoes and handbags sat prominently on the BlogHer site, a huge crowd of women gathered in the Mommy Bloggers session to discuss questions like why aren't people taking us more seriously? or why is "mommy blogger" a disparaging term? Quite possibly, women in other BlogHer sessions were asking similar questions.

There are many bloggers (including some of my favorites, some incredibly smart and hilarious women) who do talk openly about make-up and shaving and waxing, and sometimes I have even joined in such discussions. On those blogs. I would not have been surprised to see a shoe or handbag slideshow on those blogs. I would have found it fun and entertaining. But on the BlogHer site? It was kind of disappointing. Kind of...insulting. I wonder how any of you attendees felt about being portrayed this way.

I see that BlogHer actually has a blog category called Fashion and Shopping. Ironically, it's right above Feminism and Gender in their list of blog categories. I know that BlogHer is trying to blog all kinds of different angles of the conference, and that their base represents a broad range of interests and beliefs. But blogging about shoes and handbags when you're trying to demonstrate what a powerful force women bloggers are isn't really empowering anyone, is it?

Baby, It's Hot Outside

Just as the summer turns so ungodly hot that you decide you will NEVER leave the air conditioning again, there are some excellent new DVD releases here to save the day. These are a few interesting and intelligent alternatives to those Disney movies that you've watched umpteen times since June.

We'll start with The Abominable Snowman (Goldhil Entertainment, released July 25),the first of the Choose Your Own Adventure book series to be animated for the small screen. With celebrity voices like William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman, Frankie Muniz, Daryl Sabara, and Lacey Chabert, The Abominable Snowman is exciting, smart, and engaging. You can learn more about it at the movie's Website.

This DVD is remarkably unique in that children watching the movie have the option throughout to choose which direction the story will go. This means there are 11 possible stories that could be generated by your child's choices. I love this because it brings critical thinking and decision-making into their experience, and keeps kids from becoming passive, zombie-like couch potatoes.

I had (and still have) mixed feelings about the tutorial at the beginning, which teaches children how to operate the DVD remote. Because our TV, DVR, DVD player, and CD player are all inter-connected through the most incredible home theatre system our modest home can handle, new worlds have opened up to my six-year-old as a result if this. He can not only choose his own adventure, he can also find the last episode of "Ben 10" on the DVR, undo my timer set to record "The View", and change out the "Exile on Main Street" CD for a little Justin Roberts. It's a mixed blessing - something that was bound to happen sooner or later. But The Abominable Snowman is his current favorite, and it's one I can definitely get behind.

The Big Friendly Giant (A&E Home Video, released July 25) is another DVD to try if you're looking for a movie that is thoughtful, smart, and artistically animated. Based on the story by Roald Dahl (author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach), this animated musical, originally produced in the U.K., has just been released in the U.S. You can learn more and order your own copy here.

Like Dahl's other stories-turned-movies, The Big Friendly Giant is somewhat psychedelic, very imaginative, and noticeably British. It is a movie I could imagine a whole family enjoying - with kids ranging from pre-schoolers through pre-teens. One of the most entertaining parts of the movie is the BFG's difficulties with the English language, making for some very teachable moments with kids in the 6-10 age range (and maybe even with a certain, um, president).

The Jumbo Box of Storybook Classics Volume 2 (Scholastic Video, released July 25) can help renew your children's interest in reading during these last few weeks of summer vacation. The stories are narrated by celebrities like Anthony Edwards, Forest Whitaker, Laura Dern, and the Bacon Brothers (yes, now Curious George can play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon); and with 35 total stories, this box set is packed with entertainment. Along with Curious George, you'll find stories like Corduroy, The Wheels on the Bus, Tikki Tikki Tembo, Goodnight Gorilla, and plenty more. For more on why I love the Scholastic videos, look here. You can find the Jumbo Box of Storybook Classics Volume 2 at Amazon.

Places I'm Not Going This Summer

The BlogHer Conference (this weekend).

Lollapalooza/Kidzapalooza.

Comic Con (that was last weekend, though, and I only would have gone to get a free "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends" shirt).

