Happy Land is Terra Feliz

Happy Land is Tierra Feliz. Performed by Mi Amigo Hamlet. CD. Approx. 55 min. Label: Hamlet Meneses Music. 2018. CD: $15; Download: $9.99.

Pre-S – Grade 2

A native of Guatemala, now based in Chicago, Hamlet Meneses performs 16 songs, all in both Spanish and English. This ambitious production features a variety of Latin musical styles, including merengue, salsa, rumba flamenco, and bossa nova, as well as reggae and folk. Backup musicians include Dean Jones, Roberto Juan Rodriguez, Ken McGloin, Marianne Tasick, Jason Sarubbi, Charles Frommer, and Rhys Ellis kicking it on guitar, bass, upright bass, violin, wooden flute, keyboards, saxophone, trombone, drums, bongos, and percussion, including maracas, rumba box, marimba, stylophone, and xylophone. “Happy Land” is full of happy smiles, hearts, souls, thoughts, and actions. Several songs teach children the names of things in both languages: “Dias de la Semana,” “Go Go Go,” “Hola,” “Cara Cabeza” (to the tune of “Are You Sleeping”), “Los Instrumentos” (including the sounds of maracas, rumba box, marimba, bongos, flute, xylophone, and stylophone), “Months of the Year,” and “Azul” (with exaggerated rolling of “r’s” on “rojo”). “Pajarito” encourages appreciation for birds, bumblebees, and butterflies. In “Laila,” everyone is invited to a singing and dancing party, accompanied by an outstanding flamenco guitar solo. The melody for “Rock Paper Scissors” is from a traditional Guatemalan children’s song. “How Much I Love You” celebrates the love of parents for their children. “La Lluvia” is happy to fall and make wet the birds in the trees; accompanied by the sounds of chirping birds. “Love” is tender, free, thankful, wonderful, and much more. The singer is “Thankful” for family, friends, children, hugs, and sunshine. Finally, “Little Fish” wants to make a much better world. Many of the songs have energetic, driving rhythms that will make children want to dance around. An outstanding album for the whole family.
Website:  https://miamigohamlet.com/

Lightspeed!

Lightspeed! Performed by The Shazzbots. CD. Approx. 34 min. Label: The Shazzbots. 2019. CD: $12.99; Vinyl: $24.99; Download: $9.99.

Pre-S – Grade 2

Triple Emmy Award winners for a TV pilot in 2016, the Shazzbots (Ian Hummel, Dianne Hummel, Steve Frye, Mike Heslop, and Josh Tully) perform 12 original and energetic rock and country style songs on this 3^rd album. With their songs, they want to inspire the creativity, curiosity, and sense of wonder in children. The outstanding background instruments of guitar, bass, keys, harmonica, drums, and percussion are performed with enthusiasm and professionalism. “On the Playground,” children play on swing set, jungle gym, merry-go-round, monkey bars, see-saw, tunnel slide, hopscotch, and tether-ball. “Beauregard Ogilby Balderdash” is the only 3^rd grader with a handlebar mustache--grown since he was 3. “If You Knew Yuri Like I Know Yuri,” you would know this shelter dog is my very best pal. “I Think I Lost My Dinosaur,” so I go door to door looking for her. The rhythm of a train chugging down the track is captured in “Chuggin’.” If you eat up all the food on your plate, you can join the “Clean Plate Club.” Librarians will especially love the galloping rock rhythm of “Read a Book Today,” which extols all the fun of finding adventures in books. “Something’s Stuck in My Kazoo,” features silly sound FX as a child tries to blow the obstruction out of the kazoo. “My Pa’s Fun Truck” goes rickety rackety rockety rolling along. School is cancelled on a “Snow Day,” so students grab sleds and head up the hill. I’m on a “Gravy Boat,” so I’m smiling, giggling, dancing, and shining. “Very Very Vivian" features gentle piano pop and welcomes a new baby girl. With catchy, toe-tapping melodies and energetic instruments and vocals, this album will appeal to the entire family.
Website: https://www.theshazzbots.com/

We Are One

We Are One. Performed by Animal Farm. CD. Approx. 54 min. Label: Bespectacled Records. 2018. CD: $15; Download: $12.

