Music-laneous Ramblings

This has been a good week for me, quite a few new items showing up in the mailbox at WTUL.  I’ll try my hardest to get some reviews up for you and let you know what’s come my way that is just out of this world.  One I look forward to is “Blue Moo” by Sandra Boynton.  Here is a retro kind of album featuring a wonderful cast.  Can’t wait to give it a listen.  Also got a copy of Tango Around The World off the Putomayo label, should be another winner.  More to come, quite a few unopened pieces of mail going on.  Catch up with you after the Turkey Day ends.

What better way could there be to spend a Saturday afternoon than relaxing on a blae of hay, eating festival food, and listening to Trout Fishing in America.  I was once again reminded of how much fun it is to sit back, relax, and enjoy these guys up on stage.  I think part of what makes them great is their ability to interact with the audience, not just on stage but before and after the show.  What you get when you interact with Keith and Ezra is the feeling of talking to the guys next door rather than some traveling musicians earning a living.

I sang along to ‘18 Wheels on a Big Rig’, had a party with my hair, and enjoyed counting down from 100 little ducks to zero.  Can you say “quack, quack, quack, uh uh uh”.  OK, so if that makes no sense to you, check them out live sometime.  An interesting twist on this day was a banjo, an electric banjo no less, and they played some really wonderful tunes (the 12 string guitar fell victim to Louisiana in November, e.g. it was one hot and humid day).  Folks around me wanted me to volunteer that it was my birthday when it came time for “My Best Day”, yet I’m not that person to announce that in a crowd. 

 Yes, at times I am too much an adult.

All in all, what a fantastic show, and I noticed many of the same family faces from last year.  Saturday would have been the beginning of the perfect weekend, however Sunday found me with the stomach virus to end all (which in turn made me a very grumpy individual) and as I type this my legs are still a bit shaky, but alas ’tis a story for another time.  For now, look for some new music coming my way in the next couple of weeks.  I’ll do my best to listen to all of it and give you some feedback.  Only problem is that the mail system for our station is somewhere between slow and never.  Ah well, cest la vie.

Ah I love this time of year most of all.  Here in Louisiana we have something like two seasons, summer and February.  Though there has been a bit of a nip in the air this past week and many locals are crying “cold” I have to say that all this does for me is perk my interest.  Tomorrow and Sunday here in town is the yearly festival at Destrehan Plantation, and as is the norm these days Trout Fishing in America will be playing tomorrow, Saturday November 10th.  It’s a show I always look forward to.

Keith and Ezra first crossed my radar about 5 years ago when I started putting together my show which at the time was on Sunday mornings from 6 to 8 (yes, can you think of a better time slot?).  I found one of their CD’s in the stacks at our station and thought the music sounded pretty cool (I also found They Might Be Giants using the same method back around 2003).  Since that time I have become a huge fan of theirs and I really look forward to seeing them live each year.  It’s an outdoor show and last year we all sat around on hay bales enjoying the weather and the music.  Hopefully this year will be more of the same.

I’ll drop a line in the next few days and let you know how it went. In the meantime you can ceck them out at http://www.troutmusic.com.  If you are not familiar with them navigate around the site a bit.  And if you want something really fun to look at visit the “treehouse slideshow” on the homepage.  What a blast!

Greetings to all.  Once more I let my Spam frustration kill my writing, but here I am again thinking I’ve got it licked.  We’ll see.  Hope to be back at you with some regularity in the very near future.  See you soon.

Well, I’m back at last.  Frustration was the key word in all of this.  Most of my time was being spent dealing with SPAM commentary in the discussions that wasn’t all that appropriate for a kids show.  Finally got a handle on it and have my filters trained well enough so that it won’t drive me crazy. As for my main website I’m up to about 300 SPAM e-mails a day but at least they too are on the way to oblivion when I get them so I’ve taken some time to udpate there as well. Hope to be writing for you again within the next week or so.  Thanks for hanging in there!

Greetings.  Yes, I have been away for a while.  Last weekend was our annual fundraiser for the radio station.  The weekend before that I was camping with my Cub Scout Pack.  What a blast!  Nothing better than watching these young boys begin their development into young men.  Happy parents (including me).  Overall it has been a great couple of weeks.

I’ve been working behind the scenes on the first half of my radio show, which is from 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM on Saturday mornings.  It’s called The Island Dreams Show, and I’ve been working on the website for the show (www.theislanddreamsshow.com) as well as the show itself.  That, along with life, has been taking up alot of my free time.  As well, I’ve been preparing for Zoo To Do for Kids here in New Orleans.  It is the annual fundraiser for the Audubon Zoo here in town and I’ll be spinning music for a little over 3 hours the last Friday evening in April.