A Chicago Cubs game.

Any beach. Anywhere.

But I am going to Monroe, Michigan on August 10 to see Ralph's World at a concert in the park.

And I've been to Iowa three times - May, June and July. Unfortunately, we didn't have any major cultural experiences there. I'm feeling the need to get out more, and school starts in just a little more than three weeks.

It's As Though They've Been Reading The Blogs

So I popped on to Borders.com today to see what their children's music selection looked like online, and I found that Borders and Amazon have somehow merged while I wasn't paying attention. In addition, they have added loads of great (non-Disney, non-KidzBop) kids music to their selection, including a catgory called - get this - "Indie Children's Music". When did this happen?!?

Amazon/Borders has a surprising number of "indie" kids artists - The Hipwaders, Parker Bent, Lunch Money, Charity and the JAMBand, plus lots of the Noggin artists like Milkshake and Rebecca Frezza and Justin Roberts. They didn't used to have all these, I swear. Even a few months ago. Did we help make this happen?

So I built my own list of recommendations there. Go see it! When talking about affecting change, someone famous once said, "You can do more damage from the inside." So I went "inside" the ginormous media machine that is Amazon and made my list - just doing my part to influence the musical preferences and buying decisions of consumers everywhere. How cool is that?

Good Night, Melanie Martinez

That recent discussion we had here about Pee-wee Herman and the decision to air Pee-wee's Playhouse on Adult Swim was more timely than I realized.

PBS KIDS Sprout, a new 24-hour pre-school channel, has announced the firing of Melanie Martinez, host of The Good Night Show, for her appearance in a 30-second video that was made seven years ago, in which she makes fun of "technical virginity". The statement from Sprout explains that the network "has determined that the dialogue in this video is inappropriate for her role as a preschool program host and may undermine her character’s credibility with our audience." In addition to being fired, new "short-form content" will replace any segments of the show in which she appears. She has been erased.

Is this an appropriate response? Would a man in Martinez' position be held to the same standards? Let's consider a few things.

But first, let me clarify that I am not making any value judgments here; I am only pointing out the inconsistencies. Also, I must confess I have not seen The Good Night Show and I was not familiar with PBS KIDS Sprout until hearing about the Martinez firing. OK, now on with some important points....

George Carlin is the narrator for Thomas the Tank Engine, also on PBS. Yes, this is the comedian whose use of obscenity led to a Supreme Court case that helped to establish indecency regulations in American broadcasting.

John Tartaglia is the host of Johnny and the Sprites, a Disney Channel interstitial that is being developed into a 30-minute series. In addition to being a former Muppeteer on Sesame Street, Tartaglia was one of the stars of the Broadway musical Avenue Q, which the show's official Website says quite clearly is not appropriate for young children "because AVENUE Q addresses issues like sex, drinking, and surfing the web for porn."

Sesame Street has had numerous guests whose pasts and/or prior work may not be appropriate for children. Let's see....Ben Stiller (have you seen the hair gel scene in There's Something About Mary?), Chris Rock (holy crap), Joe Pesci (Goodfellas), Robin Williams (with a history of drug problems and very adult stand-up), Jimmy Buffet (famous for his song "Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw?"), Willie Nelson (loves the reefer), and the Spin Doctors (also herb enthusiasts). For a comprehensive list of past Sesame Street guests, check this.

Penn Jillette, who hosts this show on Showtime, as well as a radio show that deals with adult subject matter, has lent his voice to several children's movies and television shows, including House of Mouse. He also produced and appears in The Aristocrats. Not The Aristocats. Very different, indeed.

Oh, and how many members of the original cast and crew of Sesame Street do you think were potheads? It was 1969. It was New York City. They were running with ideas about invisible hairy elephants and an obsessive-compulsive vampire puppet. Think on that.

So what about Melanie Martinez? Should children's entertainers be held to higher standards? Is Martinez' treatment fair, considering the examples above? This could be an interesting discussion.

Lastly, thank you, Travis, for bringing this to my attention. I'm curious to hear your take on it, too.