Pre-S – Gr 4

            Awarded a 2018 NAPPA award, We Are One, the second album from Animal Farm (David Ladon, Seth Adams, Thor Bremer, and Stephanie “Sly” Young), includes 14 fun and energetic songs in various styles of rock, jazz, folk, Klezmer, Afro-pop, Tin Pan Alley, and salsa. In the background, listeners can hear some great instrumentation on guitar, ukulele, bass, violin, piano, organ, saxophone, clarinet, drums, and percussion. In “Snow Bird,” a penguin wishes to travel to warm places such as Bali, Morocco, and Boca Raton. The “Awesome Possum” saves his family from a wolf by dancing. A snail wants everyone to “Slow Down” and enjoy the sights around them. A poor guy has an “Ear Worm” of a song stuck in his head. When one is “Cranky Pants,” then he or she can make animal noises to feel better. If you think you have it bad, “It Could Always Be Worse,” so have an attitude of gratitude. “Totes McGoats” advises listeners not to keep anger bottled up inside, but to let it go. “Paw and Think” gives advice on how to repair relationships. A “Two-Headed Tortoise” has two heads (Mort and Pat) that can’t get along and have problems sharing the same space. “Screen Time” finds several bugs gathered at a screen door, attracted to the light inside. Many strange creatures live in “The Abyss,” but despite the cold and dark, they call it home. A bat is terrified of the dark in “Nocturnal Me.” Seeing trees being chopped down around him, “Monkey See, Monkey Do” is worried because the trees are home to many animals. “We Are One” shows the connectedness of all living things on Planet Earth. Children will enjoy these bouncy, lively animal-inspired songs.
Website: https://animalfarmband.bandcamp.com 

Rock & Rhyme

Rock & Rhyme. Performed by Mr. Jon and Friends. CD. Approx. 47 min. Produced by Jon and Carrie Lewis. 2018. $15 for CD or download.

K-Grade 5

Jon Lewis, on staff in the children’s department of a public library in Frederick, MD, and his wife Carrie present 20 energetic songs in mostly various styles of rock, but also with some bluegrass and gentle pop as well. This 3^rd album features a band of excellent musicians performing on guitar, mandolin, ukulele, bass, organ, piano, accordion, recorder, melodica, drums, and percussion. The Lewis children join in enthusiastically on some of the songs. Inspired by Raffi, they perform an a cappella cover of Raffi’s “Brush Your Teeth.” Several songs invite listeners to perform participatory movements, including “Rock and Rhyme,” “Dance Party,” “Clap Your Hands,” “Going on a Bear Hunt,” “Dragonfly,” and “Let’s Move to Some Music.” In different seasons, I “Play My Drum” for everyone. The traditional “Tortoise and the Hare” is presented as a musical story, with a fast tempo for the hare and a slow tempo for the tortoise. This album’s “Old MacDonald” has chickens, snakes, tickle-opes and yogurt on his farm. Children are invited to join in with elephants, lions, alligators, and more in “Animal Parade.” It is relaxing floating down the Delaware in a “Yellow Tube.” A child who can’t sit still has "Ants in My Pants.” A “Hermit Crab Going on a Walk” shows off his brand-new shell. “Clean Up” tells the story of cleaning up a messy room. In “Alphabet Song,” the alphabet is recited at different tempos. A “Red Balloon” escapes from its child and floats away. When there is “Summer Rain,” it is a good day for reading a book. “My Little One” is a gentle lullaby. The final track is a humorous exchange between Jon and his puppet monkey, George, in which George sings a silly version of “Old MacDonald.” A fun album that will keep listeners moving and grooving.
Website: https://mrjonmusic.com 

Fireflies

Fireflies. Performed by Mister G. CD. Approx. 28 min. Label: Coil Records. 2018. CD: $14.99; Download: $9.99.