In the near future, I’m going to post my proposed playlist both here and on my website.  For me, this is an opportunity for me to play all my favorites, the music I don’t get to play all the time on my show.  I hope nobody feels left out when I post that list because it is not that I don’t enjoy certain songs or artists, it simply means that these are the songs that I love and that I think best express where children’s music is in the world today.  I look forward to your comments.

Am I the only person in the world that is not happy when we move the clock forward? Is there anything wrong with 7 AM being the same every day of the year? Oh well, at least now there will be no excuse for not mowing the lawn after work. Summertime is coming, and with it here at WTUL we’ll have a new batch of future DJ folks that will be joing us, as well as months of hot, humidity filled days here in our wonderful Crescent City home.

This is the time of year I start pulling out my “happy” music, preparing for one of those fun shows I get to do a few times a year. These are the Saturday mornings when I can play my favorites; you might think “what is that song doing on a kids’ show?” Ah the beauty of progressive radio. Trust me, children love this stuff too.

Lucky Dumpling is for me one of those great releases that I listen to year after year. This is not a CD made for kids, but it is one that they will enjoy. Moonpools and Caterpillars were a West Coast band that featured Kimi Ward Encarnacion on vocals; and what vocals they were. If you can remember Volkswagen commercials from back in the 90’s, their songs were a big part of the ads, including “Hear” which was probably the most well known. Other great selections on the disc are “Ren” and “Colossal Youth”.

Also on the CD is a song called “Summertime”, which is one of my favorites. I play it every year around this time because it gets me in the mood for the season. It’s got a great beat, catchy lyrics, and brings a smile to me everytime I hear it. Moreover, the remainder of this album has the same refreshing sound. Yes, this is pure mid-90’s music and if you expect something mainstream 21st century you’ll be dissapointed. This would be a great addition to your CD library. You will have to search the used market for a copy, but it’s well worth the search.

It’s been one of those crazy, upside down weeks at the office, so of course I’m behind as always. Yes, I do have a “real” job (though I would love nothing better than to play music for life) because my kids like to eat. And for some reason though food, unlike money, may grow on trees, you have to pay someone to pick it off the tree. Sigh. Here in New Orleans Zoo-To-Doo Kids is fast approaching and I was thinking of some music that would be great for a night at the Zoo.

One Size Fits All is a CD by Danny Alderman that has a really cool song by the name of “Africa Calling” that gives a pretty good overview of every animal in the zoo. It’s a cute, kind of hip if you will tune that I enjoy listening to and think you might enjoy as well. Danny does a rendition of Humpty Dumpty on the CD that finishes the story, sings a tune about the typical school bus driver, and offers a rockin’ rendition of “It’s Raining, It’s Pouring”. This CD might not be the easiest to find, but if you’re looking to add something to your collection that just might make you smile, check this one out.

Today was one of those fun-filled show days that make me wonder “why?”. Why do folks that have no idea what this or that button can do feel the need to press the button? Why is it that a science major figures that if they can name all the bones in the body they can figure out a better way to reset everything in our studio? Oh well, why ask why.

After an hour or so during the 6-7 AM hour I was able to get someone to hear me talk on air and could hear myself. Even had music playing over the, gasp!, radio. Pretty good idea for a radio show. Lucky for me I had most things kind of working by the time the kids music was ready to play (and a HUGE thank you to the two lovely ladies on before me for letting me know we were having problems).

I was in a happy, retro (again), kind of la-la mood when I set up my music the night before and one of the selections today was “Sing” off the For the Kids CD put out by VH1. Covered by Ivy on this disc, it is as beautiful a remake as I have encountered. The entire CD consists of covers of well known hits by various artists including Dan Zanes, Barenaked Ladies, Cake, Guster, and others. Sarah McLachlans’ cover of The Rainbow Connection would make Kermit cry. And if you can imagine it, Tom Waits (on a kids CD) offers a great rendition of “Bend Down the Branches”.

All in all, this is a well produced disc that would be a welcome addition to any CD library.