Please Pass the Estrogen

Any of you who are moms will probably recall a period toward the end of your pregnancy and/or just after giving birth when you were swimming in hormones and behaving somewhat oddly. Although if anyone told you that at the time, your reaction would have been something along the lines of HOW DARE YOU CALL ME ODD??!! OR HORMONAL??!! I AM PERFECTLY FINE, I TELL YOU!!! PERFECTLY NORMAL!!!

During this phase, your tastes changed. Things that you used to consider funny (like “South Park” or “Arrested Development”) were now simply foul. Things that you used to find interesting (like discussions about politics or your favorite news show) were now too dark and edgy. All you wanted during this time was to wear your cozy floral pajamas, watch “A Baby Story” on TLC, and hide out from the world. You wanted everything you and your baby came in contact with to be pretty, gentle, soft, and if at all possible, a nice shade of pink.

Moms who are drunk with late pregnancy or post-partum hormones might enjoy Carnie Wilson’s new album, A Mother’s Gift: Lullabies From the Heart. It is pretty, gentle, soft, and look! The cover art is pink! Although I came to this one with high expectations, I had a hard time with the album.

A Mother’s Gift seems to be borne out of Wilson’s post-partum gush and her realizations of new motherhood. That may sound like a lovely idea, but somehow, Wilson’s producers and husband (who plays on the album and co-wrote one of the originals with her) were unable to rein in her estrogen-fueled madness. Negotiating with a woman in that state is fruitless, whether it’s about too much layering on the vocals, or which outfit the baby is going to wear to the Sears Portrait Studio. So perhaps they were smart to step back and let her go.

If you’re nearing the end of your pregnancy, and can already sense the pretty/gentle/pink preferences taking over, or if your musical tastes normally lean heavily toward Celine Dion, this might be an album for you. It’s music to listen to while rocking your newborn baby, folding freshly-laundered onesies, or spending quality time with your breast pump. But for the rest of us, who have returned to the land of hormonal balance (at least most of the time, ahem), A Mother’s Gift is the overproduced, sentimental product of a first-time mom with access to numerous musicians and a recording studio.

If, at this point, your only takeaway from reading this review is OH MY GOSH, THERE’S A GREAT NEW LULLABY CD BY THAT CHICK FROM WILSON PHILLIPS!!! AAAWWWW, HOW SWEET....MY BABY WILL LOVE THAT, then you need this album now. Go get it. And be sure to grab yourself some strawberry cheesecake ice cream on your way back from the record store. We’ll all wait here, and see you again in a few months.

Save Yourself

There’s a book you should all get your hands on if you like reading about music. I recently read Body Piercing Saved My Life, and it’s given me lots to think and talk about – especially as someone who writes about a “non-mainstream” music genre. It’s a new book by Andrew Beaujon, who may be familiar to some of you as a music journalist. And yes, like the cover says, it’s about Christian rock and Christian youth culture.

Have I found Jesus? Not really. I just like this book. So much so that I’m going off-topic here and telling you why you should read it.

I am not terribly familiar with the modern Christian rock genre. However, for a brief period in the mid-1980’s, I was a huge Amy Grant fan. In high school, I owned most – if not all – of her albums. On cassette. This was back before Amy Grant was a crossover/mainstream artist. I listened to Straight Ahead and Age to Age religiously on my Walkman, and even learned the chords to “El Shaddai” on my guitar. I was vagulely aware of Michael W. Smith, mainly because his song “Friends” was kind of an anthem for many of us in my senior year of high school.

Beaujon‘s interviews with today's Christian rock artists capture so much of who these people are, I felt like I was a fly on the wall, hearing and seeing everything that went on. He spends a great deal of time learning about their backgrounds and what steered them into becoming Christian artists. Often their rides are bumpy – very few of them intended on becoming “Christian Artists,” and their behavior sometimes pushes the definition of what you may call “Christian." Beaujon also interviews executives, publicists, producers and others. His treatment of the people, the music, the subject matter, and the youth culture was incredibly objective and non-judgmental, while still offering meaningful critical analysis. Criticism that is objective and non-judgmental is really, really hard to do. Oh, so hard to do. Have you read my reviews?