K-Gr 3—

            Mister G (aka Ben Gundersheimer) -- multiple award-winner of a Grammy, a Parent’s Choice Gold Award, and many others--performs 10 amazing songs with catchy melodies and lovely harmonies. With guest musicians such as Lucy Kalantari and Dean Jones, this is an imminently listenable album featuring folk, bluegrass, soul, vintage country, and gospel musical styles. The back-up musicians give excellent performances on acoustic & electric guitars, pedal steel, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, upright bass, drums, and percussion. In the summer, people go camping and watch “Fireflies” light up the sky. Children plan everything they’re going to do in “Sweet Summertime,” such as riding bikes. “Me and You” can work together to fix the world. “S’mores” are a wonderful summer treat. Everyone shares this “Big Old World” that we love. A child’s “Four-Footed Friend” is the best thing he’s found in this two-footed town. Before you can walk, you have to “Crawl.” We are walking “Together As One,” sharing the sun, the moon, and a hope for peace. A “Perfect Day” is one in which you can sit in the cool beneath the trees with a glass of lemonade. “Moonbeams,” a lullaby, invites children to close their eyes and dream. This album that both parents and children can enjoy, will not grow old even with multiple playing.

Website: https://mistergsongs.com 

In Our World There Are No Strangers

In Our World There Are No Strangers. Performed by Evan and Vanessa. CD. Approx. 61 min. Label: Banyan Records. 2018. CD and Download: $10.00.

Ages: Pre-S - Grade 1—

               Vanessa Richmond and Evan Blum perform 24 songs—the first half in English, and the second half in Spanish. Vanessa’s vocals are clear, light and sweet. These are mostly folk and gentle pop songs, backed up by guitar, clarinet, flute. Guzheng (Chinese wooden harp), and synthesizer, and featuring lovely harmonies. “Welcome to Our Album” features bird song and a gentle instrumental, with Evan and Vanessa speaking, that they want to go exploring. “Sun Sun Sun” shines everywhere such as on gardens and on the ocean and creates shadows. “Any Dream Will Do” is a cover of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s prologue to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. “Edelweiss” is a cover of Oscar Hammerstein song for Sound of Music. “Los Pollitos” is a traditional Spanish nursery song. “Somewhere Out There” is a cover of a song from An American Tail. “The Traveler” includes a spoken narration of the traditional Irish blessing prayer which begins “May the road rise to meet you.” “Tu Tu Teshcote” is a meditative ancient Aztec lullaby. “Coloring Book” includes ocean sounds. Evan tells Vanessa “I Know of a Special Place” and they decide to go on one more adventure. “In Our World There Are No Strangers,” only friends we can learn to love. In “Goodbye Friends,” there are the sounds of nature and faint background instrument like a xylophone or marimba. Finally, there is a spoken introduction to the Spanish half of the album, followed by 11 of the songs in Spanish. The drawback are that there is no lyrics list included, and some of the English lyrics are difficult to understand. Other than that, this is a lovely album for the whole family.

Website: www.evanandvanessa.com

Total Eclipse of the Rainbow

Total Eclipse of the Rainbow. Performed by Rainbow Rock Band. CD. Approx. 22 min. Label: Del Ray Rocks. 2018. CD: $9.99; Download: $7.99.

Ages: Pre-school

            Led by songwriter Dr. Karen Moran, the Rainbow Rock Band performs 7 high energy songs in folk, rock, country, and pop musical styles, with lovely harmonies. The back-up musicians make beautiful music on guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, bass, piano, and drums. Dr. Moran plans for this album to be a teacher resource for circle times; or for parents to support learning for their children. “Crazy Cakes” combines counting with participatory movement. “Lee Lee the Lizard” can change his color in all colors of the rainbow. “Sunflower” tells how a potted sunflower needs lots of sunlight. Everyone turns to the “Sparkle Fairy” for the daily weather forecast. “Samuel the Zookeep” sees various animals in the zoo, including monkey, tiger, elephant, lion, and others, accompanied by their sounds. Children are encouraged to dream of rainbows in “Rainbow Lullaby.” And everyone celebrates when “It’s Your Birthday.”  Teachers and parents will welcome this album with open arms.

Website: www.rainbowrockband.com