If you’re not from New Orleans you probably won’t understand Mardi Gras very well. Yes, it is parades, music, fun, and so many other things. Did you know that it is always the day before one of the most quiet days in the Crescent City, Ash Wednesday. And people here (at least the Catholic folk like myself) still know where you live based on your Church. This is the last party before Lent. It’s how we get ready for seafood on Fridays and anticipate seeing people dressed in their Easter best going to St. Patricks on Camp Street for Latin Mass on Easter Sunday. Â

You may not be able to come to Mardi Gras (me, I have to work today), but you can enjoy some of the music from our town thanks to the folks at Putumayo.  New Orleans Playground is an excellent CD that showcases many of the best musicians New Orleans and the surrounding Metro area has to offer.  Sit back and listen to music from Dr. John, Fats Domino, Buckwheat Zydeco, Charmaine Neville, and others that most of you may not be familiar with.  This is the music of New Orleans.  It’s fun, upbeat, and perfect for all ages looking for some “fun” music to listen to.

If you’re looking for a treat, pop this one in your CD player.  Dim the lights, close your eyes, and imagine a sun-filled day in the crowd.  If you scream out “throw me something mister” it’s ok.  We understand.

If you’re here looking for great in-depth reviews of music for kids, for comparisons of CDs to other artists, and true “reviews” of music, well, you’ve come to the wrong place. If you’re interested in these I can offer them to you, but for this forum I like to keep it sweet and simple. And my simple review today is one that not only brings back childhood memories to me, but is still such an incredible work for kids today.

I have to admit that at heart I am just a big kid. I also should tell you that I can’t count the number of times someone asked a question and I had to sing one of these songs in my head to answer. Ok, so perhaps that is not all that normal, but then again neither am I. Yet, the fact that these songs have remained in my head all these years is the reason why I’m such a fan.  How many of you without thinking can sing “Conjunction Junction” from memory, or have sang The Preamble silently to yourself for no apparent reason.

My personal favorite from the series was “My Hero Zero”, and if you had one I’d love to hear about it and why that was the song you enjoyed most. This CD is a sampler if you will, what some folks might consider the best of, and if you have nothing from this series this is a great starting point. All in all, it’s a classic that I play for my kids, for my audience, and that I think you would enjoy playing as well.

Ralph’s World is now flying high on Playhouse Disney, and with a CD and DVD release Ralph Covert is rising among the ranks of recording artists in children’s music. Happy Lemons (I’ve been on a happy kick these last few days) is another of those “retro” discs I’ve been so fond of lately, then again I’ve been playing from them for years now. It is amazing to see the music my audience (all four or five of my listners) has been enjoying over the past few years is now becoming “mainstream”.

Ralph Covert is one of these regional artists (along with folks such as Justin Roberts and Imagination Movers) making the transition to national status. Thanks to the magic of Disney many of his songs have now been released on the “Welcome to Ralph’s World” CD. This disc features several songs from “Happy Lemons” including the final track of the CD, “Riding With No Hands”. If you are a parent, may I suggest giving this song a listen. This is an absolutely perfect example of music for kids that is, in many ways, music for big kids (like adult big kids).

You may wonder why I would post Happy Lemons rather than the new compilation release from his previous albums? My answer is, that though Ralph’s World offers some of his best work, you would also miss out on so many more really great songs. Plus, this CD is one of my featured CDs (for many reasons) as one of the Top 10 to have in any collection of music for kids. Give it a listen sometime, I think you’ll enjoy.

I’ve been in a retro mood as of late, kind of remembering some of the music I played when I first started my show. Milkshake was a group I fell in love with the first time I played one of their songs, and has to rate way up on the “wow, if I could ever see them live” list I keep in my head. Problem is today, most kids music is regional, part of the reason I try so hard to play a sampling of music from all over the place. Though in some ways that is changing, it’s a slow process at best.

Milkshake is one of those “regional” groups from the East Coast that I wish was on a nationwide tour. Their music is incredible, and I know that my wife and I play their music with regularity. Happy Songs was their first release, and the title cut is one of those sing-in-your-head tunes that will stay with you for the long haul. My favorite cut was, and is, “Goodnight Moon”, because it brings back memories of reading to my little guys not so long ago. Play some of this CD for your kids and watch the smiles begin. Oh yeah, your kids will enjoy it too.

I’ve been at the office 19 hours now and am trying to keep my eyes open. This is my break from the rat race for a few minutes. I have come to the conclusion that the children are our future, and that I have to raise mine to be productive members of the world. It seems the average 17 to 30 something year-old may be able to read and write but has never heard the words “work” and “ethic” used in the same sentence.

So tonight, it’s Lullaby time. I’m reaching into the archives of The Kids Show and pulling out “Sleeping With The Fishes”. This is one of my favorites of all time. The title cut is as pretty a song as you’ll find. And my favorite, “Lost in a Daydream” helps me forget the cares of the day. I hope you get the chance to get lost in your daydreams. Kiss your kids, and look at them sleeping . You never can get these memories back.