I have a feeling this book may have irked both Christian rock fans as well as folks who are very dismissive toward Christian rock, because it doesn’t take a side (as if one must “take a side” in a conversation about the value of Christian rock). My husband and I were halfway expecting Beaujon to bash the whole genre, or to approach it all very tongue-in-cheek, but he doesn’t. He does, however, reveal the very human side of many artists and producers, who have not always had squeaky-clean lives. But not in a Geraldo Rivera expose' kind of way. Again, he does this objectively and without taunting or poking fun.

Beaujon establishes his credibility very early in the first chapter, revealing a stunningly neutral view of religion, yet a clear appreciation for various belief systems: “My wife is British (and a disaffected Catholic, if you’re wondering), and it kind of freaks her out how vocal people here are about their faith, but I love it. There’s something so beautifully American about this country’s crazy-quilt religious landscape, where you can find a hundred different views of God within a five-minute walk.” He also admits early-on to some pre-conceived notions about Christian music, which he openly resolves throughout the book.

It was surprising to me the varied paths these artists took to their careers in Christian rock. It reminded me a bit of some of the artists I’ve reviewed here. The parallels I was able to see between Christian rock and children’s music throughout this book were fairly astounding. In fact, I think Andrew Beaujon’s next book should be a similar exploration of children’s music.

Hello, Andrew? I’d really like to co-author a book with you. I know you’re a big-time music journalist, and I’m just a mom with a laptop who likes to spout off about all sorts of things, but I think we could work really well together. Give me a call sometime….

Donny and Marie Said it Best

When I opened this copy of Sing Along With Sam, the third album from the San Diego-based duo Hullabaloo, with a close-up of a pig's snout on the cover, I was thinking to myself, "I don't remember hearing from any country artists.....hmmm. I need to be more careful about giving out my address." This was my first exposure to them, and when I saw the pig on the cover, I immediately assumed this was a country album. Silly me.

Hullabloo isn't country music. At least, not entirely. It's a little bit country, and, yes, a little bit rock and roll. It's also a little bit folk and a little bit blues. It's just the right balance of all these things to appeal to my penchant for natural, acoustic folk-rock. This quite possibly dates back to the many hours I spent at a certain bar while in college listening to a male duo singing covers of Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor, and Cat Stevens. I recently learned that this duo and their same set list (with a couple John Mayer songs thrown in to show how "current" they are) exists in pretty much every college town in the U.S. But I digress....

Hullabaloo's blend of country, rock, folk, and blues creates a distinct, unified sound that carries through this entire album. Unlike some kids' artists, who try to demonstrate five or ten different styles or genres on one album (here's our "country" song, and now here's our "hard rock" number - something few artists can really do well), Hullabaloo has a consistent style. Their sound is polished but natural, which is perfect for fun family music like this. Their song-writing has a relaxed humor and lots of unique kid-appropriate themes. Animals are a recurring theme, but this is handled subtly and artistically, so you're not asking yourself "what's next? a song about a gorilla?" In addition to eight original tracks, Sing Along with Sam includes four traditional favorites - "Erie Canal," "Buffalo Gals," "Mama Don't Allow," and "Mary Ann."

Check out some sample tracks here, or go here to order your own copy. And if you're in the San Diego area, check out Hullabaloo's performance dates here.

Here, There and Everywhere

After writing occasional reviews for them over the last several months, I am now an "offical" contributor at Cool Mom Picks. If you're not familiar with CMP, just hop on over there and check out some of the fabulous finds that are highlighted every day - from cool kids' music and books to the most amazing baby gear, fashions, toys, and so much more. And watch for more of my reviews there...coming soon!

I Know You Are, But What Am I?

Adult Swim, Cartoon Network's late-night alter-ego, is resurrecting the pop culture classic "Pee-Wee's Playhouse" this summer. It began airing July 10 in the 11 pm (ET, PT) timeslot, with all 45 original episodes plus the rarely-seen "Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special" in rotation. "Pee-wee's Playhouse" originally aired on Saturday mornings in the late 1980's, and it won 22 Emmys throughout its run. So why has it been relegated to late night?

