Month: September 2024

Sweet Sounds Chicago

Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized

On September 22, the Children’s Music Network’s annual conference begins. Filled with presentations that further the organization’s mission to “celebrate the positive power of music in the lives of children by sharing songs, exchanging ideas and creating community,” this year’s conference promises to be an amazing experience. For the second year in a row, the conference opens with four days of virtual programming before transitioning to an in-person experience in Chicago September 27-29. There is still time to register for the virtual conference, which includes the virtual programs as well as the livestream or recordings of all of the Chicago sessions. Consider registering today – I promise, you won’t regret it!

Wendy and DB album cover for Back HomeTo celebrate CMN coming to Chicago, I thought now would be a good time to highlight two albums from the Windy City’s children’s music community. First up is Back Home, the second blues album for families from Wendy & DB. This follow-up to their 2023 GRAMMY-nominated  Into the Little Blue House is an acoustic triumph, and tribute to a musical genre rarely explored in children’s music. Joined by blues greats Billy Branch, Libby Rae Watson, Ruthie Foster, and Doug McCleod, Back Home is a rich exploration of the rhythms and sounds of the blues. The lyrics and melodies have a unique depth to them while encouraging listeners of all ages to fight injustices, have faith in yourself, and find your joy. Many of the songs in this collection teach important life lessons while shining a light on the stories of icons like Rosa Parks and Muhammad Ali while others such as “Put Down the Phone,” “Hemingway the Wonderdog,” and “Move Them Bones” infuse the album with a playfulness that children will enjoy. Back Home will empower and uplift listeners of all ages.

 

Birds of a Feather album cover for Rock TogetherThe second album is Rock Together, the debut from the new superduo Birds of a Feather, featuring Chicago’s own Little Miss Ann and Brooklyn’s Suzi Shelton. Rock Together kicks things off with the track “Birds of a Feather” which sets the tone and perfectly encapsulates the friendship between Ann and Suzi with lyrics like, “birds of a feather rock together.” The theme of celebrating and appreciating one another runs through the collection with songs like “City and Country,” the groovy “Our World,” and the folksy “State of Maine.” A veritable who’s who of children’s music joins on tracks throughout the album, but it is Mista Cookie Jar and Ronnie Boy Kids who are given a chance to shine during the fun-filled “Jump Into the Water.” The combination of a variety of musical genres, the sharing of lead vocals, and engaging/entertaining lyrics (see Tough Cat ), makes this an album that the whole family will enjoy.

 

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Music for Storytimes

Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized

In my experience in libraries, there are generally two types of staff who do storytimes – those who make lesson plans months in advance, and those who pull things together just days, if not hours (hopefully not minutes) before storytime begins. As the fall sessions of storytimes and classroom visits begin, no matter your planning style, here are some songs that should find their way into your rotation.

Album cover for Kath Bee's album Simple Action Songs for Babies to 2 Yrs.Our first album today comes all the way from New Zealand. Kath Bee brings over 20 years experience writing and performing children’s music. Her latest album, Simple Action Songs for Babies to 2 Yrs for Learning & Fun is exactly what you need for your baby and toddler storytimes. The collection fittingly opens with a hello song and closes with a goodbye song. In between are tracks that each focus on one simple action including clapping, wiggling toes, standing up, jumping, and spinning around. Running times of 30-60 seconds and clear, simple lyrics that feature plenty of repetition and a pace that is easy for parents and children to follow, make these tunes great additions to any storytime.

 

 

Hunk Ta Bunk Ta album cover for SeasonsNext up is Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta SEASONS: Songs to Celebrate All Four Seasons, the latest album from veteran songwriter and performer Katherine Dines. All 12 of the tracks were written during the pandemic and tested with live audiences in the last year. The album opens with songs about spring before moving to summer, autumn, and winter. With the exception of “Five Little Jack O’Lanterns,” none of the songs is directly connected to a holiday, making them accessible for all audiences. Dines knows exactly what appeals to children with songs about things like birds, bugs, snowflakes, and leaves. While it’s easy to imagine how you might use songs like “Baby Birds Sing ‘Cheep Cheep,'” and “Tickle It Away” in storytimes or “Sleigh Ride” in a lapsit, Dines makes it even easier with an array of videos and tips for using several of the songs with young audiences. 

 

Bay Song Album Cover for Talk Read Sing PlayThe final album is Talk Read Sing Play from educators and performers John Keenan and Jo-Anne Wilson-Keenan, known as the musical duo Bay Song. The Keenans are the founders of Keenan Literacy & Learning and believe that “Everything we do supports human rights, literacy, and learning for children and their families.  We view literacy and learning as human rights that lead to other human rights.” Their latest collection of songs definitely supports that belief as their lyrics celebrate reading and singing and the joy of words. The album features several songs that would work well in storytime including the lapsit tune “Baby-Bop,” the shaker song “Shake Your Rattle Baby,” and the movement song “Put on Your Dancing Shoes,”

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