Early Tuesday morning was attack of the tornadoes night in New Orleans. Many folks woke up to downed trees and no electricity. Oh what a great way to start the day. So, how about some music to brighten the day? Kid Pan Alley is a compilation of folks performing with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra and the Kid Pan Alley Band. The CD features Suzy Bogguss, Jimmy Hall, Amy Grant, Lari White, and many other musical talents than I can’t list here.

If you like Pop, R&B, Country, Classical, Motown, Bluegrass, Dixieland Jazz, and most everything else this is a CD you might enjoy. This is really an adult friendly CD that kids will love. Check out “Bouncin’ off the Bottom”, “No Fair”, and “Can’t Remember What I Forgot” for a good sampling of the music. If you want to find out more about Kid Pan Alley, their website is Kid Pan Alley dot org

Oh wonderful Monday mornings. I’m not sure how the world works in your little slice of it but in my realm Monday is often a grin-and-bear it day, normally because everything that went wrong on Saturday is waiting for you.  Yippee. So what whould you think I would do when life looks at me and says “here we go again”? Â

First, I find a way to put things in some order and figure out what my priorities are. Second, I pop some music in the CD player at the office and rock out. Wait, you say, “this is music for kids”. You listen to this at work?  Imagine if you will four stay at home moms that were tired of “children’s music”.  They got together and decided to form a band for kids that plays, gasp, real rock, Ramones type rock.  Got your attention yet?

Calling All Kids is their latest release, just got it in the mail over the weekend.  Songs include,”The Alphabet Song”, “Jack and Jill”, and “Three Little Piggies”.  Never heard these played like Iggy Pop would play them?  With tons of bass?  And dynamite guitars?  Well, here’s your chance.  Just what the doctor ordered.  You can check out The Candy Band at their website, http://www.candyband.com. You might find it worthy of a listen. 

Last night we had our Pack Meeting for my oldest boy’s Cub Scout Pack, Pack 38 based at Metairie Academy for Advanced Studies. Pack 38 for those who care to know is a part of the Chitamacha District, which is a part of the Southeast Louisiana Council, BSA. Whew. In short, it’s a group of 1st thru 3rd graders getting their first taste of scouting. Dad, that would be me, is the Cubmaster for the kids; that means I get to be in charge. Sometimes. Mom enjoys seeing both her boys in uniform. It’s “cute”.

Scouting, though, is a wonderful experience for these little guys. In the world today how wonderful it is to find boys working toward something good. We handed out badges last night for the boys, awards if you will for jobs well done. My boys said the Pledge AND sang the National Anthem. And this wild bunch stood still and proudly acepted their rewards for a job well done. Pride is not only watching your son get his, it’s watching these young men working together.

We’ll all be going camping in late March. This year our campout features a pirate theme. Imagine if you will these same boys in the woods, in the water, filthy dirty, sweaty, and generally being boys. Pretty good isn’t it? No TV, no radio or video anything, just tents, trees, and fun. Yet, the ride to camp, and home from camp, takes time. What do we do during the ride? BINGO! We listen to music. Hmmm. What music? How about Pegleg Tango?

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Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Captain Bogg & Salty offer a CD filled with pirate songs for all ages, and all in all it’s a great compilation. The second track, “Weigh Anchor” is a really good example, it’s kind of a sea shanty if you will. If you’ve ever listened to Sea Music by Dan Zanes this will be familiar territory for you. If you like 50’s style music you’ll enjoy “Sea Kings”,and you might also try

“Sea Monster” if you like catchy stay-in-your head tunes.My favorite is “What It’s Really Like On A Ship”.  This is a great song, one that I tend to play over and over when it’s in my CD player.  Pegleg Tango features rock, pop, calyposo, and those previously mentioned.  Captain Bogg & Salty are one of those formerly unique groups of folks that can entertain both adults and kids, and musically they produce discs for both.

I’ve been asked by a few people (or maybe just one person) to write a blog of some kind. Why? If you’ve been a frequent visitor to The Kids Show’s website you’ll know that the word “current” isn’t always something I’m real familiar with. My job gets in the way of my fun. How fair is that? More to the point, I get in numerous new musical selections each week and I don’t really have the time to post reviews of all of them on my site. That’s not fair to the folks that send them to me.

So…I’m going to try and post here with some regularity. I’ll try to give you some information about the music, the show, life in general, and anything else that pops into my head. These are my opinions only, so take them with a grain of salt. A big grain. Maybe more like a salt dome. What you like in kids music may not be what I like, and I might enjoy things you don’t. See how easy that is?

I hope you enjoy this as we go forward. I know I will.