Is it because the show has more appeal for adults than for today's children? Possibly. I showed my son some of "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" last year, and it was unsettling to him. Especially that Large Marge bit. But that was a movie geared mainly toward teens and adults. We're talking about a kids' show here.

Is it because there's already enough great stuff for kids that airs during the day on Cartoon Network? I think not.

Maybe it's because today's parents think this bit of 1980's nostalgia is better suited for our own viewing. My husband says that CBS airing "Pee-wee's Playhouse" on Saturday mornings was one of the greatest practical jokes ever perpetrated on the American viewing audience, and that this is really a show for adults. I disagree. "Pee-wee" does have a distinctly adult aesthetic - it's simultaneously a kids' show and a parody of a kids' show. But aired at night, it is only parody.

Thanks to the magic of Tivo, parents who want to share this classic with their kids can always record it and show it to them during the day. Unfortunately, my six-year-old is still disturbed by Pee-Wee, so we're not forcing it.

"Why does everything on this show have a face?" he asked.

An excellent question, but he's never asked that about "Blue's Clues" or "Dora the Explorer", where mailboxes and backpacks have speaking parts. It's possible my husband is right about this one.

Purple Stripes and Assigned Reading

Let me begin with Seven Reasons I'm Loving The Purple Stripes, a super-cool female duo from Down Under:

1. They have a cool Josie and the Pussycats (or some 70's cartoon) style logo.

2. Their name reminds me of The White Stripes, who are really not for kids at all. Paradox is funny.

3. They are women rockers, described as: "Kate, a singer-songwriter Mum of two; add Evelyn, a crazy multi-instrumentalist drummer."

4. They are from a far-away, interesting place, which means they are probably much smarter, more interesting, and more talented than anyone around here. (Important note: Sometimes I'm sarcastic. This is one of those times.) But really, I love that they're from Melbourne.

5. Their influences (listed on their MySpace page) are as crazy-diverse as my CD collection - Nick Cave, The White Stripes (again, ha!), Linda Thompson, ABBA, Stevie Wonder, The Flaming Lips, and more.

6. They have an amazing stripped-down sound that works perfectly with their voices and with their writing.

7. They are a clear example of "kindie rock", which, in Australia is known as "indie romp". I like their name better. See #4 above, and maybe it's not 100% sarcasm there.

Thanks to Nat and Karl, who have both alerted me to The Purple Stripes recently. They (the Purple Stripes, not Nat and Karl) have a self-titled EP that you can download here. Or go to their MySpace page, where you can listen to three full songs. And in case you haven't clicked on the comments to this post (which you really should do, because the comments are even more interesting than what I wrote, and will demonstrate to you what kind of really smart, insightful people read this blog), you might have missed the link Karl provided to this interesting article.

And speaking of articles, here's another one possibly worth reading from Stephen Busemeyer of the Hartfort Courant. Coming just two weeks after the Salon.com article, I'm surprised he doesn't reference it. I love that he describes Laurie Berkner as the "mop-headed matriarch of the business" and that he talks about many of the things I've been thinking/wondering about - like the Billboard Kids charts, and how important TV is (or isn't) in the careers or kids' artists. It's almost like he's been inside my head digging around for story ideas. If that is the case, his next story might be about how to fit boatloads of fragile dishes into my measly-small china cabinets, or how to keep toddlers from climbing on the couch and pulling on the drapes.

What My Children Taught Me One Night

Today, I am happy to share another guest post, this one from Mary Kaye. I reviewed Mary's latest album, Spin Your Web, over at Cool Mom Picks earlier this week. Her songs focus on concepts that interest and entertain children – spiders, shadows, getting dressed – and she approaches these in imaginative, interesting ways. With a background in theatre and education, as well as two children of her own, Mary brings a unique and informed perspective to children’s music. And now, here she is....


Once, my daughters told me that we needed to go outside and “see the night.”

I said, “No…I can see it just fine from this window.” But they convinced me (they are good at this) and we took flashlights and went outside.

