Sharon, Lois & Bram: Best of the Best Live

 

Sharon, Lois & Bram: Best of the Best Live. Performed by Sharon Hampson, Lois Lilienstein & Bram Morrison. Approx. 63 min. Red Brick Songs. 2021. CD: $13.99; CAD: $14.99; Digital: $12.99. Ages 2 – 7

            This excellent compilation of the multi-award-winning Canadian trio’s live performances from 1989—1995 features 32 of their best-known songs. Listeners will also hear much interaction between the trio and their various audiences. Most of the songs encourage some kind of listener participation and are in various musical styles, including jig, boogie Woogie, jazz, folk, and bluegrass. The backup musicians perform with excellence on  fiddle, banjo, bass, keys, saxophone, clarinet, flute and drums. Song titles and medleys include: “Rig A Jig Jig/One Elephant, Deus Éléphants,” “Did You Bring Your Singing Voice?/Short, Long & Beard,” “She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain,” “Alphabet Song/ABC Jig,” “Rags,” “Monday Night the Banjo,” “Going to the Zoo/Five Little Monkeys,” “Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes/Head & Shoulders, Baby,” “How Much is That Doggie in the Window,” “I Am Slowly Going Crazy,” “Old King Cole,” “Flea Fly Mosquito/Shoo Fly Don’t Bother Me/Shoo-Fly Pie,” “If I Could Have a Windmill,” “Ballin’ the Jack,” “Skip to My Loo/Put Your Finger in the Air/Eensy Weensy Spider,” “Hucklebuck,” “Jack Was Every Inch a Sailor,” “Peanut Butter and Jelly,” “Dirty Old Bill/Miss Lucy,” “CHICKEN/Grandpa’s Farm,” “Skinnamarink,” and “Hey Dum Diddeley Dum.” This album will bring back wonderful memories for older fans and create new ones for young listeners. 

Website: https://www.sharonloisandbram.com/

Seconds

 

Seconds. Performed by Ben Tatar and the Tatar Tots. Approx. 33 min. 2021. CD: $10; Digital: $10. Ages 4—8

     Ben Tatar performs 10 original lively and energetic songs in New Orleans jazz, 70s Latin, funk, blues, pop, big band swing, and rhumba musical styles. These are very sophisticated tunes for children’s’ songs about food. Tatar and his guest vocalists, Anthony Bruno and Amyna Love, make some beautiful harmonies together. Guest bands LowDown Brass Band and Spare Parts join other musicians to make excellent performances on guitar, banjo, bass, tenor sax, clarinet, flute, trombone, trumpet, sousaphone, keys, Glockenspiel, drums, and percussion. The flavor of “Jambalaya” sends a melody to his soul, and he has music to play all night. “Peanut Butter” joins with jelly to make the taste complete. In answer to “Can You Write a Song About Broccoli,” he tried a million times to write broccoli rhymes, but the universe told him “no.” When “I Got the Greens,” I hit the salad bar and got spinach, lettuce, avocado, lima beans, and other greens. The musical style of “The Breakfast Song (Start It Right)” is reminiscent of the 70s band America. “Bake Me a Cake” or a pie, I shouldn’t need a reason why. I’m going “Back to the Buffet” to stack food a mile high: enchiladas, lima beans, pasta, oranges, greens, with syrup on veggies, and sprinkling bacon on fruit. Every morning, noon, and night, and every time I’m feeling uptight, I’m “Thinking of Pizza.” In “Oh Cookie,” Tatar sings the praises of chocolate chip cookies, avocados (holy guacamole), mashed potatoes, and enchiladas. “Sweet Nectarine” bring up close your fuzzy, peachy cheek. These fun sophisticated, bouncy songs will have the kids, parents, and grandparents all dancing, bobbing their heads, and tapping their feet.

Website: https://ben-tatar.squarespace.com/

Smörgåsbord

 

Smörgåsbord. Performed by Louis & Dan and the Invisible Band. CD. Approx. 21 min. 2021. CD: $12.00; Digital: $12.00. Ages 8 up

Louis Epstein and Daniel Groll perform 8 original songs in musical styles influenced by hip hop, musical theater, indie rock, country, Tin Pan Alley, and folk. Clarinet, Glockenspiel, and drums are the only instruments credited, but the back-up musicians are excellent. “The New Invisible Band” introduces the band members and the roles they play. “I’m a Turkey” should have been the national bird but lost out to the eagle. “Mind Your Money” tells children how to grow their money by saving, investing, and budgeting (Louis & Dan seem to be in favor of evil socialism). “Happy Day” celebrates different holidays, including graduation, birthday, epiphany, Oktoberfest, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, and many others. “Minneapolis the Musical City” extolls the talents of the Andrews Sisters, Judy Garland, Olive Fremstad (opera soprano), and several other musicians. “What Is a Family” includes a variety of family types, such as nuclear families, single parent families, and families with adoptees. In “Joy to the World,” an adventurous lady travels to many places, including Rome, Stockholm, Morocco, Tijuana, Puerto Rico, Italy, Beijing, Thailand, Peru, Paris, Toronto, Antigua, Norway, and others. “I’ll Take Myself to Bed” says the child wanting to give his parents a break. A humorous and enjoyable album.

Website: https://www.louisdaninvisibleband.com/