Yeah, I know that they were totally stalling to delay their bedtime, but they also had some things to teach me.

That night I became their student.

Did you know that if you shine a flashlight on the bark of a tree in the night, you can see bugs doing cool bug things?

And flowers…they look very different at night. They are more shadowy and mysterious. I got schooled in Fairy. Apparently, fairies sleep in the soft petals of flowers and if you listen with all of your might, you can hear them sing.

I listened with all my might. I heard the melody of crickets and the wind. I heard the melody of complete and utter silence…and then, the laughter of two little girls.

That night we held hands and flashlights and sang songs to the heavens.

We sang thank you for the night. Thank you for the bugs and flowers and fairies and sounds. Thank you. Thank you.

I can’t imagine what my life would be like if my children were not in it. I never knew how much I needed to “see the night.”

I’m so glad that I finally saw it.

On Tour

Just because summer is half over doesn't mean there aren't still plenty of chances to take your kids out to see some live music. We've been taking a look around at some of the options ourselves, and there's a whole lot going on with children's and family artists.

You can see Ralph's World and Justin Roberts, along with other family friendly entertainment, at Summer on Southport with the 5th Annual Children's Festival July 22 and 23 in Chicago. Check out other Ralph's World performance dates here and other Justin Roberts dates here. Justin Roberts even has some Iowa performances, so check that out, Iowa friends!

Also in Chicago is Kidzapalooza, part of the annual Lollapalooza festival. Everyone but me has posted about the lineup there, but I especially enjoyed Clea's run-down over at ((sm))all ages. Scribble Monster, Justin Roberts, and lots more to see.

Bill at Spare the Rock just posted a link to this amazing venue in Philadelphia called World Cafe Live, which has an amazing line up of children's/family artists from this month through November! Rebecca Frezza, the Dirty Sock Funtime Band, Milkshake, Lunch Money, and many more! The concerts are all on Saturdays at 11:30 am. In addition to reasonably-priced tickets ($10 for adults, $7 for kids 1-12), they also have an optional BUFFET LUNCH with kid-friendly food. Live music and a buffet. Probably with chicken nuggets. These people know their audience.

Friday, August 25 at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, there is a show for grown-ups that I'm DYING to see, if I could just find someone to watch our kids overnight (we've only done that one other time, when we had one child, not two - and yes, it was to go see live music) and be brave enough to leave them. For this double bill of The Bad Examples and They Might Be Giants I just might pull it together.

That same weekend on Sunday, August 27 is Brady Rymer's Family Jamboree on Long Island. In addition to Brady and his band, you can see Elizabeth Mitchell and Hayes Greenfield's Jazz-A-Ma-Tazz. Besides great live music, there will also be a mini kids' film fest, arts and crafts, local foods, and WINE for the grown-ups. Let me just say, the people planning these things are doing way too good of a job.

Here are links to performance dates for a few other artists you might want to catch this summer - Milkshake, Rebecca Frezza, Charity and the JAMBand (who has a concert where families can reserve their own cabana on the lawn of the Park Chalet in San Francisco, again, WOW), The Hipwaders, and Lunch Money. I'm attempting to show some geographic diversity here, but I know that is just a sampling of what's out there. Take a look around wherever you live and go see a show!

Updated to add: If you find some live music in your neck of the woods, post a comment like Suzanne just did and tell us about it. Even if it's a free concert in the park by your municipal band. Or accordions playing polka music. Heck, we're going to pops concerts by the Toledo Symphony at the zoo every Sunday evening for the rest of the summer, and I'm THRILLED about it. (Even though I still really want to go to that Family Jamboree thing with the wine. Or Charity's show with our own cabana. Or one of those buffet lunch concerts in Philly.) Maybe seeing all the music going on in all different places will inspire some folks who have NEVER EVER taken their kids to a concert to GET OUT THERE and find something wherever they are!

For What It's Worth

Sorry to steal your lyrics, Baby Boomers, but: Something's happening here; what it is ain't exactly clear...

It's true. Something is happening. Unlike what was happening in the Buffalo Springfield song, this is something good happening. (By the way, did you know the name of that song is actually "For What It's Worth"? That is today's music history mini-lesson.)

The Salon.com article "Kindie Rock" from a couple weeks ago got me thinking more and more about recent happenings in children's music. The comments on that article also provide a lot of food for thought, and one in particular really got to me: "Either you just became a father and this is suddenly news to you or you were up against a deadline. The rest of us have been listening to wonderful music for children without wanting to die for decades." It was signed Mr. Get A. Clue (actually just "get a clue" but Get A. Clue is much funnier, don't you agree?). Sad, because such an authoritative statement deserves full credit to the person behind it.

I totally disagree with Mr. Clue, by the way.

Sure, Mr. Clue has probably been listening to some decent kids' music in decades past - Trout Fishing in America has been around since the 1990's, and way before that there were folk artists like Leadbelly and Pete Seeger who made music for families to enjoy together. But there is something new happening with children's music. Something that happened when Baby Boomers passed the parenting baton to Gen X, right around the turn of the century. Artists are making more sophisticated music. Parents are seeking it out. And the media is just starting to catch on to what a big thing this could be.

Mr. Clue so inspired me, that I've spent some time over the last few days researching what exactly has happened in recent years to bring the children's music genre to the place where it is today. I've thrown in some personal milestones to give this all some context. Check this out:

1990
For Our Children album is released. This early children's music compilation includes Little Richard singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and Paul McCartney singing "Mary Had a Little Lamb". A 10th anniversary edition was released in 1999. The album is geared toward Baby Boomer parents. Many Gen Xer's, including The Lovely Mrs. Davis (at that time The Lovely Ms. X), were still in college or grad school.

1993
Jerry Garcia releases Not for Kids Only with David Grisman.

The Lovely Mrs. Davis gets married at La Petite Wedding Chapel outside Atlanta, Georgia.

2000
March - Mrs. Davis gives birth to first child (Gen X poster child is now a parent).

November - Dan Zanes releases Rocket Ship Beach.

2001
February - Ralph's World releases self-titled first album.

2002 - Gen X begins to impact children's music in a big way
For the Kids is released, a compilation album geared toward Gen X parent tastes, featuring Barenaked Ladies, Sarah McLachlan, and Dan Zanes.

June - They Might Be Giants releases No!

November - Dan Zanes releases Night Time!

2004
Noggin begins running music videos between shows.

August - Zooglobble blog launches with 2-3 posts per month.

2005
February - TMBG releases Here Come the ABC's and performs “Alphabet of Nations” on Conan O’Brien.

March - Mrs. Davis gives birth to second child (Gen X poster child is now well-established in adulthood).

July - Mrs. Davis sees TMBG and Justin Roberts live in Cleveland.

August - Spare the Rock podcast blog launches.

October - "Jack’s Big Music Show" premieres on Noggin.
- The Lovely Mrs. Davis Tell You What to Think blog launches.

January 2006
((sm))all ages blog launches.

The Lovely Mrs. Davis resumes blogging after 2-month break.

Zooglobble begins more frequent posting.

February 2006
We Are….The Laurie Berkner Band released on DVD.

Zooglobble, ((sm))all ages, Spare the Rock, and The Lovely Mrs. Davis are all active blogs with frequent posting about children's music.

March 2006
The top three slots on the Billboard album chart are held by kids records - Disney's "High School Musical" Soundtrack, "Kidz Bop 9", and Jack Johnson's "Curious George" soundtrack.

While "High School Musical" and "Kidz Bop" garner high Billboard rankings and huge sales, several other artists release kids' albums throughout early 2006, including Milkshake, Brady Rymer, Charity and the JAMBand, Frances England, Justin Roberts, Dan Zanes, and Rebecca Frezza.

CNN Money runs this piece about children's music record sales.

March 21, 2006
Justin Roberts' Meltdown! is released.

April 2006
According to Nielsen SoundScan, kids' music album sales were up 103 percent compared to the same period last year, with 5.5 million units sold as of the end of April 2006. That's 5.5 million kids' music albums sold in four months.

NPR airs “Music For Kids Even Parents Might Love” on All Things Considered, featuring an interview with Stefan from Zooglobble. This is unique in that NPR and many other sources had covered individual artists in the children’s music genre over the last many years, but this piece was one of the first (at least that I know of) to discuss the children’s music as a genre, to examine trends, and to suggest/explore the influence of bloggers on the genre.

May 2006
Release of Dan Zanes' Catch That Train, which peaked at No. 4 on Billboard's new Top Kid Audio chart and debuted at No. 9 in the Billboard independent album rankings.

June 2006
Salon.com runs "Kindie Rock" article. Like the NPR piece from April, this article includes further discussion of children’s music as a genre with special focus on indie arists, explores the impact of music videos, also mentions influence of bloggers.
_____________________________________

OK, I'm exhausted from doing that homework and putting it together for you. Time for you to tell me what you think it all means. Also, are there other key events that are missing from this timeline? What I've put together here isn't by any means complete - there are just some of the things that stood out to me and shaped my view of this genre. There are dozens of artists who are not mentioned here, who may turn out to be incredibly important.

Look at how much has happened in the first half of 2006. Something's happening here. What is it?

Season to Taste

Have you ever followed a recipe perfectly, with the very best ingredients perfectly measured, and had your dish turn out just okay? That is what I think may have happened to Rebecca Frezza and Big Truck with their new release, Tall and Small.

The album showcases great songwriting and arrangements, Frezza's fabulous vocals, superb musicianship by members of Big Truck, and slick production, so what's missing? After listening to Tall and Small many times on our latest family road trip, I couldn't put my finger on why it wasn't more enjoyable to me. My children had fun listening, and several of the songs were fairly catchy to me, but it wasn't what I had hoped for after hearing Frezza's earlier album Road Trip and loving her video of "H2O+O2+Sun" on Noggin.

It finally hit me as I listened to Tall and Small one more time on our nine-hour drive home today that it was a bit too perfectly measured. It was missing that little something - chemistry among the musicians, spontanaeity, soul, whatever you'd like to call it - that makes an album really memorable. To go back to the cooking analogy, sometimes a dish turns out better when you improvise a little and add your own touch to a recipe rather than following every measurement and every step exactly as written.

Tall and Small is, though, a very well made album. Members of Big Truck add interesting touches throughout with creative instrumentation, from flute and clarinet to fiddle and ukulele. Frezza's vocals are clear and bright, and her musical theatre background is evident in the versatility she brings to various styles that are represented - country, calypso, beautiful ballads, and straightforward pop/rock. The themes and lyrics are great for kids, and are positive and nurturing throughout.

If you are a fan of tight songwriting, first-rate musicianship, and slick production, Tall and Small may be a great album for you. If you prefer things a bit looser and more laid-back, you may have the same difficulties I had with it. And yes, my lasagna tastes a little different every time I make it.

You can hear sample tracks and see the lyrics on the band's Website. Tall and Small and Frezza's earlier albums are available at Amazon.com, CDBaby, and other online retailers.

Like a High Colonic For Your Brain

We have been away from internet accesss and television for the last FOUR DAYS and THREE NIGHTS while traveling. I am so glad to be back in the 21st century tonight. I checked my email. I watched the NEWS on TV. I am sitting here blogging while watching David Letterman, and all is right with the world.

We've had many adventures the last few days, including visiting family and friends, eating a variety foods cooked on a grill, passing through the Iowa City Jazz Festival, and seeing brand new baby pigs. We also spent time packing up photo albums, china, and other keepsakes from my parents' half-empty house in Iowa.

While traveling, I've been working on a play list for my upcoming guest DJ spot on Spare the Rock. After telling my six-year-old about this, he declared that we will soon be "rich and famous". He has also started saying, "Maybe you should write about this on your blog," anytime he encounters something new or interesting. This is especially infuriating when he says it loudly in the middle of a public place.

I think four days without television was good for my son. He played outside more, paid more attention to his little brother, and made up games to play. It was not particularly beneficial to me, as I didn't do any more reading or get any more exercise than normal. I was just a little more cranky and less informed.